Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-16
KU-KLUX KHAN
MASS MEETING
PERMIT DENIED
City Opposes Use of Public
Buildings by Mysteri-
Gus Body.
NEGROES ASK ACTION

ma The city ADMINISTRATION To-Day stoon
IN record as being opposed to the use
Of public bCidings for meetings Of the
Knights Of the Ku-Klux Khan, following
revocation by the board Of public works
Wednesday afternoon Of a permit for
public mass meeting at which the prin-
ciples Of the mysterious order were TO
have been expOunded by Col Joseph G.
Camp in TOmlinsOn Hall Saturday night.
On the advice OF Corporation Counsel
Taylor E. GrOninger, George o. HutseH,
clerk of the board, last Saturday re
fused E. D. Smith, said TO be local rep
resentative of the khan, permit for the
hall next Saturday evening. The board
Of works Monday afternoon reversed its
clerk and granted the permit, renting the
hall to Nir. Smith for $65.
NEGROES READY
TO FILE PROTESTS.
Yesterday afternoon about twenty five
negroes led by George P. Stewart and
William H. Jackson, newspapermen; W.
S. Henry and W. E. Henderson, lawyers !;
Gordon Donaldson, custodian Of the city
hall; the Rev. Charles Summer Williams,
the Rev. william J. White, Henry Flem-
ing, L. F. Artist, Henry Evans, John A.
Puryear and Samuel Brewer, gathered in
the basement Of the city hall In readiness
to go before the board and protest
against the Ku-Klux meeting.
While this delegation fingered in the
basement Mr.. Groninger went TO the
board and sgain advised the organization
be refused the use of TomlinsOn Hall. as
"a matter Of public policy. He said he
s. vas willing TO assume the responsibility
vi the board would revoke the permit. So
the board wrote a letter to Mr. Smith re-
turning him his money for the hail
rental
KLAN MEMBERS
ASKS INTERVIEW.
The negro delegation was notified Of
this action and left the building. A few
minutes later, however, the board received
a call from a man who said he was ".Mr
Freeman" asking il he could talk over
the matter as a representative Of the Ku-
KIuE Khan. The board told him TO come
ahead.
Meanwhile the board finished its bust
ress and adjourned, but President
Charles Z. Coffin remained to meet the
Khan member. Mayor Shank and Mr..
Groninger were asked TO stay for the ses-
sion. Some one notified Custodian Don
aldson and several representatives Of the
Catholic faith Mr.. Freeman" was coming
over and invited them TO come TO the
board office.
Mr. Freeman" who later said "An-
dersOn' or johnson" would come about
as close to being his real name, glib Of
tongue and equipped with innumersble
facts and figures, arrived, was Ushered
into the back room and given opportu-
nifty to state his case. While he was
2 O'Mahouy and Humbert Pagani ed
itors Of the Indiana Catholic and Rec
ord, and James z. Deery, prominent p
various Catholic societies, arrived one by
one and took places around the table.
MAYOR SAYS HE
AWILL BACK BOARD.
y "Nfr. Freeman" tried TO get Mayor
shank to express an opinion concerning
the ku-Klux Khan, but the mayor said
he was leaving the entire matter in the
hands of the board and be would back up
the board In whatever it did. Then the
mayor departed.
In the next three-quarters Of an hour
the corporation counsel, and the repre-
sentatives Of the Catholics and negroes
declared themselves to be opposed to the
Ku-Klux on account Of its reputation OF
opposition to Jews. Catholics and negroes
They thought this stand un-American-
Mr.. Freeman said they all were ig
nOrant Of the true principles Of the
Knights Of the Ku-Klu< Khan, which
he said is not the KH-Klux Khan Of civil
war days. and instead Of fomentng ra-
cial hatred. the kan is trying to bring
about better racial understanding.
He said the klansmen recognize the
right o. any person to worship God as he
pleases and they have helped the negro
race many times.
Custodian Donaldson remarked: We
don't want any OF your kind Of help
RLANSWAN MAKES
BEST OF NAMES.
The klansman took the names Of sev-
cral persons In the room when they made
statements he appeared TO regard as der
rOge tory 70 the Khan.
Mr.. Freeman" is understood to have
been active in the controversy over a
Ku-Klux Khan meeting in Evansville
recently. He said the Khan held the
meeting after opposing socitles were en-
Joined from interfering and the city adj
ministration had invited them to hold
another meeting after # had discovered
what 4 force for Americanism the first
, had been.
The city officials told "Mr. Freeman"
they would not oppose the meeting in any
but a city building. 1t was suggested
he rent Cadle Tabernacle. He said he
did not have sufficient funds. In one Of
his statements he indicated an attempt
might be made to get Caleb Mills Hail.
HURRAH FOR THE LADIES: