Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-10-20
GATHERING HELD LAST
NIGHT IN FIELD
EAST OF TOWN
REPORT 1000 THERE
FARMERS BECOME SUSPICIOUS
OF AUTO PARADE AND THEN
ARE ATTRACTED BY GLOW IN
HEAVENS FROM MING
CROSS.

The Ku KluX Klan last night. for
the first time in all its operations
about the county, operated within the
Ottawa area" holding a monster
meeting five miles east of town OBJ
servers attracted to the scene by a
brilliant glow from the bluff that
skirts the hard road between here and
Aarseilles, rushed to the scene, think
ing there was fire.
Arriving on the scene, they saw in
the distant fields large numbers of
white robed figures moving in and out
among a throng OF men who appeared
from the distance to be dressed in
ciyilian attire, The glow that lighted
the heovens took on the form of a
fiery cross as inqusitive motorists,
finding themselves on the outskirts
of a Ku KlUx Klan conclave, threw
their machines into high and raced
from the horde of "spoOks' that rusn-
ed toward them to ordor them on their
way In one of these car that took
the hills and wales az Z clip that made
his hair stand on erd was reporter
who inGtinctively shot a volley of
questions At one OF the ghosts be-
fore the driver could get his gear
shift in place. thon step on her for
the big dash down the road and away
from the sheeted and high hated fig
ures that swarmed all over the field.
Reporter Gather Some News.
In the brief time allotted him to FIRE
Nf la tbN 1T,
learned these facts from spirit
whose voice he did not recognize.
The meeting was a congress Of the
La Sale county khan. 1t had been
called in those mysterious ways
known only to the members. The un- |
derground channels for imparting
word to the klansmen were used to
scatter the tip of a big powwow !
Strict guard was kept that none Of
the secret operations become known |
to the public.
Farmers living along the concrete |
highway were first attracted by the |
large numbers of autos passing their |
homes. The procession, as described |
by one man. was almost endless. After !
counting up to $50 he refused to
count longer the machines as they |
proceeded stealthily along the high !
way without so much as an open muf- |
fer or an occasional horn blown TO
announce the coming or departure Of |
the parade"
Scribe Felt ChiIs.
The reporter, like many others, was !
drawn to the bluff by the glare, which I
later proved to be the burning cross.
in the belief that farm house was |
being destroyed by fire And like the |
others, he felt the same kind of chills |
running up and down his spine when |
lie found out what it was all about |
The thing in white that approached |
the car was enough for the newshound |
to know that he almost had plunged |
head on into a ku KluX nest. The !
lurking form in white was there to see |
that none of the curious got any |
closer to the meeting than where he
stood. He very evidently was a |
sentry.
Initiate $50 Candidates.
He informed the reporter, in answer |
to the battery of interroSatiOns opened |
UP on him, that there was at least
1000 klansmen in the distant field and |
than a class of $50 candidates was
about to be initiated. Klansmen were |
present. he said, from scores of north
ern Illinois cities, some of them great
distances from here, while nearly |
every city and village of La Sale i
county was represented in the con-
clave.
Reports from up the road this morn
ing were that the return procession o.
automobiles did not start until ]
o'clock in the a, n.
Call Sheriff.
Sheriff C. S. Ayers received phone
call last night, informing him that
the khan meeting was in session, and
asking him to go out and investigate
it Acting on the precedent establish
ed by Sheriff Mont Penniwell of Ma
con county and several other Illinois
shcriffs. Mr.. Ayers refused to re-
spond to the call, or to interfere
with the meeting, so long as they
were not disturbing any one or break
ing any of the laws. He stated that
the ner were not doing anything
that would necessitate the interfer-
epce CT an officer, and allowed their
meetiny, to continue undisturbed by
his officers.