The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-04-07

Tells Complete Story
The fun story 81 the invisible
Empire il revealed in the deposi
ton by Stephenson, taken III 4
Pennsylvania court fight over the
hooded order.
The deposition was taken in q
suit brought by the Khan against
five rebelIiOus members Of the or
ganizatIon IN PennsyIvania. who
filed petition for mn injunction
Is restrain the Khan from trans
acting any business whatever In
that State.
stephenson WAS questioned BY
Van a. BerrIclxFnan Of Pittsburgh,
In. the presence oe Attorney John
ii. ConnaugntOn, counsel for the
Khan: the Rev. John Z. Strayer Of
McEkeesport, Pa, one Of the
rebels, ana q court reporter.
International News Service has
obtained an exclusive transcript Of
this deposition aa filed In Federal
court 1T Pittsburgh. The first
chapter 81 the high spots OF this
remarkable document Ii herewith
presented:
Resigned IN September, 1928
After the customary Introductory
questions, Berriclman asked:
q. How long did you remain
active iii the Khan
"A. From the time became a
member, In the latter part OF 1921,
until j resigned all connections
with the Khan on the 18th day of
september, 1923.
q. What official positions have
You held In the Klan2
A.--Eirst, exalted cyclops Of the
Evansville, Ind. Khan. Thereafter
+ was appointed king kleagle of
the State was thoroughly organized ]
the state tl1roughly organized,
was designated as the grand dragon.
T was appointed to that position
BY Hiram Wesley Evans, emperor
and imperial wizard Of the invi-
sible empire known as the Ku K1ux
Khan. / served until I~resigned in
1925.
During the time was serving
as organizer for the State of Ia.
diana 1 was given the same posi-.
ton III some 70 to % or possibly
30 other states. Pennsylvania was
one OF these States.
After d series OF questions and
answers concerning the early MIS-
tory az the Khan under the leader.
shin OF Colonel William Joseph Sim.
mons OF Atlanta. Ga, its founder
and first imperial wizard, Derrick
man continued:
Q--When did Mr.. Evans become
imperial wizard?
Ale became imperial wizard
al the klOnyOca ton that occurred
n September or November Of 1922.
GLOW did he obtain his Officer
A.-The actual transaction was
handled In this manner: On the
night prior to the time when the
National convention would be com.
nAlIed to select n new imperial
wizard. DR.. Evans and man by
the name OF Fred l.. Savage, a
man named II. G. Mccall, a man
by the name OF Kyle Ramsey snd
:, man by the name OF Conner called
me from my special car in Atlanta
ia q room In the Piedmont Hotel.
There they informed me OF a plan
they had to remove Colonel Simmons
az Questioning head Of the Ku Klux
Khan and establish Evans In his
place. They outlined 20 me substan-
TALLY the following proposition:
Agrees 10 PLAY Ball"
Conner said, In substance, stephen
son, you are interested in some pro.
gram in Indiana and Ohio with which
we are not concerned; we don't care
to inquire into II except that we un-
derstand you don't want to be inter.
fered with In your activities up
there. You have your own notions
about what you are trying to do, and
while some Of US guess that It has TO
do with politics. we haven't taken
the trouble to inquire We. on the
other hand, representing Louisiana.
Mississippi. Texas, Arkansas and