The Washington times., 1936-05-25
TERROR RULE
IN MIDWEST
IS PR0BED
Secret Society Believed
to Have Operated in
Several States
Continued from Page u

Continued from Page II
and suicides were inspired by the
society, which demands members
take an oath with a loaded gun
pointed at the heart.
Wilber Robinson, named as
commander of the First regi.
ment" was arrested today while
at work in Detroit Street Railway
shops. as police announced plans
to seize every officer listed in q
Black Legion membership book.
Robinson was taken to police
headquarters for questioning.
In jackson, q new picture was
being painted of the secret band,
as Justice of the Peace Ernest J.
Roger, sitting as one-man grand
jury, prepared to requestion Ern-
est about the kidnapping and flog-
gng Of Paul Every, who died two
months after the hooded mob was
instigated against him last year.
Inner Work Disclosed
Literature found in Ernest's
home disclosed the inner workings
of the society, the weird ritual and
the pledge which neophytes must
take on bended knees, and also
revealed what authorities believe
may be a veritable undercover
army of zealots with misguided
aims Of patriotism, all possibly
armed, in the Middle West. The
Black Legion's constitution"
reads:
1--WE are outlaws. we fight
rs guerrilas using any weapons
that comes to our hands, prefer
ably the ballot"
Harry Colburn, chief inveStiga-
tor for Prosecutor McCrea, esti-
mates there are 10000 members IN
Michigan, and declared the ten
tacleS Of the society reach as far
east as Pennsylvania and into In
diana. Colburn has no tangible
evidence, he said, which shows the
organization has infested other
parts of the Nation, although the
reputed Major General" Of the
Middle West, v. II. Effinger, Is
said to be from Lima, Ohio.
History in Doubt
While Capt. Ira Harmon, of the
State police, has branded the
society as "the strong arm Of the
Ku Klux Klan," other officials ad-
init themselves baffled as to its
actual history. They term as
''phoney" the claims Of members
that the cult was Matched during
the strife of the early colonial days
and the Boston Tea Party, point
ing out such claims would appeal
to the romantic and cause
prospective members to part with
their dimes and dollars.
At least two deaths in the Jack
son area were laid at the door Of
the black-robed society by State
police. Mrs. Every, wife Of the
flogged prison guard, charged her
husband died as the result Of the
beating he got because the legion
feared he would expose the secrets
of the society, the beatings and
the floggingS which was admin
iStered to wayWard husbands and
other persons who didn't sub
scribe to their racial and religious
sentiments.
Probe Jackson Death
The death of Garfield Wolfe in
the jackson area also was being
investigated. as full enforcement
power of the State determined to
wipe out the terrorist organiza-
tion. Wolfe was found in a road
side ditch in 1882, and his death
was set down as a hit-run acci-
dent. His liver was ruptured, but
no bruises showed on his body.
He died after attending a party"
at the farm of Arthur Silvius,
whose estranged wife says he be-
longed to IAN anti-Catholic secret
organization
In the light of latest develop.
ments. authorities were altering
their theory as to the actual cause
of the death of Poole, the "execu-
ton" of whom, Dayton Dean, pub
lie light system employe, has con-
fesSed, according to police. Al
though members say Poole was
doomed to die after it was re-
ported at a secret meeting that
he beat his wife, authorities be-
lieve now it is possible Poole
threatened to expose the society.
Wives Are Sisters
Through his relationship by
law with one of the accused
killers, Lowell Rushing, he prob.
ably was able to learn the inner
workings of the society, police
say. Rushing's wife and Poole'S
wife are sisters.
Reports Omen here were plan
ming to enter the case were de-
MED by Harold G. Reinecke, chief
of Federal agents in Detroit. He
said, however, if State authorities
presented information that Fed.
eral laws were violated, the Gov.
ernment might step in to smash
the military.like organization.
Investigator Colburn said after
his probe in Lansing and jackson
over the weekend that he has
definitely established members
are charged fees of 10 cents a
month. All this money went to
the major general" Effinger.
said Colburn. He also said dona-
tions were requested, and a dona-
ton blank provided.