The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-01
Birmingham Sheriff NamedAs
Defendant In Petition Filed
BY Group Of Members--Ex-
penditure OF Money Enioined
CHARGE MISMANAGEMENT
OF FUNDS BY WIZARD
Imperial Officers Are Now On
Way To Washington For
Biz CONFERENCE.-THE Hear
Petition On June g

ATLANTA, Ca, May 31.-(By AS
ISOLATED Press)-The Fulton county
superior court today assumed tenn
porary control of the Knights of the
Ku Klux Khan. ordered temporary
diseontinuance of the expenditure of
its funds and set June to hear a.
motion for the appointment of re
eeiver for the order.
This action followed filing Of
petition by David NJ. Rittenhouse of
Philadelphia and others, alleging
gross mismanagement of the klan's
funds by Imperial Wizard H W
Evans and his associates. 1t charged
that he and Emperor William Jo-
seph simmons had turned the khan
into personal machine for the en-
richment and personal aggrandize-
ment" Of themselves. and declared
that the organization was breaking
up through threats of some of the
realms" to secede and establish in
dependent orders.
The petition alleged also that I'M
perial Wizard Evans had called n
meeting in Washington, D. c.. to-
henchmen throughout the Invisible
Empire. 1t was charged that DR..
Evans and others intended to spend
between 100000 and $4,000 of the
klan's funds to pay the expenses
of the Washington meeting. They
We're temporarily enjoined from such
expenditure by order of the court.
Officers In Washington.
The employees of the Imperial
Palace. as the general headquarters
of the khan on Peachtree road in
this city is called, said on being
Informed of the suit that all of the
imperial officers were in Washing
ton. Imperial Wizard Evans, En-
peror Simmons and other high Off
Gals of the khan were said to have
departed for Washington before the
court action began.
Ct, j. Shirley sheriff of JEFF
ferson county, was en- route TO
Washington Thursday, The Age
Herald learned at his office
when it sought to learn Mr..
ShlrleY's status In the suit
brought against the Ku Klux
Khan organization chiefs in At
Ianta cour;s Thursday, asking
receivership for the body)
The imperi.. Sloncileum imported
by Imperial Wizard Evans in April
were named defendants in the petit
certain employees of the imperial pail
ace. one of the members of the
kloncilium. according to the petition,
is Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor, who
Is TO carve the ton1 ederate memo
rial on the face of Stone mountain.
The membership of this body. the
petition stated, are H. w. Evans.
William Joseph Simmons, Fred L.
Savage, II, *. Ramsey. H. c. Mont
gomery Brown Harwood Gutzon
Borglum, +. II. Sullivan n. b For
rest, c. A Ridley, c. H. Ethridge,
all Of Atlanta. T. j. Shirley of Bir-
mingham; A. B. Booth, New Orleans;
d. c. Stephenson, Columbus. O.;
Charles j, Orbison, indianapolis;
j A. Conner, Little Rock; Henry A.
Grady Clinton. n. C, and u. z. Barr.
Oklahoma City, Okla. These. with
Tom Akers, T, J. McKinnon and
\ \. Furney of Atlanta constitute
the defendants.
Members In Good Standing.
The action was brought by David
VI. Rittenhouse Frank D. Collins,
Robert A. Bradshaw, William Gou-
die, r. Oaks and &. F. Graham of
Philadelphia, John Jefferies, New
York. G. II. Lewis. j. d. Norris and
John d. Mcdonald, of Little Rock
+. c. Duggan. George c. Alley and
George Perry of Chattanooga, Tenn
+. o. Cunning, Columbia, S. c.;
NJ. O. Cunning of Sanford. Fla. Lee
Rogers, Charleston, S. c. and 7.
Smith of Atlanta, Ga. They describ-
I'd themselves as members of good
standing of the knights of the ku
klux Khan and occupy in law as
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