The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-04-24
CITIZENS CLAIM
EXPOSE Of KLAN
THROUGH COUNTY
District Judge says He viii
Call Grand Jury When
He Gets Ready; APP
peals Higher.
GUARDSMAN HOLDS
POST, 1T is SAID
Document Reveals 20 Persons|
Have Ben Assaulted Dur
ing Six Months.

OKLAHOMA CITY.-A petition for a
grand jury investigation of the Ku Klux
klan at Shawnee, supplemented by an
expose of alleged activities Of the order,
has been submitted by taxpayers of Pot
awatomle county to District Judge Hal
johnson at Shawnee, II was learned
over long.distance telephone Monday
from Shawnee. Judge Johnson admit
ted the petition had been presented and
his only comment was that he would
call grand jury when ! get ready"
What was purported TO be the off,
cial roster Of the Ku Klux Kan at
Shawnee, with other records Of the or
ganizatlon which We're reported to have
disappeared several days ago. were pre-
sented 10 Gov. j. p. A. Robertson Sat-
urday, together with copy OF the Pc
tition, although a statement from the
governors office Monday said that the
Shawnee situation had no connection
with the issuance Of general order by
Governor Robertson, made public yes
tcrday, barring members of the Ku Klux
Klan from the oklahoma national
guard.
City Officials Are Members.
The petition charges that the mayor.
five members of the Shawnee city coun-
cil the chief of police and all patrolmen
except three ARE shown members OF
the khan" and that the administration
of the law is purposely chloroformed
by the khan, for it also has within its
membership the sheriff of the county
and every deputy sheriff with the ex-
ception OF two
In II motion for n change OF venue
in the case OF George Stamper. charged
with the murder of Crawford c. Her.
ren. II is stated that one j. Walker is
the Shawnee "cyclops" of the Ku Klux
Klan, while its secretary is Major G.
NJ. Reber, commander Of the national
grard in that district. The motion was
filed at the same time the petition for
the grand jury was presented and de-
clares that Stamper cannot receive a
fair trial because of the widespread
membership OF the Ku Ilux Klan.
Major Reber Won't Talk.
Major Reber in n long distance tele-
phone conversation with local news
paper, declined to affirm or deny the
report Of his membership in the order,
according 10 the paper.
The document purporting to reveal
some Of the alleged activities OF the
tlan points out that nearly twenty per-
sons within the past six months have
been assaulted by armed mobs. usually
disguised. and taken TO the outskirts of
Shawnee. where they were unmerci-
fully beaten and whipped"
The governors order calls upon all
officers and men OF the guard affiliated
with any organization whose principles
and purposes might conflict with their
duty TO the state and nation TO imme-
diateiy foreswear the organization or
get out OF the guard.
Ousting in Guard.
Pointing ont that what purports to
be proof that n number OF officers OF
the guard are members OF the Ku Klux
Khan. the governors order said there
Is no room In the oklahoma national
guard for any officer or man who owes
an allegiance 70 any power, secret or
eanization society that might become
orrlyed against the United States or
the state Of Oklahoma and its laws.
mo member OF the guard can afford
10 stultify himself the order said. "or
bring the service under suspicion by
swearing allegiance to an organization
that nj any time may come under the
ban Of the law and require the services
OF the guaro TO suppress" rt