The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-06-15
F0URARRESTBD
FOR WHIPPING
GEORGIA WOMAN
Small Town Gossip Blamed
For Attack-WCman in
Ga ncsville Hosp.tal

Toccoa, Ga, juno 15-(AP)--
Small town gossip, thought to have
originated with an "old man. in
the community, finally reaped 81
blows across a woman's bare hack.
The story Mrs. Ansley Bowers told
of an attack on her and her Is
year-old SON has led to the arrest
OF four men and to a charge laid
at the door Of the Ku Klux Khan.
From hospital bed in Gaines
vile, Ca, near here, Mrs. Bowers
told newspaper men that IL men
in three automobiles called at her
home late last Saturday night,
forced her to accompany them to
a lonely road and then beat her
four times. Her son, Floyd, was
taken, too, she said, and beaten
when he cried cut against her as
sailants.
These men are all members Of
the ku klux Khan; there is no
doubt about it," Mrs. Bowers de-
clared to newspaper men. They
were the Ku Klux Khan Uniform
and threatened to brand the let
ter *" on my back, unless left
town."
Grand Dragon Denies Charge
Nathan Bedford Forrest. grand
dragon of the Ku Klux Khan in
Georgia, replied to Mrs. Bowers
assertion with statement in
which he said: IF any member
Of the Ku Klux Khan took part in
the Toccoa flogging, the Khan will
do its utmost to send him to the
state penitentiary." Forrest said
he thought that men "who COM
mitted this dastardly outrage"
posed as klansmen to throw the
blame on the organization.
The ''old man" to whom the Cos
sip was charged remained in the
background. A prominent bust
ness man of the town told inves-
t'gators that. so persistent was
this talker," the chief of police
took cognizance of the stories. bit
that after five days he dropped the
matter as not worthy Of concern.
Mrs. Bowers husband, from
whom she has been separated for
two years. is railroad man and
two Of the men arrested on
charges Ct having participated in
the flogging are railrcad en-
ployes.
To Await Grand Jury
Elmer Clark and Charles Thomas
surrendered late yesterday. Both de-
MED the charge.
The two others arrested were w. J.
AGREE, principal of high school near
Toecoa, an T. r. Lowery, sub foreman
81 furniture factory. All four
waived preliminary hearing. A grand
jury to consider the charges is to be
July 4.
A band Of robed and hooded men
forced entrance into her home about
2 o'clock last Sunday morning, Mrs.
Bowers told newspapermen.
"They all were armed with sticks
and pistols. The man who seemed to
be the leader entered my room and
ordered me to remove all my cloth
ing. ] told him would not and
quickly put on a dressing gown. They
grabbed me and took ME out to an
automobile. When my son inter-
fered, they put him in one of the
"After they had taken US out of
the automobile, they took an auto
mobile seat from one car and forced
me to lie across it. One man stood
above me and pinned my head with
his knees; other men held my feet
and hands. They pulled all my
clothing up over my head and one
began to strike me with leather
strap. screamed with pain and one
nan trust his fist into my mouth. |
They cursed me and beat me again |
md again. They gave my son |
whipping but not SO severe as the |
,nes they gave me. 80 i
"They left us there and l fell to |
he ground and my son went to a |
nearby house and brought back a !,
nan who took US back to Toccoa."
Hospital physicians said that the |
over part Of Mrs. Bowers body was
BADLY flayed. The son. who was not /
severely. hurt, said he counted 50
Flows laid on his mothers body.