The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-12-18
HENRY U. JOHNSON
REPLIES TO THREAT
SENT IN KHAN NAME

The following has been submitted by
Henry U. Johnson:
Edior Palladium:
l received by Saturday mornings
mail letter of which the following
is complete and exact copy:
Henry u. Johnson,
1 Richmond, Indiana.
IS On account of your advanced age
: and the feebleness of your mind, your
activities in attempting to block the
q progress of the X. K. K. has been toler-
ated, but we wish to say most posi-
lively that no further extension of
r. lieniency will be given you.
1t will be to your interest to lead a
clean life and leave off Negroes as as
sociates.
The khan will reign and reign for
ever"
- This letter, Mr. Editor, is typewrit-
ten upon plain white paper, and has
no signature to it, and was enclosed
in white envelope, the direction upon
which is typewritten. The envelope is
postmarked Indianapolis. Ind, Dec.
15, p. m. 1922"
To Ignore Threats.
The towards who wrote this anonym-
GUS letter have mistaken their man if
they suppose for one moment that any
threats or any fear of personal conse-
quences will deter me from continuing
to express my disapproval Of their law
less organization
This letter is a fair specimen of the
kind Of letters which the Ku Klux
Khan is sending to citizens who have
incurred its displeasure by calling pub
lie attention to its true character and
purposes. I simply publish it in order
Ia ma full do. Il
standing of the situatio, and of the
secret and insidious foe which, with
its false and impudent assumption of
patriotism and holiness, is really at
tempting to undermine the foundations
OF constitutional government in this
country. The Ku Klux Khan is stir |
Fer up of strife, an instigator of race
hatred, menace to religious liberty. |
and is fraught with iIlimitable possi- |
b1lities for public and private injury
II longer encouraged or tolerated.
Sees Defiance of Law
The constitution and laws of the |
country, both national and state, guar
antee to every citizen suspected of |
wrong doing, the right to be informed /
by lawful authorities of the nature
and cause of the accusation against |
him, public trial by an impartial Jury |
OUeQS0
is alleged to have been committed. to /
be confronted by the witnesses against |
him, to be heard by himself and coun- |
sci, and to have compulsory process
for witnesses in his favor But here
is a secret organization that defies /
constitutional guarantee and iimita.
tons, and, while pretending to act /
through the law, really sets aside the /
orderly processes of the courts, and /
determines for itself what constitutes
crime, who is guilty of it, and what /
kind of punishment shall be inflicted,
and then proceeds, in the darkness of
the night and with masked faces, to
seize its victim unaware and to in
f1fct that punishment upon him. The
outrage3 which this organization is
committing throughout the country
fully attests the truth of ethis state
ment.
Asks No Eeniency
And think of the arrant cowardfce
and injustice of this whole method of
procedure! Verify, the citizens of
Wayne county, who are members of
the Ku Klux, Khan, as well as those
citizens, who, while not of it, never
theless look approving1y upon it, are
bearing upon their shoulders heavy
burden of responsibility
Just word or two as to myself.
That. am advanced in age / freely
admit. If / have feebleness of mind.
the fact that | antagonize this unsav-
DRY organization certainly cannot be
cited as evidence Of my mental weak
ness.
As to further extension of leniencv
ask none. When / am on my knees
lmploring mercy, it will be time
enough to talk of clemency, not before.
II to live clean life I have to be-
come a midnight marauder, the writer
of anonymous letters, a narrow-mind-
ed bigot in religion, and an enemy of