The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1923-03-22
XII KLUX XII AN ROW
BEFORE Senate
Contest Brought by G. E. B. Peddy
Over Earle B. MayfieId's
Right to Seat in Body.
VOTE RECOUNT IS DEMANDED
Officers of Invisible Empire Charged
With Fraud, Bribery and immoral
Acts-7O0 Exhibits to Prove
Alleged Violations of Laws.

Washington.-The controversy over
the Ku Klux KIan was brought into
the United States Senate with the
filing Of proceedings contesting the
right Of Earle B. Mayfeld to become
a Senator from Texas.
The contest was brought by George
q. 3. Peddy, Republican and "Indepen-
dent Democratic candidate for Sen
atOr in the election last November,
who declared himself elected despite
the majority credited by election Of
fcials to Mayfeld, the regular Demo
cratic nominee. A scathing indict-
ment Of the Khan, of which it was
charged that Maytield was a member,
was included in the petition and was
placed on file with Mayfelds creden-
tails to be considered when the new
Congress meets next fall.
Khan officers were charged with oil
legal and fraudulent" acts in the petit
ton, which also alleged fraud in
counting the ballots, Illegal eXpendi-
lures of more than S150,0O0 in May
fields behalf, and numerous other
Irregularities. Among the charges laid
at the door Of the Khan were that it
had attempted to erect a super gov
eminent, to "seduce and defile the
public conscience" to gain CONNER
cial and other dominion, to accom-
plish prostitution of the Christian
religion" to exercise brutal and ty-
rannic control and discipline" and to
engage in illegal and immoral prac-
tees"
The Senate was asked to preserve
and recount the Texas ballots, to in
vestigate the Texas primary and cleo
ton and to prohibit Maytield from tax
ing the oath when the next Congress
convenes. His credentials having been
received, however, the whole matter
under usual Senate procedure would
be referred to the privileges and cleo
tons committee when Congress re-
assemblies and, pending the commit
tees investigation, the oath would be
administered.
The contestants petition declared
that Mayfield was not honestly or
lawfully elected" by virtue OF the fact
that Peddy's name was kept off the
printed ballot because Of the alleged
conspiracy of the Khan, and for
other reasons. The document COM
prised about 25,O00 words and was
accompanied by many exhibits, includ-
ing alleged ~"ies Of letters between
Khan officers, naming Mayfeld as a
Klansman, and urging KIansmen to
support him.
In support of a charge that May
field abused his power as State Rail
road Commissioner to further his
campaign, one of the papers accom-
panying the case quoted him as threat
ening oil and other interests, in seek
ing campaign contributions.
You tell those - that if I am
not elected to the Senate I will be
Railroad Commissioner four years
more, and they had better kick in or
they will be sorry" Maytield was
quoted as having informed Mike Nc
Namara, Deputy Oil Commissioner. 1t
was charged also tnaL mcnamara was
told to get $4,000 in contributions,
and did turn over some of the re-
ceipts.
The Khan was further charged in
the petition with concealing it's real
designs under a cloak of patriotic
pretensions, in order to hide plans to
Subject the government of the consti-
tuition to the invisible empire" and
with conspiracy to evade, violate and
defeat Federal and State laws.
A detailed indictment of the Khan
was made in the petition, which was
regarded as the opening gun in
Senatorial election contest Of unparal-
leled bitterness. In addition to these
charges, Mr.. Pedy based his claim
to the Texas Senatorship on an allie
cation that 100000 votes counted for
Mayfield were illegal and fraudu-
lent" and that several thousand"
actually cast for Peddy were not
counted.