San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-22
THOUSANDS SEE
KHAN CEREMONY
F FRIDAY NIGHT.
Weird Initiation at Speed
way Passes Without Ua-
toward Incident.
CROSS in THE SKY
Airplane With Fiery Cross
Proves Spectacular y
I y Sight.

Under n blcod-colored cross that cir
cled high in the moon-illuminatcd
heavens, several hundred candidates
were initiated in the mysteries Of the
invisible empire OF the Knights OF
the Ku Klux Khan at the public cere-
mony held at the Speedway, Friday
night. A crowd variously estimated
to be from 10000 TO $1,000, occupy
ing every point of vantage. watched
the rites from a distance.
At khan headquarters the estimate
was made that possibly 10000 people
visited the Speedway grounds. A
count Friday night. KAN headquarters
announced. showed 1000 cars parked
about the Speedway.
Initiation rites were performed be
meath a large rertansle of light'
strung at distance from the grand
stand and the picket line of hOode,
figures who kept the spectators at
distance.
Shortly after S O'Clock, ripple o.
applause broke from the ranks OF I'M
hooded klansmen. From the east
could be seen a we'd cross carried OF
an airpIane several hundred fec
,.5oye the ground. Several times IN
aviator circled above the scene OF TN
ceremony.
The neophytes who had assemble,
at the cast side of the grandstand
unhooded and unrobed, each with nj
hands on the shoulders of the initiate
i'm the lead, marched TO the square
where the straight lines OF hoode'
figures awaited them.
Crowd Saw Only Dimly.
So great was the distance and s.
feeble the light that details OF the I'M
tiation could not be observed by TN
spectators. After much delay, th'
voice of one who acted as master 90
ceremonies could be heard indistinct
lv. From time to time the neophyte'
shouted yes" in unison.
There was no parade or demon
stration of any nature. DIR. "llilail
James Mahoney, imperial representa-
tive from the headquarters AT AZ
lanta. Ga. delivered lengthy al
dress TO the spectators from a true.
drawn IN in front of the grandSlanI
As he spoke. the klansmen and tn'
neophytes gradually dispersed. ~
one time during the course oil me au
dress. the field was brilliantly lllumih
ated. A battery of photographers Wh'
had been escorted to point OF Vah'
age by guard of klansmcn. coul'
be seen taking pictures OF the as
sembled klansmen. :,
The initiation ceremonies were hel'
peacefully. and there was no demon
stration upon the part of the spec'a
tors. In fact, time almost pasSe'
monotonously. Picket lines of klahs
men. few carrying guns, experience
no difficulty in handling the crowus
A few klansmen, mounted on Sheel
draped horses, patrolled the lines.
Many Remove Hoods.
An unusual feature of the nlgh
was the large number of kiansInei
who removed their hoods while ming
ling with the crowds. At one tlh'
during the evening, mounted kiahs
man rode down the picket lines an.
warned the pickets to keep thell
masks on.
Hundreds of klansmen and theii
friends were already on the grotlhd'
before the gates were thrown opei
10 the public at O'Clock. Long be
fore the initiation ceremonies began
at S o'clock, the grandstapd was
filled to overlooking. Some lett tb'
stand for fear that the structure
would collapse from the overweight
Spectators crowded the space between
the grand stand and the scene OF core
monies. Traffic on the roads leading
to the Speedway became congesteI
shortly after 6 o'clock. Along South
Flores street. the blue uniforms OF
city officers were in evidence. Deputy
sheriffs and other city and county
officers were out in full force, Tor
the dual purpose OF directing traillc
and to nip in the bud any attempt
on the part Of the klansmen to parade
No parade was even considered. klans-
men said, and there was nothing LOT
the many officers to do but direct
traffic. This was problem. however;
as the crowd in the Speedway ana
along the roads leading TO 1t. was
probably one of the largest ever as
sembled in San Antonio.
q Al IL - \