The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-11-03
KU KLUx KLAN
TAKES PART IN
ELECTION RACE
Engineers Frame-up'
Against Pace

The Wayne county branch of the Ku
Klux Klan has taken hand in poll
tics.
The Klan has its own slate of can
didates for county office, selected from
both Republican and Democratic nom
inees, and, furthermore, it has a cam
paign "slush'' fund, which political
weapon was supposed to have been
rendered obsolete several years ago
with the enactment OF the Indiana cor
rupt practice Law.
The "siush" fund was provided by
voluntary subscriptions from Klan
members.
The Klan's political activities In
Wayne county are directed by a com
mittee of seven members, all promi-
nent citizens possessing a thorough
knowledge of politics.
Engineers "Frame Up"
The Klan entered the political cam
paign in Wayne county as early as the
latter part of September when it en-
gineered frame up" against a can
didate who appears to be particularly
obnoxious to the organization, one
James +. Pace, Democratic nominee
for prosecuting attorney. The frame
up against Pace resulted in his ar
rest on the charge of having liquor
on his person. Pace was recently
brought to trial in Wayne circuit court
but the jury disagreed. Announce
ment has been made that Pace will
later be arraigned on the same charge
The liquor which was found" on
Pace was placed in one of his pockets
by a Klan agent at the same time
Pace was seized by two police officers.
This incident occurred, Sept. 90. Twice
before that date Klan agents attempted
to trap Pace, by calling at his office
and attempting to induce him to drink
mule" with them. The first time
Pace drove the Klansmen out of his
office at the point of revolver. The
second attempt to. frame" him came
tour days later when three colored
men, employed by the Klan, entered
his office. They told him If he wanted
their support that he would have to |
drink with them. He seized one of the |
men and showed him out of the door. /
The other two followed their elected |
companion without delay.
Subject of Attacks.
Beginning at the time he announced
his candidacy for the Democratic nom
ination for prosecutor, last spring,
Pace has been the subject of frequent |
anonymous attacks, but an investiga-
tion has failed to reveal the authent-
ieity of charges reflecting on his char
acter. He is foreign-born. but has lived 1
in this country since five years of age
and is an American citizen. He com
pleted his law education in the offices
of a reputable Indianapolis attorney
before he came to Richmond to prac-
tice his profession. He served as an
enlisted man in the 148th infantry,
37th division. during the war and par
ticipated in the Meuse and Argonne
offensives, leaving the army after the
armistice with an excellent record
William Eversman, chief of police,
is responsible for the statement that
he has no evidence, which would be
held valid in court, connecting Pace
with any violation of the liquor laws.
Ambitious for klan
An investigation reveals that quite '
a few men who have been active po-
litical workers, both Republicans and ;
Democrats. including several who hold
county and city offices. are identified
with the Klan. 1t is these men who ]
are particularly ambitious to make
the Klan a powerful political organiza- t
tion. 1t may be stated that Mayor {
Lawrence Handley, of Richmond, is I
not member of the Klan, but certain
members of his administration are
said to be identified with it.
Although the Klan has no colored I
members, the organization has been
using its "slush" fund to pay three
Richmond colored men to influence
the colored vote to support candidates J
who have the Endorsement of the S
Klan. The "slush" fund is handled by v
a committee of three, high in the
councils of the Klan.
Will Meet Tonight
A meeting of the Klan is scheduled I
for Friday night near Pennville, and
tho usual attendance of those who
bear cards indicating that they are
members of the Mutual Life Insurance \
Company of Washington" is antici- I
pated
1t is probable. however. that ma
ority of the members of the Klan's
preferred list" viii be present. The
preferred list includes members who
ire particularly well known and who
rave been suspected of being Klans-
nen To shield the preferred ones il S
5 customary for the majority of them n
o display themselves in public places a
m nights when ghostly figures gather d
,eneath the fiery cross in some rural "
etreat |;
Members deny their membership in a
he Klan on the ground that the real c
ame of the organization is the Mutu- Z
i Life Insurance company of Wash Il
ngton and all membership cards bear Il
his title. In this way statements and n
can be made which cover n
p their membership, by denying Klan q
onnections Il