The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1926-09-10
HAWKINS HEATS
UP AT CHARGE
OF "KLUCKERY"
But Even His Vicious Attack
on This Newspaper Gets
Him No Crowds

OR" J. H. Hawkins, de-
ivering a series of TRADES
against Roman Catholicism at
the Courthouse in Elizabeth
City this week, brands as an
Infamous lie" the article in
this newspaper last week en-
titled "Ku Klux Klan To Stage
A Drive Here"
"a contemplate lie," and "a
lie' were also used by
DR. Hawkins in his opening ad-
dress here Monday night. He was
vicious and as sore as a mad
honret. He had advertised to lecture
at s o'clock. At $50 there were
only four persons to hear him. The
increased to ten or dozen.
Hawkins proposed to speak to these
few.
He opened by spreading out a
copy Of last weeks issue Of The In
dependent and pointing to the arti-
cle in question. "It's an infamous
lie, he said. He grew more insolent
and abusive as he continued until
his statements finally were chal-
lenged by w. o. Saunders himself.
thought Hawkins was try
ing to stage q fight and made q
move to Oblige him, but nothing
came of it.
There was only one mistatement
of facts i'm that article in The Inde-
last week. The Indepen-
dent said that Hawkins was a Meth
odist minister. That was this news
papers information, but it turns out
that he is not a minister at all. He
Is not a Doctor of Divinity ss his
title and dress would suggest, but
IN "eyc doctor" This newspaper
owes an apology to the Christian
What makes Hawkins mad, be
said, is the statement made by this
that his lectures here
are the beginnings Of a drive for
memberships in the Ku Klux Klan.
says he Is not member OF
the Klan. This newspaper said that
for him last week. But he admits
that he was member Of the klan
md admits that he is still in
sympathy with Its purposes. And
IN Baltimore Sun account OF q
split in the Klan at Cumberland.
Nd. DR.. J. III. Hawkins Is mention
I'd as Kleagle of the Maryland klan.
This was in the Baltimore Sun. Is
sue of Sept. 6, 1926, a copy OF which
Is on file at this Office.
No one expected Hawkins to adj
nit his Klan membership, IL he is
a member. 1t Is not the way or
these birds to expose their identity.
But this newspaper holds to the
fact that Klan organizer preced-
ed Hawkins to Elizabeth City and
that Hawkins lectures against Cath
olicism are friendly to and antece-
dent to a Klan membership CAM
paign.
Hawkins attack on The Indepen.
dent was a mad mans desperate
effort TO create sensation and draw
q crowd to himself. He couldn'
have gotten u crowd any other way
He tried to get bimself approved
and dignified by the support OF the
local ministerial union, but the
ministers in Elizabeth City would
have nothing to do with him. Not
one would agree to dignity bis meet.
ings by consenting to open his meet.
ings with prayer. Only one preach.
or in the town trailed with Hawkins
Monday night. The Rev. Eddie
Sawyer was right there. Rev. Ed
die Is a dear old soul who would
lead jackass in prayer, for the
sake of exercising his ministerial
urge.
The ministers of Elizabeth City
would have nothing to do with
Hawkins because they strongly
his Klan affiliation and
certainly recognized him as a com.
mercial sensationalist whose lee
lures could create only discord In
the community. The action OF the
ministers of Elizabeth City in effect
ually repudiating Hawkins in the
is perhaps what aroused
his ire and provoked his vicious
and uncalled for attack on this
The Baltimore Sun article which
describes "Dr. J. II. Hawkins" as
a Kleagle of the Ku Klux Klan tells
Of the bolt of the Cumberland, Nd.
Klan from the national organization
because of the alleged dishonest and
fraudulent nature of the national
body. The Cumberland Klan sets
forth the following charges against
the national klan:-
/. That klan mysticism and
secrecy was originated for the
sc!e purpose Of making easier
various methods devised to sc.