The Minnesota fiery cross. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1924-19??, 1924-05-23
EX-KLANSMAN DID
NOT RAISE FUNDS
Continued from page y

page ~
versations and arguments that took
place between himself and officers
of the Khan about acts of violence
that had taken place in Texas. The
witness was fair enough tn DR.. Evans
to say that DIR. Evans, now Imperial
Wizard of the order, had told him in
the presence of other officers that it
was his purpose to stop all acts of
violence so far as the Khan participa-
tion was concerned. Clark asserted
that other Khan officers in the confer
ence which took place in Houston
scoffed at Evans statement. A Klo-
kan committee in each lodge, witness
said, supervised reports of cases of
misconduct, considered prospects of
disorders and set spies on suspected
individuals, even putting their tele-
phone and telegraph communications
under surveillance. Judge Clark al
so said that in his opinion 80 per cent
Of the membership of the Khan did
not know of or participate in any
way as an organization in acts of
violence. He also stated that some
Of the very best people in Texas be-
longed to the Khan and stood very
high in their respective communities
The main thing brought out on
cross examination of Judge Clark by
the Mayfield attorneys was that he
was being paid at the rate of $4,000
a year for his services as general
counsel for the realm of Texas. That
he considered himself a good Ameri-
can citizen all the time he was men,
Der of the Khan and an officer of the
organization. 1t was after he was cut
off the payroll that he resigned be-
cause as he commended that he could
no longer remain good citizen of
his country and continue to be a
Klansman. Yet he admitted on the
stand that the Khan was much better
when he resigned than when he went
in, that the Khan had greatly i'm
proved and that the morale was
much higher among the members and
officers under the Evans regime than
it had been before DR.. Evans was ele-
waited to his high office.
James P. Straughan, oil man of
Fort Worth, testified that he had
spent $500 of his own money trav-
cling around over Texas helping in
campaign work not only for Senator
Mayfield but also for state and coun-
ty officers as we'll. He also solicited
and collected $3.50 from the Fred B.
Foster Oil company, 5000 from a man
by the name of Hoffer, $3.50 from
Stay, Simon and Smith, dealers in
oil leases, land and real estate, and
SIPS from a law firm in Fort Worth.
He admitted collecting all told about
$625 besides his own money and
spending all of it in the campaign
without the knowledge or consent of
Senator Mayfield. He said it was
common practice for men in Texas
to go out and raise money and spend
it without even referring the matter
to any candidate or campaign man
ager. He was so positive that he
never gave Senator Mayfield any
money that he did not even send or
give a cent of his contributions to
Mayfeld's campaign manager.
Grabbing at everything as drown
ing man grabs a straw, MIR. Peddy's
attorneys have taken the unusual
stand before the subcommittee that
the Ku klux Khan is an illegal, UNI
lawful, criminal organization and
that membership in such an organi-
cation disqualifies everyone from
holding public office, therefore that
Senator Mayield should be ousted
from his seat in the senate. The at
torney making that bold claim adj
mits to the committee that he him