San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-05
is THIS THE REASON?
To The Editor

Politics, NO doubt, are at the bot
tom of the recent raids in San An
tonic by the state rangers.
The writer has been reading with
great interest recent articles in re-
gard to the raids made by state
rangers under the direction of Adju-
tant General Barton, who claims he
is wording under the direct orders
of Governor Pat Neff. As far as he
knew, General Barton states, there
was no request of either city or county
officials for the rangers to come TO
San Antonio. To get at the bottom
of this whole affair and show the
motive for the raids, and that it is
politics and nothing else, we will have
to go back to the spring of 1922 in
Dallas. Texas.
During 1921 and the early spring
of 1922 in Dallas there had been Gu
odd citizens taken from their homes
at night by a body of masked men
and whipped. and during the early
spring of 1922 at Dallas a prominent
citizen by name of Etheridge was
called to his door at his home and
was informed that the sheriff was
out in a car in front and wanted to
who were all strangers to him, that>he
knew the sheriff and if the sheriff
wanted to see him, have him come in.
They Immediately attacked him and
started to carry him by force to the
car. His eldest daughter, girl of
II years of age, came to his rescue
and was brutally assaulted by one of
the men with a sixshooter. Etheridge
NkA l., t,n
head with six-shooter and was rem
dered unconscious and was thrown in
the bottom of the car. One Of the
men jumped onto his body with both
feet, fracturing two of his ribs. AS the
car started off one of the men, who
was standing on the running board
of the car, was grabbed by the coattail
by another daughter of Etheridge's
who was about II years of age. The
man Immediately turned and hit her
in the face with his fist, knocking her
loose.
Etheridge was carried to the river
bottom, stripped and handcuffed to a
tree, and was whipped with a wet
knotted rope to the extent of fifty
lashes.
This whipping had followed a series
of whippings, one of the victims be-
ing an ex-world war veteran. Several
leading citizens of Dallas were SO
aroused over these whippings that
they Immediately got together and
formed what was known as the Citi-
zens' League. A mass meeting was
called which was attended by about
5000 people, and NJ. NJ. Crane,
former attorney general of the state
of Texas, and of the law firm of
Crane. Crane & Crane, and who is
one of Dallas most respected citizens,
was elected president of the league.
being assisted by several of the most
prominent people of Dallas.
One of his most able assistants was
! c. NJ. Smithdeal. of the law firm
of Spence. Haven & Smithdeal.
Both of these men, Crane and
Smithdeal. are of the Protestant faith.
They Immediately hired invcstiga-
tors and some of them attended the
meetings of the Ku Klux Khan, which
was guilty of the above mentioned
whippings.
Maury Hughes. district attorney Of
Dallas. who was q captain in the
world war and served across the seas
with distinguished service, at the time
of Etheridge's whipping was mem
Der of the XXX. Maury Hughes
achieved a wonderful record as
prosecutor in Dallas. He convicted
numerous men charged with muir
der. and had sent several men 10 the
penitentiary for running gambling
houses. He was known as a just and
fearless prosecutor and played no fav'
orites, and in his investigation of the
Etheridge whipping he found evil
dence which showed that several ac-
tive members of the h X X were re-
sponsible for the whipping, but he
was unable to even secure indict-
ment by the grand jury, it being filled
with Klansmen. and several promi-
nent klansmen coming to the rescue
of the parties who were suspected Of
the whippings and swearing to an
alibi for the suspected members.
Hughes Immediately resigned from the
XXX and came out with a public
statement that he had resigned. He
ran for prosecuting attorney shortl
after this on an Independent tickst
and was defeated by a candidate of
the XXX by name Of Cox, as politics
in Dallas and vicinity are controlled
entirely by the XXX.
During this investigation, investi-
gators employed by General Crane,
found that there were numerous
houses of prostitution as vol as gam-
nbling houses being run OF ~ in Dal-
las. General Crane Immediately got
in touch with Governor Pat Neff by
first writing him n letter setting out
the facts and then later on he talked
with Governor Neff by long distance
telephone. This was shortly befoGe the
primaries in July. 1922. The xxx
was in complete power of the political
situation in Dallas as well as Fort
Worth. which. no doubt. the governor
knew. His reply TO General Crane was
that he would be unable 10 send
rangers to Dallas. and it was up TO
the city and county officials to en-
force the law and make arrests in re-
gard to local conditions. General
Crane can verify this statement as
being the truth and will. no douot.
be glad to do so to any one who will
call upon him for same.
In regard to San Antonio's situa-
ton, during the Black administration.
which was up until June 1. 1923,
there were no raids made by the
rangers in San Antonio. Black was
known ms a personal friend of Cover
nor Neff MS we'll as Adjutnnt General
Barton. The Pastime Club was in
operation during the winter months
of 1922 and during the spring of
1923 during the Black reign. There
were also several Other clubs in full
operation during the time Black was