Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-05-17


ton comes to The public at this time il
the nature of a bomb-shell. 1t is diff
cult to understand just what all Of thi
means.
Here is an organization which will
forever remain linked with the dark
est period in southern history now be
ing condemned by one of the ables
leaders this section has ever produced
The reason for this is that the iniqui
tous machinery formerly used exclus
lively to operate, prosecute and torture
Negroes is now being utilized TO per
form a similar service upon those
white people, who disagree with this
soc: ct, hooded organization apl refuse
to obey it's mandates.
The following extracts from the re-
port from Washington during the in
vestigation of the election of Senator
Mayfield of Texas will prove to be OF
interest:
Crnelties attributed to the Ku-Klux
Khan and inside" details about that
organization, featured the hearing 10
day of the committee taking testimony
in the contest of G.. E. B. Peddy for the
the seat of Senator Earl B. Mayfield,
of Texas.
Erwin j. Clark, of Houston, was the
star witness. He testified that at one
time he was judge at Waco Texas,
and later served as general counsel for
the Ku-Klux Khan at salary Of $15,-
900 per annum. Clark said he resigned
from the Klan and gave up his legal
connection when he realized that the
Khan was setting up super govern
ment, IAN invisible empire in liter
al sense, which sought to control cleo
tions and to dictate legislation"
All women in the room were asked
to leave before Clark would tell of the
barbarous cruelties practiced on NIL
latto doctor.
One has but to imagine the fortunes
of the Middle Ages the fiendish atroci-
ties of the Spanish Inquisition, in or
der to realize and comprehend just
what this silence this veil of charity,
this concession to decency means when
women were excluded from the hear
ings and the actual testimony given
omitted from the published report. The
press dispatch continues:
Clark was asked also to tell how an
automobile salesman had been worked
over" (flogged) by the Khan but he
refused to testify on that subject, ex-
planning that at the time he was coun-
sci for the Khan, and thus confidential
relations had been established, which
were privileged" In this position he
was sustained by the committee.
Then Clark told of a conference he
had in 1922 in Houston with DR.. H. w
Evans, imperial Khan wizard and H.
C. Mccall, high kleagle. Clark said
that DR.. Evans was trying, in mill,
tant manner, to elect Mayfinl6 to the
Senate and used his Influence with the
Khan in THAT direction. The converse
ton, he added, led UP to certain out
RACES in the Dallas district, but Dr..
Evans said the Khan had no connection
with them. Mccall laughed at him
said Clark, and told him to quit play
ing the part of the hypocrite.
Clark added the Khan resorted tt
two methods t. bring into line recall
citrant citizens who baked at joining
the organization Or found fault with
it, In some cases ostracism was resort
ed, to and in others Punishment. Wher
person was banished he add
ed, that was the end of him as far as
his relatives and friends knew as
they never could obtain contact with
him again. He said the Khan, by mys
terious ways had access to kilograms
and telephone calls.
Asked if letters were also censored
Clark said he would not go that far.
He explained that the term worked
over" used by the Klan, meant "flog
ging " He heard of one case where 6
young mulatto had been worked over
for annoying school girls.
Discipline of the people of Texas he
added was not confined to Negroes. He
declared no color l'ne was drawn by
the Khan, but to BE- member was tc
train with the Khan, to patronize tbs
Khan doctor and to buy from the Khan
groceryman.
Then he told how the Negroes had
been kept away from the primaries by
parades organized by the Khan.
You cannot confine evil or vicious
practices for any given length Of time
to any one race or color. 1t is against
the fundamental law. Hooded faces
are emblems Of cowardice. To permit
such organizations to exist in free
country will eventually bring about
the country's own destruction and nc
citizens life will be secure. The william
and the assassin will find refuge
among the good men of the republic
and shielded in their wrong doing by
this hooded concealmen+, the odium
Cor their crimes will rest upon all.
Let the Ku Klux Khan function as
any other organization functions. Let
It abandon the concealed features and
the gruesome costumes and it can con
tinue to exist legitimately in this
American republic The day is not far
distant when colored men will take the
cue and form organizations of a SINH.
lar kind and character and commit