Evening star., 1923-09-17
KLAN PROBE BEGUN
IN TWO OKLAHOMA
CITIES BY MILITARY
Former Chairman State
Corporation Commission
First Witness in Capital.
TROOPS RULE LIMITED
TO FRACTION OF STATE
Special Grand Jury to Investigate
Governors Actions Is Com
PEELED to Suspend.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
OKLAHOMA CITY. Okla, Sep
4 tember 1.-THE Oklahoma City
police department, taken over by
the military late yesterday, was
returned to civil authorities today
when Mayor o. \. Cargill served
notice on Col. w. S. Key, military
commander in charge of the city,
that unless Ray Frazier, chief of
police, was reinstated at once, the
entire police force would be re-
tired by the city and the task of
policing the city would be left in
the hands OF the military.
By the Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY. Okla. Septem-
Der 17.-Military courts of inquiry
into the activities of the Ku Klux
klsn were in operation today in the
Two largest cities in the state-Okla-
homa City and Tulsa.
The Oklahoma City court convened
today, and summoned as the first wit
ness Campbell Russell, former chair
man of the state corporation COM
mission
OAhGE NouTts II uuctiODs
The military court here is COM
posed of Col. Paul Walker, Col. II.
n. Graves and Maj. l.. II. Harold. It
has established headquarters in a
downtown hotel. 1t was indicated
that Russell was called preliminary
TO the actual opening of an investi-
CATION into alleged foggings execut-
ed or directed in Oklahoma county.
Machinery of the court is not yet
completed, but the full force of the
investiga ton is expected to be in ef-
feet tomorrow.
Meanwhile courts throughout the
state, iBcluding Oklahoma and Tulsa.
are in session. No interruption of
civil procedure in the state occurred
with the exception OF that in Okla
homa City, special grand jury sum
moned to meet today was forbidden
by military authorities.
Military Rule Restricted.
In no other city of the state was
there any indication that military
rule. i'm effect more than month in
Tulsa, had been extended to all cor
ncrs of the state.
Creek county. which with Okla
homa county (Oklahoma City, was
placed under absolute martial law
Saturday night by Gov. J. C. Waltony
was still without any vestige of mill
tary activity. No troops had been
mobilized and all civil authority was
undisturbed
Adj. Gen. b. II. Markham arrived by
airplane from Tulsa today and went
at once into conference with Col. w.
). Key. IN command of troops here.
The adjutant general declined to say
whether the state military headquar-
ters would be transferred here from
Tulsa.
Machine Guns Placed.
Since martial law became effective
throughout the state Saturday at mid
night the military has superseded the
Oklahoma City police heads. Machine
guns have been leveled at the city
hall, police station and county court
house; a grand jury has been can
celed and military court of investi-
cation substituted, and state capital
citizens have been told when to go
to bed and when to get up"
A special grand jury, called to meet
today to investigate charges that
checking initiative petitions recently
f11ed with the secretary of state, was
suspended last night by orders from
Col. w. $. Key, in command Of Okla
homa City. military court was or
dered to proceed with investiga-
tion work" at the direction of the
chief executive. The scope of its
investigation will include matters
which the grand jury would not have
considered, it is understood.
Governor Sees Challenge.
Gov. Walton declared in his martial
law proclamation that Oklahoma
City was the headquarters of the Ku
Klux Klan in Oklahoma, and that
'it is here where the sovereign
power of the state was defie-l when
the grand dragon of this semi-mili-
tary Organization publicly proclaimed
in substance that the sovereign, state
Of oklahoma could not break the
power of the Khan
Further asserting that "the power
of this criminal organization may be
destroyed and "the source of the
power must be destroyed" the execu-
tive is expected TO guide the military
court inquiry into Ku KluX KIan
state headquarters activities
Troops Patrol at Night.
An infantry company and a ma
chine-gnn company received equip
ment at the Oklahoma City armory
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