The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1922-02-01

Increased. Il WAS not very Ions before
other "Den9 we're organized through.
out Giles County. Red lights and
h0fsopl1y usod at initiatlOna. which
were often cOnducted In graveyardal
and Deserted houses. soon began to
bo noticed by the negro population. |
It was b fAvOrite joke FOR, the white |
robod Ku Kluxers to make solitary
patrols along the roads Of the county.
and the ignorant and superstitious
negroes, as we'll as some OF the white
| people. began 10 discuss the mystery
ard apparent menace OF the white
: riders. A story got abroad among the
/ ignorant negroes that the Ku K1uxers
were the ghosts OF Confederate SOL
diers. and it was not long before the
| negroes in Giles County were afraid
to venture out OF their quarters at
night for fear If the ku Kinxers.
/ 1t Is difficult to imagine the dark.
superstition and universal ignorance
OF the negro race in the South during
slavery times ana Tor years afterward-
The Ku Kluxers seemed to the ignor-
ant negroes to have some connection
with their beliefs OF various kinds in
, the powers of Satan. and the tales
spread until soon it was difficult to
induce any negro to leave his cabin
after dark. The Pulaski Ku Klux ana
the other organizations throughout
J Giles County which had sprung from
! the parent organization had no inten-
ton OF terrorizing the negro popnla-
ton. which III Tennessee. in that year
was comparatively peaceful.
1t was not very long until the prime
movers in the Ku Klux Khan were
aware that their actions and myster
ious movements exercised a profound
; impression or the negro population
and poor white trash It then occur
= red to them that a power had baer
placed in their hands that could bt
used to keep the recently freed ne
, grocs peaceful and law abiding ant
y they were not SLOW to take advantage
of this fact.
In 1897 the rapdity with which tn,
ku klux Khan spread throughout thu
. State Of Tennessee was little shcr
= Of marvellous. Scores Of "Dens' wer'
e inausurated and the Order soon nun
e bered many thousands in the old Vol
+" unteer State. From Tennessee til
4 movement spread to mississippi an
" Alabama with great rapidity. From
;. these states il extended to all OF lii
: s>cUtHtTH states anu penetrated IN
> South as far u parts Of Texas. Thrr
" were in al probably 1000 to 800
"pens" in the South. but each Den
% WAS an individual organization. III
y swerablc to itself alone There wa
no central organization or federatio
le @! the "Dens.
IS In the early part of 1867 some {
= the pulaski leaders sent GU! a rcquce
q g Tx. T.,
I knowledge to send delegates frol
y each Den" to a convention to be hel
~ in Nashville Tennessee. These del.
O Gates met secretly in Nashville i
\: the spring If 1867 and organized
r. national oiaanzation which. howe
a cr included only the Southern State
le II was hcse that the name OF 'invi
~ IDLE Empire" originated and the III
visible Empire" meant the whole to
{" storv in which The klans existe'
Il Tho National Convention divided III
te Invisible Empire" into Dominion
ry which corr Dors,ied to consress'cn:
rd Districts end each Dominion was d
H. viaeh into Provinces. each PROVING
"a consisting Of a county. in whio
n county or pfovinec wee "Gens''. {
Us tie local itlacs
'Ihe National Convention elected
Oh head of the order vino was called Il
a. Grand Wizasd' Con Nathan Ee
IS ford Forrest celebrated Confeierai
ne cavalry Lender whose home vas
rs Mc,nrhis Tennessee was the IL.