The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-17
OKLAHOMA FEELS TIGHTENING GRASP OF MARTIAL RULE
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 w. Clark asserted that the jury would be convened and that the military au- thorities could then order It's adjourn ment
 "The grand jurors will meet" Judge Clark declared. "The governor may deliver his order. Then 1 shall see what can be done about it"
 Across the street from the court house. machine gun mounted on the roof of restaurant, is trained on the windows of the grand jury room. Interest In Jury Session.
 Special interest has been attached to the grand jury session in view of the fact that it was called In re- sponse to petitions charging Cover nor Walton with using the state em- ployes to check signatures of an in1- tiated petition for an election on Constitu tional amendment to grant the state legislature specific author ity to convene without call by the governor. Such use of state em- ployes, it was charged in the petition, is in violation of the law.
 Courts will function as under civil rule, according to Maj. Gerald F. O'Brien executive officer on Lieu tenant Keys staff, with the exception that cases involving specific violation of the general military orders would be prosecuted before a court martial
 Law enforcement III OhldIOIlh county was assumed by the military when the Oklahoma city police de- partment passed under the full con trol of Capt. Nelson J. Moore, and a military supervision over the sher- ifs office was established.
 Machine guns planted about the city hall, the police station, the court house and the city and county jail added reality to the occupation.
 No Martial Law There.
 Outside of Oklahoma county and Tulsa county, the latter having been for more than month under military rule, there was no semblance of mill tary activity. From all parts of the state the reports were the same--no troops had been mobilized and there was nothing to indicate that mar tial rule had been invoked.
 Meanwhile, as preparations for the statewide military occupation moved apace, silence was maintained by Gov ernorf Walton and leaders of the ku Klux Klan, the opposing figures in the unique situation.
 All efforts to reach the governor at his residence met with failure the governor was not at home and had not indicated his whereabouts"
 Likewise, state headquar rters of the klan In a downtown business build ing were deserted and klan officials were not at their residences.
 In shis proclamation of martial law. issued last night, the governor said plainly that his movement was direct ed at the klan as an organization and that he would bend every effort to drive it from the state.
 KIan Cross BIazes.
 While machine guns frowned on / strategic centers here tonight and of ficers of the Oklohama National pd at ad hafr n1a fn ting the city under complete martial law rule pursuant to a proclamation of Gov. J. c. Walton, in which he an- nounced the intention to drive the Ku Klux Klan from the state, a huge electric cross, nearly 30 feet high, blazed from the top of downtown building, the symbol of the klan.
 The cross was erected recently by the klan when 1t became apparent that the governor was directing his military action against the organiza- tion. Similar crosses, it was an- nounced, were erected in other cities of the state.
 A report that the Ku Klux Klan had removed all files from It's state headquarters here to a place outside the state was current, but the head quarters were deserted and the re- port could not be confirmed.
 Crowd that braved steady rain milled about the streets watching the few manifestations late in the day of the military occupation. They were not molested by the guards.
 Observers tonight saw the possi- bility of serious financial difficulties in the way of the governors military program. The last legislature appro- priated $100.000 for the extraordi- nary protection fund of the state this year. It Is known, however that the governor has established from this fund the secret service organiza- tion with which he investigated con- ditions in the state prior to the martial law move. It Is believed that this organization, which Is ex- tenslve, will make necessary the ex penditure of virtually all this amount.