San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-14
IS Testimony Tends to In
plicate Order Its Enc
mics Attack.
WIZARD TO DEFENSE
Evan Says Black Hoods
Show Khan Is Not
Involved.
BY BARRY TURNER.

Copyright, 1923, by The San Antonio Light,
Atlanta, Ga, Jan. 13.-Is the open
hearing at Mer Rouge, La, the opening
wedge in the ultimate disorganization of
the knights of the ku kIuX Khan?
AS testimony more and more tends to
implicate the khan III the brutal torture
and murder of Watt Daniels and
Thomas Richard last August, several
officials of the order here are openly
worried and while statements given out
by their propaganda department de-
clare the khan headquarters is conf
dent the Mer Rouge chapter had moth
ing to do with the case, high officials
refuse to discuss pointed questions, and
by their attitude show they are incrcls-
ingly worried as the hearing progresses.
For one thing, DR.. II. w. Evan, i'm
perial wizard, who early last week is
sued an official statement declaring the
supreme council of the khan felt conf
dent that Mer Rouge chapter would be
fully indicated Of any connection with
the murder, refused to comment on the
testimony of the Mer Rouge mayor that
he wore black mask at more than n G
Investigation" of the order and named
other klansmen who wore black masks
Worried Over Case.
In his statement Wizard Evan dwelt
on the fact that the accounts of the
murder declared the members wore black
masks while the official hood of the
kan was white. Another high official
IN the order who declined to let his
name be used today, admitted that the
inner circle of the khan headquarters
was worried over the Mer Rouge case
while We believe that the whole
thing is scheme by certain dhTruntled
ex-klansmen to give US a black eye, it
cannot be denied that the testimony is
growing very serious and it looks like
mat some klansmen at any rate Md
knowledge of what was going on.
The khan does not tolerate laYless-
ness or mob violence. If it is found
that this horrible affair at Mer Rouge
was perpetrated by klansmen they will
be summarily and publicly dismissed
from the order"
Leaders in the movement in Atlanta
10 break up the alan see in the Mer
Rouge case the opening wedge towards
the ultimate diSemboweling of the order
Scores the Khan.
Particularly eXcoriating all members
OF TIE hu hlux Khan, John A. Mangel,
mllAonaire cotton factor. declared to-
day that until Atlanta and the South
nd themselves of the menace of the Ku
AUX hlan' civilization would 20 back
ward rather than forward.
we've got to have laws to make
them take those dirty rags from around
their heads" said Mr.. Mangel. land
untn We do, crime and lawleSsness are
going TO stalk about the South.
This Mer Rouge case is but one of
hundreds similar that have been happen-
ing In the South. In this one I believe
they have got the goods on the klans.
men and it is TO be hoped that other
states succeed in getting to the bottom
ties. --iOO par
1t Is going to take men with real
CUTS to break up an order as powerful
as II Is put we are going to do it."
Bfames IL on Enemies.
wizard Evan, in his official state
meht oetending the Louisiana klan, laid
stress on the fact that members Of the
NOD supposed to be responsible for the
masks. N4acA
Ku Klux Klansmen never vs,r
black masks" he said. "Tbe off;c;aI
hood is white and from that testironr
alone it is sufficient to see that ny
Khan had nothing to do with the mater
at all and it is simply a fanaticaI az ~
tempt of the enemies of the klan TO dis
credit our organization.n
Later, however, when testimony given
by the mayor of Mer Rouge to the Of.
iect that he had worn a black mask
more than one time and had given
names OF other Kansmen who wore
PACK masks on investigations" Wizard
Evan was silent '''o
his position. was
II Is understood here that an official
meeting Of the klonitium has been called
Tor early next week for the purpose If
especially considering the Mer Rome
SITUATION and decide upon whether tbe
imperial command will defend tbe
LOUISIANA chapter or leave it entirely