Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-05-10
IMPERIAL WIZARD
THE SUPREME CHIEF
Judge Thomas Decision in Ku
Klux Khan Action
SUBJECT TO VETO POWER
Simmons the Emperor For Life
At ST, 900 A Month

May 1.-The supreme iu-
dicial body of the Ku Klux Khan is the
imperial kloncilium, which has the
executive function of giving direc-
ton to affairs of the order by a
majority vote, Judge E. D. Thomas
declared in decree today in the Full
ton county Superior Court.
The imperial wizard was declared
to be the supreme chief executive Of
t1cer of the order subject to the veto
power of two-thirds majority of the
kloncilium. He also must follow all
acts of the kloncilium.
Judge Thomas ordered that William
J. Simmon, emperor and founder of
the khan shall receive $1,000 per
month for life and that a like sum
shall be paid monthly to his widow in
the event of his death. In cons;dera-
ton thereof, Emperor Simmons was
ordered to transfer to the khan full
titles to all rituals, literature, cos
tunes, and other paraphernalia, of the
order of which he is declared to be
the author, in pursuance OF his con-
tract with the order.
The court found that William JOS
eph Simmons is emperor of the khan
for life under the charter of the Or
der which was declared to be SUI
preme. H. w. Evans was found to be
imperial wizard for a period of four
years from Dec. /, last under the con-
situations and bylaws which come
next to the charter and which were
adopted at a klonvokation of the khan
in Atlanta in November, 1922 the court
said
The imperial wizard was declared to
| have authority to act in the admin
inistration of affairs of the order where
the imperial klol. ,ilium has not af
| Tentatively acted. The kloncilium was
said to have the right to function in
dependently of the imperial wizard
name an executive committee, fix its
meeting dates.
| The imperial klonvokation was de-
clared to be the supreme Legislative
body of the order and under its char
! ter the imperial kloncilium in the in
tcrval between meetings has full pow
err and authority to perform the func-
tons of the imperial klonvokation
consistent with the charter.
The imperial wizard has no veto
power over the acts of the kloncilium
the decree said The kloncilium the
court ruled consists of the emperor,
imperial wizard and fifteen other h1em-
bers appointed by the imperial wizard
on April %, 1923. The imperial wiz
ard was designated as presiding Of
ficer unless the kloncilium elects some
other one.
While the imperial wizard has the
power to appoint members of the klon-
cilium, that body confirms vacancies,
among its membership. 1t was said
to have the right to remove any mem
Der of the kloncilium for cause such
member to have the right of appeal
to the imperial klonvokation.
The ruling followed the litigation
between imperial H. w. Evans and
Emperor w. J. Simmons for control
of the khan which was settled by COM
promise some days ago. DIR. Evans
retaining the office of imperial wizard,
Col. Simmons that of emperor and the
khan recognizing the kamelia, the or
der for women organized along lines
similar to the khan by Emperor Sim
mons. 1t was stated tonight at i'm
perial headquarters of the khan that
today's order by Judge Thomas in
volved no change in governing the
affairs of the organization that the
kloncilium or imperial council has
been the governing of the organization
in the past as it will be in the future.
1t was understood that todays action
was merely to get the Affairs of the
khan out of court where they were TAX
err recently in the controversy be-
tween Emperor Simmons and lmper-
iai Wizard Evans.