The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-08-31
kLANSMAN PARADER mURDE RED
MINDED MOB ATTACKS
AMERICANS IN PARADE SINGING
"ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS"

uOIInIV VOkOILuO
given to America, that they should
obey all laws of the land in which
they live. He urged his listeners to
live the true life of a real Klans-
man, to reverence womanhood, to
stand for the purity of the white
race, to be an American first, last
and all the time. When he concluded
his address heads were bowed in
prayer after which to the tune of
Onward Christian Soldiers" the
great throng moved forward in par
ade. On little bridge near the city
limits of Carnegie, the parade of
Klansmen was stopped. An automo-
bile was jammed in the narrow path
way and all progress thwarted. The
grouped Klansmen halted. Bricks,
clubs and rocks were hurled upon
them from an alley near a Catholic
church. Then sneaking gunmen be-
gan shooting. "Paddy" McDermott,
an Irish undertaken, was one of the
men who turned a revolver on the
white clad Klansmen and did not stop
shooting until the magazine of his
automatic was empty. With one of
the first shots Kansman Abbott fell,
shot through the head. The mob
closed in on the orderly line of march
beating, stabbing, shooting. Scores
were hurt and manw Pittsburgh gang
sters were revealed as having taken
part in the attack on the Klans-
men when they sought medical at
tention. At the time of the fercest
fighting the Klansmen received or
ders from their leader to return to
their meeting place and then in Or
derly array turned about and went
back to the place from where the
parade had started. There after
brief meeting an adjournment was
agreed upon and the gathering broke.
Police Take Charge of Situation
The Police of Carnegie took charge
of the situation. McDermott and
some his friends were arrested when
found armed. A few Klansmen were
also arrested when they busted them
selves in an effort to get the murder
er. This briefly is the story of mob
violence as opposed to the right of
peaceable assemblage.
Here are a few extracts from Pit
tsburgh, Pa, daily newspapers which
give their comments on the Carnegie
rioting. They are reproduced here so
that the merits of the matter may
be judged on the testimony of news
paper writers who, if they are biased,
are certainly not biased in favor of
the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.
The Pittsburgh Post.
Autos had been placed at every
available point in the street to pre-
vent the paraders from advancing.
This checked them; some one de-
manded that the Klansmen take down
the American flags they were carry
ing. The electric K. X. K. sign "a
cross) was torn from the leading au-
tomobile. Two blocks further in town
the Klansmen were halted again and
then rioting broke out. A young man
carrying flag in the lead of the
parade was grabbed by the mob,
thrown into an automobile and car
ried off.
1t is estimated that about $4,000
were in attendance at the meeting
and several thousand were being in
itiated. The Klansmen were without
masks but each had a narrow white
ribbon tied in the lapel of his coat.
More than 5000 women were esti-
mated to have been in the Klan meet
ing at one time.
The pittsburgh Gazette-Times.
Singing Onward, Christian Soldiers,
the Kansmen began to move slowly
forward. Their progress was met
with fierce opposition at every point,
fights breaking the ranks, here and
there, occasional shots We're fired.
Men hurled Jumps of coal at the
marchers-for short time the fight
ing was furious, then the Klansmen,
apparently on the <-.ders of leaders,
retreated suddenly to the hill where
the initiation ceremony had been held.
When trouble seemed unavoidable
the King Kleagle of Pennsylvania
is said to have ordered the marchers
to return to the hill where the cars
were packed, pointing out that an at
tempt to break through would only
mean blood shed.
Considerable excitement at the in
itiation field was caused at signal
from sentinels at the gates that an
effort was being made by nearly a
score of persons to gain admission.
It was reported several gun shots
were fired. No one was injured at
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