The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-16
MARTIAL LAW IS DECLARED OVER OKLAHOMA STATE
(continued from Page one.)


 "Governor Walton never could break the power of the Klan in Oklahoma" the executive declared:
 "The power of this criminal organ ization must be destroyed and it is necessary to proclaim martial law thr0uRbout the state"
 "The head and front of this organ ization Is in the capital city of the state. From this city orders are the seat of power of the grand dra- gon. It is here that the commander in-chief Of this organization lives.
 Ut Is here where the sovereign power of the state WAS defied when tn grand dragon of this semi military organization publicly proclaimed in substance that the sovereign state of +Olxlahoma could not break the power of the klan. Here men have been whipped and mutilated. Here, the police power, the cheriff's office, the jury commission and some of the judges of the district court are sub iects of the invisible empire, or are under it's domination. and here today grand and petit juries are being eall- ed by klan judge to shield and pro- tect subjects of this empire"
 A district court judge was sched- uled to meet here Monday to inves- tigate charges that Governor Walton 
 check names on an initiative peti- ton for bill to empower the state legislature to convene without call from the governor.
 Certain Of the governors oppo- nents charged that such alleged ac- ton was in violation of the law. They circulated grand jury petitions recently resulting in the call for @ special grand jury Monday.
 Governor Walton warned today that any atterpt on the part of the members of the legislature to con- vene without his cali as provided by the constitution, would result in the law makers going to jail.
 A cordon of armed guards was thrown around Governor Walton's home tonight. Newspaper men who went to the mansion to receive his proclamation were made to identify themselves befor thy could pass
 Citing testimony taken by a mili- tary court al Tulsa, he declared that hundreds of men and even women Of the state have been severely beaten, and that the Invisible em- pire" as an organization is responsi- ble.
 The Invisible empire has usurped the power of the, political govern nent," Governor Walton sad. "The power or this organization has been such that as many as 150 perstn ms have been present when men and women have been flogged, whipped and beaten, and their methods have inspired such terror that no men, kiOn of 1t was made even by the press.
 sTn the perpctration of these crimes, the Ku Klux Klan not only has dis regarded the constitutional right of trial by a jury, but also the dictates of decency and civilization"
  CALLS ON KHAN TO DIsBAND
 TULSA, okla. Sept. 15.--Branding the Ku Klux klan as the worst blight ever known in American his- tLry," H. o. Mcclure. president of the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce. tonight issued Q statement calling upon Tulsa klansmen to disband.
 McClure's statement followed fail ure of the board of directors of the chamber to support his report to them that he had told local klan of flciais that their organization should shoulder responsibility for conditions that brought on martial law in Tulsa