The Washington times., 1928-04-20

wore black robes.
This is part of the startling
revelations in roday's installment
of the deposition Of D. C. stephen
son, former grand dragon OF the
khan in Indiana. 1t tells how teIe-
phones were tapped, telegraph com.
pany employees bribed to reveal
secret information, and the agencies
of graft and corruption fostered IN
every possible manner.
The deposition follows:
Q.--Wher some delay occurred In
presenting this deposition for your
signature did you endeavor to com
municate with an officer OF the
United States Court for the West
ern District OF Pennsylvania?
A. Yes, sir. did on March ~.
1928. I wrote telegram addressed
to Mr.. Van A. Barrickman, 91l
Park Building, Pittsburgh, Pa, In
which / said to Mr.. Barrickman
that had information that some
OF the khan vassaIs were endeayor'
ing to block the signing OF the
deposition. also wrote . note at
tached to that and sent 1t to the
warden OF the Indiana State Prison
requesting that in the capacity OF
witness before the Federal Court
be permitted to communicate with
an officer Of the court. am re.
liably ana definitely Informed that
he did not send that telegram 70
Mr.. Barrickman by an authority no
less reliable than Mr.. Barrickman
himself to whom the telegram mas
been shown since his return here.
Tapped Telephones
Odd anyone ever ask you 70
given prior to the time came here
given prior tothe time came here
to take your deposition?
A.-Yes. Repeated efforts have
been made to get me on various
occasions and In various ways To
reveal the things which have
| here testified.
This is the first time have
ever revealed even thus much OF the
things that should be told the Amer
lean people.
Q.-State whether or not the
plaintiff corporation or its Officers
make a practice OF tapping telephone
wires of private citizens and bugi
ness offices?
A.-Yes. 10 my knowledge they
tapped number of telephones In
Evansville by an irresponsible young
man working for the telephone
company under their direction and
behest. And as they told me they
tapped the telephone OF the mayor
and chief Of police OF Evansville.
Q.-ReIate Instances, il you know
of any, where the plaintiff cor
poration arranged to obtain illegal
copies Of kilograms sent to pri
vate citizens and public officials.
Ayes. The khan had a young
lady whose name do not recall
I'm the employ OF the Western Union
at Indianapolis. For each telegram
she brought pertaining to any poll
teal matter or any matter in which
the khan might have an interest,"
they paid her one dollar.
Mask Of Death.
Q.-What knowledge do You have
IL any, OF the mystic black MASK
and its use by the plaintiff organ
ization3N
A.-The black mask Is robe
authorized when they are on kill
ing expeditions or whipping expe.
ditiOns. IL In the official robe fOI
all acts of mob violence. / was told
Of a number of times of takina
persons on black robe. party which
meant and was meant for me to
understand that this language des
cribed the tar and feather parties
by brutality which the heroes
engaged in throughout the southern
states where the khan resorted tc
mob violence.
O.-What knowledge do you have
Of the Death Battalion" the purple
ROBBED gang of Philadelphia Penn,
EyIvania. and other criminal acts!
A.-The purple robe is the gark
of the battalion of death. That Il
another Earb used by the killers
I'm different communities. The pns
In Philadelphia in particular think
is not the official community garID
Disruption Comes
Q.-Mr. Stephenson, what motives,
| il any, did anyone have In framing
the murder charge against you and
| illegally sending you to prison a.
you have previously testified.
A.-The motive was n very strong
one indeed in this. that when /
resigned from the Ku Klux Khan,
September 20 1923, agreed to
refrain from engaging in any public
attack until after the legislature
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