Among the articles inThe Searchlightthere are those headed, "A Message from Jerusalem—Esau the Wanderer must Pay for His Pottage—the Mightiest Weapons for the Jews are Pounds and Pence."
"Doesn't Think Much of the Jews."
"Jewish Rabbi Gets Rabid."
A paragraph from "Doesn't Think Much of the Jews," published Feb. 12, 1921, contains this passage:
"Their religion is to control wealth and thereby control all nations. And you cannot deny but they are doing so under false names. Jews are entering into every Government, every nation on earth except China and Japan, where their heavenly God received little recognition. They spread their ingenious religion that strangled the ignorant and credulous by causing dissension to their advantage."
Misrepresentation of Oath of Knights of Columbus is Used to excite Religious Hatred in order to get money.
Misrepresentation of Oath of Knights of Columbus is Used to excite Religious Hatred in order to get money.
Just as the organizers of the Ku Klux Klan misrepresent the Jews in order to get members and money for their order, they go to great lengths to create prejudice against Catholics. In some communities anti-Catholic arguments are thought to be those that will bring the most members into the fold. Fake documents and false statements on printed cards that can be slyly passed from hand to hand are used for this purpose. Anti-Catholic lies that can be hurled at Klansmen at meetings to inspire them to get in more members and increase the incomes of the "imperial wizard," the kleagles and other officers are spread around.
One of these documents is a card entitled "Do You Know?" A kleagle of the Klan asked the King Kleagle of his state for some literature that he could employ to stir up interest in the Klan. In a short time the kleagle received the literature from the Gate City Manufacturing Company of Atlanta, Ga., a company promoted by "Imperial Kleagle" Clarke. The supply of literature contained 100 copies of a card bearing the heading "Do You Know?"
Another document that is sent broadcast to foment religious unrest and hatred is a fake oath ascribed to the Knights of Columbus, which is composed of Catholics and which has published the oath that its members take. Before reading the fake oath, it will be well to examine the real oath.
The bona fide oath that is taken by men initiated into the Knights of Columbus, and which, it has been proven, is the correct oath follows:
"I swear to support the Constitution of the United States. I pledge myself, as a Catholic citizen and Knight of Columbus, to enlighten myself fully upon my duties as a citizen and to conscientiously perform such duties entirely in the interest of my country and regardless of all personal consequences. I pledge myself to do all in my power to preserve the integrity and purity of the ballot, and to promote reverence and respect for law and order. I promise to practice my religion openly and consistently, but without ostentation, and to so conduct myself in public affairs, and in the exercise of public virtue as to reflect nothing but credit upon our Holy Church, to the end that she may flourish and our country prosper to the greater honor and glory of God."
We can now appreciate the animus behind the bogus oath that is ascribed to the Knights of Columbus by the Ku Klux Klan. This fraudulent oath, as used by the recruiting organization of kleagles of Ku Klux follows:
"I, —— ——, now in the presence of Almighty God, the blessed Virgin Mary, the blessed St. John the Baptist, the Holy Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul, and all the saints, sacred host of Heaven, and to you, my Ghostly Father, the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, founded by St. Ignatius Loyola, in the pontification of Paul the III, and continued to the present, do by the womb of the Virgin, the matrix of God, and the rod of Jesus Christ, declare and swear that His Holiness the Pope is Christ's vicegerent and is the true and only head of the Catholic or Universal Church throughout the earth; and that by virtue of the keys of binding and loosing given His Holiness bymy Saviour, Jesus Christ, he hath power to depose heretical Kings, Princes, states, Commonwealths and Governments and they may be safely destroyed. Therefore to the utmost of my power I will defend this doctrine and His Holiness's right and custom against all usurpers of the heretical or Protestant authority whatever, especially the Lutheran Church of Germany, Holland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, and the now pretended authority and Churches of England and Scotland, and the branches of same now established in Ireland and on the Continent of America and elsewhere, and all adherents in regard that they may be usurped and heretical opposing the sacred Mother Church of Rome.
"I do now denounce and disown any allegiance as due to any heretical King, Prince, or state, named Protestant or liberals, or obedience to any of their laws, Magistrates, or officers.
"I do further declare that the doctrine of the Churches of England and Scotland, of the Calvinists, Huguenots and others of the name of Protestants or Masons to be damnable, and they themselves to be damned who will not forsake the same.
"I do further declare that I will help, assist and advise all or any of His Holiness' agents, in any place where I should be, in Switzerland, Holland, Ireland or America, or in any other kingdom or territory I shall come to, and do my utmost to extirpate the heretical Protestant or Masonic doctrines and to destroy all their pretended powers, legal or otherwise.
"I do further promise and declare that, notwithstanding that I am dispensed with to assume any religion heretical for the propaganda of the Mother Church's interest, to keep secret and private all her agents' counsels from time to time, as they instruct me, and not divulge, directly or indirectly, by word, writing or circumstances whatever,but to execute all that should be proposed, given in charge or discovered unto me by you, my Ghostly Father, or any of this sacred order.
