Evening star., 1926-09-13
UnCounted Thousands Flock
to Capital by Train and
Auto-2,0O0 Cars Parked
at 3 Camping Grounds.
THREE-DAY CONVENTION
TO FOLLOW PROCESSION
DR.. Evans, Imperial Wizard, Up for
Reelection, Leads Spectacular
March From Peace Monument.
Veterans of Original Order Take
Part in the Display.

Re-enacting the scenes OF year
ago, mighty host OF members OF
the Invisible Empire, Knights of the
Ku Klux klan, gathered today III the
shadow OF the Capitol for their sec
ond pretentious parade down the
Nations Main street this afternoon.
Responding to the invitation OF
the District of Columbia Realm of
the mystic order, uncounted thou
sands of men and women from many
States. led by some 5000 State and
national officers from all over the
United States, were prepared to in
augurate their third biennial ma
tional convention with spectacular
pageant along Pennsylvania avenue.
DR.. Hiram Wesley Evans, lately of
Atlanta, Ga, but now of this city.
who is up for reelection as Imperial
Wizard at the three-day meeting in
the convention headquarters in the
Washington Auditorium, will march
at the head of the big procession as
it starts moving around the Capitol
grounds at o'clock this afternoon,
en- route for the Washington Monu-
ment.
Opening the way for the parade
proper will be a squad of motorcycle
policemen, led by Maj Edwin b.
Hesse. superintendent of police. in an
automobile.
Two of Originals I'm Line.
Then will follow the imperial Off
GERS of the Klan, including Mrs. Rob-
bic Gill Conner, imperial commander
of the Women of the Ku Klux Klan,
and various State officials of the or
ganization.
One of the leading figures in the
official vanguard as it gathered at the
starting point, in the vicinity of First
and b streets northeast, was r. P.
Thrall of Culpeper, Va, said to be the
oldest living klansman and one of the
few who belonged to- the original Ku
Klux klan of Sc. He is 81 years old.
Another veteran of the Klan of re-
construction days was J. M. Fraser,
~ years old, of Houston, Tex.
Radiating from the starting point
were the columns of robed and hood
ed marchers, ready for the signal
that would start them swinging on
their way down the Capitals historic
parade ground.
At intervals were placed units OF
the womens branch of the klan.
each unit sporting large banners an
nouncing the name and home of the
group. No single uniform was the
vogue. except that all cOnformed in
general design TO the approved robe
of the fraternity sorority. CapCs
and coats were of varied shapes and
colors.
klansmen Unmasked.
Everywhere. if hoods were in use,
the faces of the Wearers were open to-
public inspection, in accordance with
the rules governing paradcs in Wash
ington.
No definite or reliable estimate of
the number of visitors here for the
palade and convention could be OBJ
tained today. 1t was known that
score of special trains have disgorged
their Messengers into the Union Sta
ton concourse since early last night,
but as to the number who came by
regular train accommodations or by
the highways leading from the South,
West and North no approximation
was possible.
Terminal officials estimated that
between 5000 and $500 klansmen
came here by special train. The
extra travel noted at the terminal
yesterday was about 10000 pas
sengers above normal, it was stated.
No estimates were available as to
the number who came by regular
coach, although it was declared there
were "a great number There also
| was a heavy influx by auto.
1000 Autos Arrive.
At the Potomac Park tourist camp
and the camping grounds at Fifteenth
and II streets northeast and across
Highway Bridge. in the Arlingicn
Horse Show grounds it was estimated
that some 1000 automobiles were
parked today. The license plates ran
the gamut of States east of the Mis-
sissippi Manager Madigan of the
Potomac Park camp said that about
700 Klan cars were registered. and
that because of the final rush for
parking spaces this morning some 200
| 'crashed the gate" and failed to regis
ter. These will be registered as they
go out, he said.
Scores of Bands on Hand.
AS the afternoon approached tho
camps became virtually deserted and
there sprang up east of the Capitol
| grounds, as if by magic, the white
robed, color.flecked army of men and
women impatient to begin the march.
Literally 4coreSG brightly-uniformed
Klan bands kept the "arfii:-" il high
| spirits during the long hours preced-
| ing the parade-the tunes ranging
| from popular jazz airs and patriotic
selections to special Klan hymns in
which a multitude of voices joined
Fundamentally.
No mounted units were apparent
this year, in contrast 10 the parade
last August. when several groups Of
| robed riders. mounted on white-blan-
keted horses. harked spectators back
to the days of tn original Khan
Sessions Start Tonight.
The procession vas 10 disband at
the foot of the Washington Monu-
nent. the accredited convention dele