New Britain herald., 1924-01-09
Official Asked Use of Soldiers, Saying He Fears Bootleggers' War Following Wholesale Liquor Raids
Knights of Flaming Circle Opposed to K. K. K, Are Actively Engaged in Cam paign in Troublesome District.
By The Associated Press.

Marion, Ill, Jan. 9.--Removal of Sheriff George Galligan from office has been asked by Governor Small, according to John l.. Whiteside. lead Ing member of the ku Klux Klan in Williamson county.
 Sheriff Galligan yesterday requested troops saying he feared rioting as re- suit of .'bootleggers war" and today three companies of National Guard were on duty in the county. Whole sale raids have been conducted in the county recently without the sheriff's knowledge.
 Three Companies on Duty
 Three companies of the Illinois Na- tional Guard are on duty in William son county under orders to be in read mess for any emergency occasioned by tho alleged growing bitterness between the Ku klux Klan and an anti-klan faction known us Knights of tine Flaming Circle, following series of prohibition raids
 secret Mass Meetings
 Mass meeting said to have been an- nounced secretly for today by the Knights of the Flaming Cycle and the ku lSlux Klan is said by some to have been the real cause for Sheriff George Galligan appealing for the troops. The theory, although lacking confirmation, was strengthened by the departure from here of Co. l. of Salem for Her rim shortly before midnight Two com panies. K Of Cairo, and l. of Mount Vernon, remain in Marion. with head quarters at the county court house.
 Adjutant General Carlos Black, who ordered the soldiers into Williamson county arrived from Springfield at 3 q, m.
 Slierifl Is Sick
 Sheriff Galligan is confined to his bed with an attack of humps. It was from there yesterday that he tele- graphed General Black that the situa- | ton was beyond his control and that | he feared rioting might start at any time.
 'fho shcri.r's action followed im- I modiately the acqulttai yesterday of $. Glenn Young. former prohibition I enforcement officer and recently | deputized for work in raids, on a | charge of assault in courtroom ip | which large group of his friends had | mounted two machine guns for ''self | protection"
 2i2 Are Arrested
 Within the last three weeks federal agents, aided by hundreds of deputiz- ed citizens, many of whom admitted membership in the Ku lSlux Kan, have, without the official knowledge of Sheriff Galligan. carried out three series of raids in which 2i2 persons have been arrested for alleged viola tions of the prohibition law. The last raid was Monday night when twenty men were arrested.
 "I don't want this county to be ac- cused again of failing to send for the soldiers in time" said Sheriff Galligan in discussing the situation.
 That charge was made after more than a score of Strip Pit mine work CTS were massacred at Herrin two years ago.
 Hardware men in Herrin report that the present crisis has brought the sale of more guns and ammuni- ton than ever before.
 KIan Demonstration.
 
 The klan recently gave a demon stration. hooded and gowned. in which the declaration was made that Will iiamson county was to be cleaned up. On Saturday night. December 22, the first spectacular raid was made and 1s6 persons were arrested for boot logging. Three men were shot The Ku Klux Klan then claimed 10 have raised ,S,000 to conduct that raid alone. which statement was followed by one Gus Simmons. special fed { eral officers from Philadelphia. that { both klansmen and Knights of Colum- { bus participated.
 The next day the roadhouses and other places reopened, precipitatingl another raid January 5, in which more than 50 were arrested and some previously under custody retaken. On Monday of this week the raids were resumed.