Evening star., 1921-10-12
KLAN OFFICIALS co
| |0NW|TNESSSTAND
IN HOUSE HEARING
Attorney Tells Committee of
0rders-Simmons to
Testify Later.
WRIGHT ADMITS HE GOT
$4,000 FOR HIS EXPOSURES
SIS, 900 Palace Dwindles to $10,-
600 in Testimony of Post
Office Inspector.

urging a congressional investigation
committee called today for testimony
| by officers of the order. but was re-
quested to defer until this afternoon
the examination of William J. Sim
mons. imperial wizard. because OF "a
| temporary indispostion."
| Paul j. Etheredge of Atlanta. who
i, described himself as supreme attor-
ney, stated that Col. Simmons, who
was present, was suffering with
nausea. but hoped to testify later in
the day.
Mr.. Etheredge declared that Mrs.
Elizabeth Tyler of Atlanta had no
relation with the imperial body. and,
according to his information. was
with the propagating department.
No l<Iansmcn on Board.
IF Mrs Tyler has had any control
i over the organization it has bcen out
side Of my knowledge the witness
said.
Referring to published reports that
several teachers in Atlanta were de-
i feated for reelection by the school
board because they were Cathoiics,
Mr. Etheredgc declared there was no
| truth III 1t.
There was not a kEanSman on the
board ne testified.
He also asserted that the Lakewood
murder in Atlanta was not the work OF
kanSmen, and that certain alleged par
ticipants had been prosecuted by John
Boykin. distrc. attorney. whom ne De
scribcd as IAN acknowledged klansnan
Charges Coercion by Threats.
William Monroe Trotter of Boston,
speaking for the National Equal
Rights League. declared the Khan
! was "a private, unofficial organization
which interferes with personal liber-
ties Of people, most of whom are out
side its membership" Such inter
ference, he charged, was an attempt
to prevent the proper exercise OIL
government.
1T hss method of ecercton- Irottefs
4 Said. afs Shown by the sending or
| cease doing certain things, and by
| use of the hooded gown. he char-
! acterized the klan as real menace
| to the sense of personal security OIL
| millions of citizens.
| During the investigation Mr.. Iro',
| ter said he believed the khan illegal
| and should be suppressed.
! .Wnen our President is attempting Z
| 70 lead the world through dlsarma :
ment." he said. this country cahi,ot
! a frord to have this notorious ordef
| in its domain. when it is based on
| the suppression of one religion or one
| race of people.
| Rev. s. f. ]. Watson, negro preacnei
| of Chicago, told the committee the n u
| Eluy was proving a hindrance to the
nropress of the negro by breaking down
his morale through fear and terror:
| "Many negroes have been driven
| from humble homes held sine siav-
| ery." Mr.. Watson declared. The clalm
by the khan that the negro Is seeking
| social equality is unwarranted
| Describing himself as a southerner,
Rev David Simpson klugh of Boston,
negro, declared the khan should be IN
! vestieated to ascertain whether whole
sale charges against it were true.
n,pro to attempt to dominate the coun-
try" Mr. Klugh said. 1T is our pur,
| pose to live in peace with the whites.
Necessary to Show Guilt.
| Mr.. Klugh declared the negroes be-
1ieved that the Rev. Philip S. Erwin of
Florida had been tarred and feathered
near Miami "only because he gave
negroes good information as preacher"
| Citing the case Of the alleged forehead
branding Of a negro bell boy in Texas.
! Mr kluyh Sa1Q IL vs. ucCeSSdIS "
show by an investiga on whether the
khan was guilty of the act.
| M. A. N. Shaw of Boston, president OF
| the National Equal Rights League
! declared that H. A. Taden, grand
| goblin in charge of New England ter
Catholics understand the real purport
! of the khan they would not oppose 1T,
because the negro problem was the
greatest of the age.
"Taden declared that union Of all
whites, Catholics and Jews, was nee
| essary to maintain white supremacy,
! Mr.. Shaw testified.
! 1--WE are sure that all negroes are
not klansmen, but we don't know
what white men are" he added.
$4,000 Palace Dwindles.
THE $4,000 palace" of Mrs. Eliza
beth Tyler at Atlanta, described yes
! ,terday by c. Anderson Wright, for
/ merly a klansman, dwindled to $10,-
! 900 structure today on testimony of
! o. B. Williamson. post office in
spector. Mr.. Williamson said investi-
cation showed the house was pur-
! chased by Mrs. Tyler prior to her con-
nection with the khan and that no
| part of the Ku klux money was used
| in the deal.
| Wright reiterated that the palace"
! was fine structure and that Edward
| Young Clarke, hledSle, WHO
F.; lives there, kept a fleet of seven
! motor cars.
Paid 1000 for Articles.
Wright, who wrote a series Of ar
| ticles for the Hearst newspapers pur-
! porting to expose the Ku Klux, told
| the committee that already he had
received $4,000 from the Hearst or
| ganization. and that he expected his
| total receipts from the series to reach
| about $1,000. Replying to questions
from Representative Pou. democrat.
North Carolina, the witness again
explained that ne had violated the
oath taken in Joining the khan by
publishing articles about Its secrets.
Digs Into Activities.
Digging into the activities OF the
Ku Klux Klan, the House rules COM
mittee developed by testimony yes
terday that the organization had
taken In si.tSs.Ti0 since It's founda-
ton. that the department of Justice
was stiii conducting an investigation
of its own and that. according To the
kians confidential information TO
nsId agents, the chief OF police OF
Sorfoik, Va. was a member,
Through news letters said to have
h.su sent from Khan headquarters aud
net intendrd Tor genera, publication
the statement also was mads that the
SaTiulh ohi.f had promised fse rifles
,n ihs iueai ardsr In time nf trouble.
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