The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-08-10

the cellar of a famous old colonial
home, a home sold by force from
under family of culture and wealth,
and then occupied by the sheriff.
After lengthy discussion these men
entered into solemn oath, and
bound themselves to massacre several
of the leading families of the coun-
ty, with the understanding that all
of their property be confscated and
divided among themselves. This
solemn oath was written out and
signed in their own blood.
It happened, however, that there
We're klansmen in those days, and
their eyes were open to all the mis-
chief making movements. One Of
these noble men was in this secret
conclave in these midnight hours.
Before daylight the next morning
the Exalted Cyclops of the county
had all the details of that meeting,
and by daylight couriers were speed
ing upon the highway as fast as the
feetest footed horses could carry
them. Their message to Klansmen
of adjoining counties was, "Meet at
a certain ford on the river at sun
down tonight"
| Dauntless Men Rode ~
Dauntless men rode that day; and
by shutdown, from the north, the
south, the east and from the west
came men whose hearts throbbed
with love of home, country and civil
ization. And as darkness came on,
hundreds of robed horses whose feet
were muf1ed, fell into line and moved
to the city. Riding single file these
brave men surrounded the town and
the sheriff's home, making a circle
complete. Then they rode two
abreast, making a circle complete,
until they rode four abreast. Then
whistle sounded, and the hundreds
of men were as silent as death. They
dismounted. And in the stiffness of
the night and the solemnity of the
hour, ten separate numbers were call
ed,-for in the Ku Klux Kan no
name was ever called. These ten
numbers represented ten noblemen,
ten courageous, true and tried SONS Of
the Old South, sons of the greatest
aristocracy the world ever knew,
knights, patriots, soldiers, all.
The men responded, and the
spokesman of the occasion gave the
following Instructions: "Go into the
house, and bring me the sheriff"
They went in and searched the
house, but the sheriff was nowhere to
be found. They returned and so re-
ported. =, - r.. &.
The instructions then were: "Go
to the front door, enter it, turn to
he first door to the right, put back
the carpet, open the trapdoor, 60 into
the cellar, and bring me the sher-
it,. -. T. .rss,
| 1uc OIQcI W. as OUcy CO
The order was obeyed, and in five
minutes the sheriff stood before the
most mysterious body of men the
world ever saw. .-.. .-
Remember, will you, that there
was no law at that time, that the
court house did not mean anything.
This man was tried by these men,
found guilty because the document
was produced which he had signed
in his own blood declaring that he
would lead a mob to massacre the
leading white families of the county.
The next morning a sheriff dangled
from a limb of a tree in the court
house yard. From that day until
this, peace and safety have ever
reigned in all that region Of North
Carolina.
Who is the man of this age and
generation who will say these men
did wrong? They would not do
more; they could not do less. To-
day the world bows to do them
honor. a-
Civilization Hung in the Balance
So civilization hung in the balance;
chivalry was receiving its supremest
test; for however dark the days of
war may have been, these days Of Re
construction were the darkest days of
all in the history Of this earth.
Mems souls were tried. Everything
that was holy, good and worth while
in the South was about to be des-
troyed. These men resorted to the
only remedy, and the application of
the remedy was swift and successful.
! declare to you that the spirit of
the Ku Klux Khan in its beginning
is the same spirit that predominates
it today. The spirit and purpose of
the Ku Klux Khan have always been
one; the application and methods
alone are different.
This movement is also remarkable
for its IDEALISM. It gathers up
into itself all the holy traditions
hopes, aspirations, dreams, purposes
and the faith Of the Anglo-Saxon and
Protestant fathers. II Is not sordid,
] land it does not work for paltry pelf;