The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-05-15

Five thousand men and women sat
spellbound in the tabernacle Sunday
night while II masked members of the
Ku Klux Khan. unopposed and fearless
ly, interrupted the service long enough
TO hand the Rev. w. A. Sunday an
envelope containing a message OF com
mendation and $50 in bills.
Their mission executed, their ident-
ity successfully cloaked, the twelve
men marched out of the tabernacle,
entered automobiles and disappeared
as silently and quickly as they had
made their entrance.
Members of the Sunday party had
been informed of the proposed visit,
however, so hat some of them were
prepared for the Klansmen, one of the
chief ushers said.
While no clue to the identity of the
men could be found, a man whose
name could not be learned was found
in the front of the tabernacle after
the meeting. commenting on the
amount of publicity which the spectac-
ular entry would get, and asking how
soon the Associated Press would get
the news.
Not First Experience
This is not the first experience of Mr.
Sunday with the Ku Klux Khan.
The khan has made a present to Mr.
Sunday in every city he has been IN
during the last year" said Bob Mat
thews. secretary to Mr.. Sunday. Ever
the Khan in Sioux City did the same
thing
At Charleston four members of the
Khan appeared, and presented Mr.. Sun
day a similar communication. with {
gift of $500. while at Spartansburg, S
G. the Khan presented Mr.. Sunday witt
$500.
An attempt of the reporters at the
Charleston meeting to follow the KlaT
members and find out where they
went was foiled, the accounts stating
that there seemed to be an agree
ment by which the visit was to bt
kept secret and attaches of the taber
nacle seemed TO be in conspiracy tt
get the visitors away without theiI
identity being learned"
First Appearance
II was the first time in the history o
Richmond that the Ku klux Khan ha'
appeared. although efforts to ESTABLISH
a branch in Richmond several months
ago We're known to have been made.
The letter which they gave to MI
Sunday bore the signature of the Nun
Gle Khan No. 4 and Richmond Provi
sional Khan.
Just as Billy Sunday was beginnin!
his sermon the twelve white clad men
wearing high pointed head gears
draped in robes that came to thei
! feet, with flowing wide sleeves an
white masks, were seen marching S
lently down the aisle. single file.
Sunday paused in the middle of hi
announcements, and stared down q
them. while a hush fell over the aud
ence, as the II figures lined up befor
the platform. and two of them noun
ed to the platform,
Suppressed giggles and hysterica
smokers broke the stiffness faintl!
but for the most part The audience wa
awed into ~immobility. except on til
edges where men and women stood
chair and benches 10 see what wa
ecing on.
At a grunt of command. the onl
sound made by the group during tn
entire visit, and a motion made by tn
leader, ten men lined up facing SUI
day. while the other two, one of thel
noticeably nervous and i'll at cas-,
walked to the platform and ~presente
the letter containing the money.
Make Room
The men and women on the stail
parted for the ghost like men, who's
identities could not be learned, the
costumes revealing only blue eyes an
black leather shoes.
Il thank you,' was all that Mr.. SUI
day said until the visitors had marche
out from the tabernacle as silently {
they had entered, and had turned sout
to enter automobiles and drive ava
Il don't know how you felt, but
commenced to check up OF myself
Mr.. Sunday confessed after the Will
|. clad men had departed.
Now I'm not a member of the K
Klux Khan. of the Masons, of the Cd
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