Evening star., 1923-12-12
WOMAN INDICTED
IN KLANSMAN CASE
Former Publicity Agent on
Trial for the Staying of
Faction Leader.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ATLANTA, December 12.-Mrs. Mar
garet Weaver has been indicted as an
accessory before the fact in the slay
ing of Capt. w. s. Coburn by Philip
+. Fox, Solicitor General Boykins' Of
fee announced today. Evidence has
been obtained to warrant similar in
dctments against several other per-
sons whose names were not disclosed,
It was added.
According to the solicitors office the
Weaver woman is alleged to have
been in company with Fox, accused
as slayer, from Saturday preceding
the shooting until a few minutes
before Fox entered Coburn's office.
She was under surveillance for some
time after the shooting. but has not
been arrested. The solicitors office
said her home is in Columbus, Ohio.
The indictment against Mrs. Weaver
was returned last Friday.
The trial of Fox, former publicity
agent for the ku Klux klan and edi-
tor OF the Night Hawk, official organ
of the Klan faction headed by hiram
Wesley Evans, imperial wizard, Tor
killing William S. Coburn, a leader
of and chief counsel for the Klan
followers of William Joseph summons,
emperor and founder of the latter-day
ku KluX klan, was begun here today
silent as TO their defense. Alienlsts
have examined Fox. but the attor-
ueys refused to discuss plea OF IN
sanity.
from Fox since he shot Coburn No
yenLer ) was that the lawyer was
prepared to ruin him with aftidavits
and that God told me to kill him.,
made the day of the shooting.
Coburn was Slain shortly after he
had filed suit in behalf of the anti
administration Klan faction asking
p receivership for the Klan.
His killing brought into the open
an alleged warfare between the two
factions.
Faction Files Statement.
Simmons faction in signed state
rants charged that Coburn was a
victim of a plot in which Emperor
Simmons. T.. Y. Clarke, imperial
giant, and DR.. Fred B. Johnston.
chief of staff of that faction, were
slated to- be killed.
Wizard Evans asserted Fox acted
on his own accord, that the anair
was a personal matter between the
publicity man and Coburn and that
the klan organization was better OF
financially and in membership than
previously in its history.
With one of the leaders dead and
other chieftains Of the Simmons faction
under heavy bodyguards, Emperor SIM
mons issued a statement that the pres
ent ship of state of the klan was near
ing the rocks. due to the alleged un-
steady steering of the administration
forces, and that Coburn'S death and
other reported plots were formulated to
ward off the impending disaster. This
the administration faction denies.
oil ,fNer 60 tla crYrf rfaN
Immediately after the shooting, ehe
chieftains gathered here today to hear
sworn testimony in which 1t was ex-
pected all of the internal strife said to
have been existing between klan fac
tions would probably be aired.
Charges by Prosecution.
The prosecution charges that Fox,
armed with a pistol and opened
blade knife, entered Coburn's Office
The attorney at the time was said
TO have been busy with client
Asking permission to speak to Co
burn, the publicity man was Informed
that the attorney was engaged and
for him to return later
Fox left the office and returned
within short time. Stepping over
the threshold of Coburn's private
Office. Fox is alleged to have opened
fire with his pistol. Coburn screamed
after each shot and fell to the floor
dead Fox retreated from the Office
and was arrested before he could
emerge from the building.
The prosecution further charges
that Fox planned to kill Coburn.
drinking heavily before he entered
the office to buoy up his nerves.
Aside from his Klan affiliations, Co.
burn was a we'll known local lawyer.
He was a war veteran, holding a
commission of captain in an overseas
infantry unit. Fox formerly resided
in Dallas. Tex, where for several
Years he was city editor of a Dallas
paper He is said to have played
= leading role in Texas politics and
is well known throughout the Lone
Star state