New Britain herald., 1922-07-29
MERIDEMTES NOW ASK WHO IS WHO?'
Klan Idea Makes Neighbors in
 Silver City Suspicious

Meriden. July is.-How many and who In Meriden are members of the Ku Klux Klan?
 That Is a question which Is being solved and disproved and discussed | over and over again throughout the city. and every time the question -arns over more people stick their tongues in their cheeks and point fingers suspiciously at the neighbor next door as being a member of the Klsn. The subject bids fair to react like the money of Mark Twain's Man Who Corrupted Hadleyburg' and got everybody fin the stew"
 Know Klansinen's Auto Numbers.
 80 and 50 belongs to the Klan," is the remark that is heard very fre- quently and there is very firm de- sire of large majority of the local people to know those who have been marked with the nocturnal cross of the Klan. Allegations are many and 1t is quite certain that a few are cor rect for 1t Is known that there were not few local men at the ceremony in Westfleld Saturday night, and it is said that an individual in town not member of the Klan but who was present at the ceremony has the num- bers Of the automobiles that carried the Klansmen to Westfeld.
 A reporter asked c. A. Mott, an admitted member of the Klan, and al- leged to be a high officer as regards the Meriden membership.
 How many Kansmen are there in Meriden?" questioned the reporter.
 "I'll have to decline to answer that question" replied Mott blandly. Then as if to give the reporter an idea of the necessity for secrecy he related the following anecdote:
 Mott Tells Story
 ''The Elan started to organize in certain city in Oklahoma. During the organization of the order there nothing was said, and organizers just worked quietly enrolling the best citi- zens in the city. At last they decided to publish knowledge of their work, and a story appeared in the news papers that there were 500 citizens of that city who were members of the Klan, and that they were going to make war on the organized vice in that city, such as gambling, disorderly houses, etc. It was unnecessary for the Klan to take any further action for when the men implicated in the vice saw what was going to happen they left the city without any trou- ble."
 Mott smiled when the reporter said that he was certain that there were a number of Klansmen in Meriden.
 Indignation Meeting Sunday
 Feeling against the Klan continues unabated in Middletown and on South Green there Sunday afternoon a mon- ster meeting to which the mayor of the city, and all clergymen have been invited will be held to protest against the organization. Much of the fury is believed to have been developed by the alleged message of warning re- ceived- by Councilman James Day who was one of a party halted by the guards at the Plum farm in Westf1eld while the initiation ceremony was be- ing conducted. Day considers 1t a joke perpetrated by a friend.
 Following the example of, the La Croix- -Murdock post, Veterans of For eign Wars several Hartford lodges of the Independent Order Brith sholom resolution branding the Klan as an "insidious organization" the political. religious and social life of the nation. The Bridge port superintendent has requested the chief of the police to ascertain wheth- er members of the department would be able to identify the alleged Bridge port policeman present at Plum's field night. When interviewed | by a Record reporter James F. Day of Middletown said that he and Off, | cer Curry could positively" identify the man if they saw him.