"I do further promise and declare that I will have no opinion or will of my own or any mental reservation whatsoever, even as a corpse or cadaver (perinde ac cadaver), but will unhesitatingly obey each and every command that I may receive from my superiors in the militia of the Pope and of Jesus Christ.
"That I will go to any part of the world whithersoever I may be sent, to the frozen regions north, jungles of India, to the centers of civilization of Europe or to the wild haunts of the barbarous savages of America without murmuring or repining, and will be submissive in all things whatsoever is communicated to me.
"I do further promise and declare that I will, when opportunity presents, make and wage relentless war, secretly and openly, against all heretics, Protestants and Masons, as I am directed to do, to extirpate them from the face of the whole earth; and that I will spare neither age, sex or condition, and that I will hang, burn, waste, boil, flay, strangle, and bury alive these infamous heretics; rip up the stomachs and wombs of their women and crash their infants' heads against the walls in order to annihilate their execrable race. That when the same cannot be done openly, I will secretly use the poisonous cup, strangulation cord, the steel of the poniard or the leaden bullet, regardless of the honor, rank, dignity or authority of the persons, whatever may be their condition in life, either public or private, as I at any time may be directed so to do by any agents of the Pope or superior of the Brotherhood of the Holy Father of the Society of Jesus.
"In confirmation of which I hereby dedicate my life, soul and all corporate powers, and with the dagger which I now receive I will subscribe my name written in my blood intestimony thereof; and should I prove false or weaken in my determination, may my brethren and fellow soldiers of the militia of the Pope cut off my hands and feet and my throat from ear to ear, my belly opened and sulphur burned therein with all the punishment that can be inflicted upon me on earth and my soul shall be tortured by demons in eternal hell forever.
"That I will in voting always vote for a K. of C. in preference to a Protestant, especially a Mason, and that I will leave my party so to do; that if two Catholics are on the ticket I will satisfy myself which is the better supporter of Mother Church and vote accordingly.
"That I will not deal with or employ a Protestant if in my power to deal with or employ a Catholic. That I will place Catholic girls in Protestant families, that a weekly report may be made of the inner movements of the heretics.
"That I will provide myself with arms and ammunition that I may be in readiness when the word is passed or I am commanded to defend the church, either as an individual or with the militia of the Pope.
"All of which I, —— ——, do swear by the blessed Trinity and blessed sacrament which I am now to receive to perform and on my part to keep this, my oath.
"In testimony whereof, I take this most holy and blessed sacrament of the Eucharist and witness the same further with my name written with the point of this dagger dipped in my own blood and seal it in the face of this holy sacrament." (Excerpts from "Contested election case of Eugene C. Bonniwell against Thomas S. Butler," as appears in the Congressional Record —— House, Feb. 15, 1913, at pages 3215, &c., and ordered printed therein "by unanimous consent." Attached thereto and printed (on page 3216) as a part of said report as above.)
The above spurious oath, and others like it, have been found to be fraudulent, both by the courts and by aninvestigation made by Masonic bodies. The above oath made its appearance according to a book published by Maurice Francis Egan, for eleven years United States Minister to Denmark, and John B. Kennedy, in 1912. Messrs. Egan and Kennedy explain it as follows:
"It was filed by Mr. Eugene C. Bonniwell of Pennsylvania in his charge against Thomas S. Butler before the Committee of Elections No. 1, in Congress, when Mr. Bonniwell stated that it had been used against him as a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus in an election contest. Mr. Butler, in his defense, stated that he had refrained from condemning the 'oath,' until election day, although he did not believe it to be genuine, because he feared to give it notoriety.
"Far from being disconcerted by the airing of this delectable document in Congress, those profiting by its circulation seized upon its inclusion in the Congressional Record to give it an air of authority by printing on future copies the annotation 'Copied from the Congressional Record, &c.,' not pausing, however, to explain the circumstances under which it was allowed to appear in that official journal."
A.M. Morrison and Garfield E. Morrison, editors of theMorning Journalof Mankato, Minn., charged E.M. Lawless, editor of the Waterville, Minn.,Sentinelwith having taken the bogus oath. Lawless took the case to court and the two Morrisons were convicted. The foreman of the jury was a Methodist minister.
In 1914 the bogus oath came to light in California. The Knights of Columbus asked a committee of two, 32nd and 33rd degree, Masons, Past or Past Grand Masters of Masonry of that state, to make an investigation of all the rituals, pledges and oaths used by the Knights of Columbus. The Masonic committee gave out a report saying that they had made such an investigation. They found that theceremonies of the Knights of Columbus were embodied in four degrees "intended to teach and inculcate principles that lie at the foundations of every great religion and every great state."
