Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-12-15
GEORGIA CITIZEN
DEF|ES XII kLUX
To Do HIM HARM
Calls Mass Meeting of
Citizens to Put Down
LaWlessness
GOVERNOR LOOKING ON
Sends Adjutant General
to Winder in Effort to
Prevent Trouble
ny Aaancintas Prea.l


Windre, Ga, Dec. 15.-With a dec.
laration that "a mass meeting against
alleged prevailing Ku Klux Klan law.
lessness will be held even if he alone
attends, Robert L. Woodruff, local
merchant, early today completed fin.
al arrangements for the session, to
be held today which has for its pur-
pose the adoption of a resolution de-
claring Barrow county citizens foy
preservation of law and order.
Citizens from all sections of the
county We're assembling here pre-
sumably to attend the meeting in the
Barrow county courthouse, while in
all parts Of Georgia interest has been
aroused over the strained relations
between Mr.. Woodruff and the local
Ku KluX Klan chapter.
Adjutant General Pope, of the
Georgia national guard, arrived here
today, having been sent by Governor
Thomas w. Hardwick to make an eff
fort to prveent trouble between Mr..
Woodruff and the khan.
The situation is regarded as being
tense, but local authorities say they
will be able to cope with any emer-
gency. An eleventh-hour warning
was received by Mr.. Woodruff not to
attend the meeting. He declared he
would not pay any attention to this
or any other warning he has received.
Mr.. Woodruff at the same time re-
piled to Governor Hardwick's offer
to furnish him adequate military
protection by saying that if mem
bers of the khan planned an attack
on him, 81 believe it will not be open
ly, but from ambush and for that
reason | do not believe a sheriff's
posse or a military guard around my
house would be of any avail"
A resolution has been drawn up to
be presented at the meetingF calling
on the citizens Of Barrow county to
preserve law and order A similar
resolution met with defeat at recent
mass meeting.
what we need in Barrow county
is to create a sentiment against Ku
Klux Klan lawlessness," Mr.. Wood
ruff told Governor Hardwick at a
conference held yesterday in Allan
ia. "That is why we intend to keep
on having a citizens mass meeting
until we can get resolution passed. "
Mr.. Woodruff has in his possession
a letter from Governor Hardwick
which he intends to read at today's
meeting. Efforts of persons to reg
ulate and censor the conduct of per-
sons outside of the courts and outside
of the laws, must be checked in Geor-
gia, is the substance of the chief ex-
ecutive's communication.
The last grand jury, of which Mr..
Woodruff was foreman, was, instruct |
ed by the Barrow county court to in
vestigate the reign of terror pre-
vailing in certain sections of the |
county caused by activities of masked
men. Five or siv cases were cited
by the court in which the victims i
were either lynched, shot, flogged or
driven from their homes. The grand
Jury returned indictments against al
legged members of the local chapter
Of the khan.
Almost Immediately afterwards
Mr.. Woodruff received notice that he
was a marked man" because of his
activities during the investigation.
He was ordered to wind up his bust
ness affairs and leave Windre. Fol-
owing these warnings parades were
held in front of his home by masked
men and reflections from a red cleo
yrical cross were flashed on his front
Ioro. After several demonstrations
If this character, Mr.. Woodruff is