Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-11-28
ORGANIZING THE KU KLUX


Charleston, Nov. 23.-Col. j. q.
Nolan, representative of the Ku Klux
Klan, from Atlanta, addressed a ca
pacity audience at the Artillery Hall
last evening. He styled himself as the
national lecturer Of the Klan, and in
troduced himself to the audience, say
ing that he represented a secret order
and that for fellow Klansman to in
troduce him would identify the latter
as a member of the order. He stated
that he was personal representative
of William Joseph Simmons of Atlanta,
the Imperial Wizard Of the Knights of
the Ku KluX Klan.
There was disappointment that Mr.
Theodore D. Jervey was not given per-
mission by Col. Nolan to reply to his
Klan address. Mr.. Jervey's position, as
set forth in his advertisement in The
News and Courier of yesterday attract
ed much attention in the community.
Mr.. Jervey attended the meeting last
night. He made this statement yes
terday afternoon:
''At about p. m. l was rung up at
my residence by Col. Nolan. advertised
to speak at Artillery Hall on Thurs
day at 8 p. m. He said he had seen
my advertisement asking him if
could speak at the meeting and that as
he would speak for about an hour and
twenty minutes, he did not think
should reply to him; but he was will
ing to have me speak before him. This
| told him ] had not requested per-
mission for; but had requested the un-
permit me to reply; but that had no
idea of thrusting myself on the meet
ing and if it did not suit, 1 was per-
fectly satisfied. He said there was no
head here, that he had come simply
to explain the purpose Of the Ku KluX
and if followed him that l might say
and that would make the meeting too
long. / said that that was perfectly
satisfactory to me and if it was not
suitable for me to reply l would at
tend and hear his speech; that Charles
ton was too hospitable a place to in
terfere in any way with the privilege
of a speaker to run his meeting the
way it suited him. 1t was his meet
ing and I accepted his reasons for not
having me reply; but did not think
there was any impropriety in request
ing the reply which I understood him
to agree with me and with some pleas
ant remarks the matter ended"
Col Nolan gave as his reason for
not permitting Mr.. Theo. d. Jervey,
who, in an advertisement in The News
and Courier yesterday morning, ad-
dressed to the unknown local head of
the Ku KluX Klan, asked permission to
reply to Mr.. Nolan, that he had quite
lot to say to the audience and that If
Mr.. Jervey replied, he would be forced
to make replies to the words Of Mr..
Jervey and that this would take en-
tirely too much time. He said that he
talked to Mr.. Jervey over the tele-
phone during the day (stating that he
had called at the formers office to see
him and failed to find him in) and Of
fered to allow him to precede him, but
that Mr. Jervey had declined this offer.
The meeting was, for the most part,
orderly, with the exception of several
periods during which questions were
hurled from the audience at the speak
er, none of which he answered directly
to those asking the questions. Dur
ing these brief periods, one Of which
threatened to become boisterous, but
was Immediately quieted following the
removal from the nall of man who
apparently was the center of the
Storm such questions as What is the
Ku KluX?" why do you wear masks?"
and Tell us what you are?" came from
male members of the assemblagc.
Most of them were asked in a tone OF
defiance and the speaker was almost
invariably addressed as Nolan"
During one of the periods of excitement
a lady in the front of the audience
tainted and had to be carried from the
hall. The man removed by the police
was carried from the hall amid shouts
of Put him out" and out with him"
and Throw him out" The audience
applauded vigorously the removal The
questions were allowed from each
questioner, as he first started, the
audience seemingly interested in the
question; but as no answer came
from the stage and the questions be-
gan to fly from all sides, the audience
shouted them down and urged that the
questioners be thrown out" therefore
little of the substance of the question
could be heard; they were drowned by
the general commotion.
- Senator Harris, Democrat, of Geor