Evening star., 1925-08-29
MILITIA REVELERS
LIGHT FIERY CROSS
Officers of District Guard
Aroused by Demonstration.
Start Home Today.
BY WILLIAM j. WHEATLEY,
staff Correspondent of The Star.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va, August
29.-Revelers held sway in the camp
of the District National Guard dur
ing the early hours today, as the
encampment ended eliminating in
parade of white hooded figures bear
ing a flaming cross, who marched
boldly toward the officers quarters.
Camp officers, headed by Lieut.. Col.
Harry f. Gladman, executive officer
of the 121st Engineers, awakened by
the hooded mob and the flaming rays
of the cross, sought to identify the
participants. AS Col. Gladman ran
from his quarters toward the hooded
marchers, followed by fellow officers,
his shouted orders ito drop that cross
put out that fire" met no response.
The figures moved slowly forward,
the cross surrounded by its Suardi-
ans. Within n few feet of him they
let fall the flaming structure at his
feet Slowly the marchers headed
back to the company streets and were
observed TO creep within the tent
flaps.
Find Troops Asleep.
The cross-burning on the reserva-
ton in disobedience of orders brought
calls for Turn out the guard, but
there was no response, s the camp
was unguarded. officers were turned
out of their tents, and in nightclothes
in the Autumn-like air, inspected each
tent, to find every man asleep, appar-
entity. Many of them were fully
clothed and booted.
Company commanders were told
that they would be held directly re-
sponsible for any further demonstra-
ton, and at 4 am. the camp settled
quietly down for a short period OF
rest. Examination showed the cross
upright was a 20-foot tent pole, with
a cross arm, the whole wrapped in oil
soaked rags. Early in the evening
the troops clashed with local klans-
men, when a large fiery cross was
bruned on the road adjoining the
camp. Troops knocked it down soon
after lighting, but hooded knight
from a nearby automobile with klan
greeting letters on it, jumped for it,
and held it aloft until the last spark
died. The trops stood idly by until
the Klansmen drove away.
Return Starts Today.
There is feverish activity this
morning in the base camp to make
ready for the outbound movement,
starting this afternoon and ending
tomorrow in the Armory at Az l.
street.
Hardened muscles and tanned skins
are the result of the two weeks of
intensive field training of the eng1-
neers and 18th Military Police Com
pany The sight of the troop cars run
on the camp siding today spurred the
youthful members at their first camp
to greater activity. while the veterans
easily distinguished themselves by
their slow and orderly movements,
knowing the rapidity would not get
them on the trains until the time
fixed for movement.
Band Stirs Sleepers.
Up to an early breakfast as the
regimental band moved UP and down
the company street, playing a lively
air, to stir sleepers to action, the citi-
zen soldiers of the Capital City went
to their last hot meal until they reach
the transport Southland at Berkeley,
Va, tonight. AS each trooper rose
he folded his camp cot and laid it
neatly in the company street, rolled
up his mosquito bar, and slowed his
field equipment in his pack. Nearby
were stacked the guns and other
equipment, prepared for the sounding
of the call.
Before the men had finished their
COntipned on Page < Column | \