Their report continued:
"Our examination was made primarily to ascertain whether or not a certain alleged oath * * * which has been printed and widely circulated was in fact used by the Order and whether * * * any oath, obligation or pledge was used which was or would be offensive to Protestants or Masons. * * * We find that neither the alleged oath nor any such oath or pledge bearing the remotest resemblance thereto in matter, manner, spirit or purpose is used or forms a part of the ceremonies of any degree of the Knights of Columbus. The alleged oath is scurrilous, wicked and libelous and must be the invention of an impious and venomous mind. * * * There is no propaganda proposed or taught against Protestants or Masons or persons not of Catholic faith. * * * We can find nothing in the entire ceremonials of the Order that to our minds could be objected to by any person."
The Searchlight, official organ of the Ku Klux, contains many articles that misrepresent the Catholics. For instance, of Feb. 26, 1921,The Searchlighthad an article which was captioned: "Facts Gathered by the Knights of Luther from the Washington Bureau of Statistics":
Without one word to support them, the following were printed as "facts":
"The National Democratic Committee is by majority a Roman Catholic body. It usually has a Roman Catholic President and secretary.
"Catholics influenced the national campaign which elected Wilson.
"The President's private secretary is a Roman Catholic.
"Over 70 per cent. of all appointments made by President Wilson are Catholics. Their influence is so powerful it compels the homage of those in authority.
"Five States now have Catholic Administrations.
"Thirty-one States have Roman Catholic Democratic Central Committees.
"Twenty thousand public schools have one-half Catholic teachers.
"Over 100,000 public schools now contribute a part or all of the school tax to Catholic Churches and schools.
"Six hundred public schools use Catholic readers and teach from them the Roman Catholic catechism.
"Sixty-two per cent. of all offices of the United States, both elective and appointive, are now held by Roman Catholics.
"New York, Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Cleveland, Toledo, St. Louis, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston now have 75 per cent. Catholic teachers in their public schools.
"In all the cities and towns of the United States of 10,000 or more inhabitants an average of over 90 per cent. of the police force are Roman Catholics.
"Roman Catholics are in the majority of the City Council of 10,000 cities and towns of the United States."
The Searchlightcontinues:
"We will now look at the results of Catholic teaching on vice and virtue. The history of assassins of heads of Governments in the past is a history of murderous Roman Catholics. In 90 per cent. of the cases where criminals are executed for crimes committed, the victims of the execution have a priest at their elbow to administer the last sacrament.
"The man who shot Roosevelt was a Roman Catholic.
"The man who shot President Garfield was a Roman Catholic.
"The man who shot President Lincoln was a Roman Catholic.
"The plot that took the life of Lincoln emanated from Roman Catholic influence in the house of a Roman Catholic.
"Abraham Lincoln said, 'I do not pretend to be a prophet but, though not a prophet, I see a very dark cloud on our horizon, and that cloud is coming from Rome. It is filled with tears and blood. The true motive power is secreted behind the walls of the Vatican, the colleges and schools of the Jesuits, the convents of the nuns, and the confessional boxes of Rome,' and such opinions cost the Nation his life.
"Over 65 per cent. of prison convicts of all grades and of all kinds of prisoners are Roman Catholics, while less than 5 per cent. are graduates of our public schools.
"These statements are astounding when we remember that only about 12-½ per cent. of the entire population of the United States are Roman Catholics, while the other 87-½ per cent. are not."
Iowa and Missouri Jurisdiction Grand Masters Issue Public Denunciations Against the Klan.
Iowa and Missouri Jurisdiction Grand Masters Issue Public Denunciations Against the Klan.
Promoters of the Ku Klux Klan brag that most of its members are Masons. Whether this is true no one on the outside can tell. It is known, however, that the kleagles or salesmen, who solicit members in a community try to play upon the Masonic spirit to help along their game. That this is done with the disapproval of the leading Masonic bodies of the country is shown by the action of the grand commanders of the Iowa and Missouri jurisdictions. They have issued public denunciations of the operations and purposes of the Klan, especially that feature that resorts to the masking of members when they are taking part in Klan rites. The examples of Iowa and Missouri are being followed by Masons in other states.
Amos N. Alberson of Washington, Iowa, grand master of that state, has directed a communication to all Masonic lodges under his jurisdiction as follows:
"Whereas, It has become known to your grand master that a certain 'Ku Klux Klan' has been and is now organizing within this jurisdiction an alleged 'secret and invisible empire'; and,
"Whereas, It is reported that its organizers and agents have stated and intimated to members of our craft that the said 'Ku Klux Klan' is in effect an adjunct of Freemasonry and in accord with its principles and purposes; and,
"Whereas, Any such statement or intimation is absolutely false and untrue, in that Masonry can not and does not approve of or ally itself with any organization or movement, secret or public, that proposes to subvert or supersede the processes of orderly representative government 'of the people, for the people, and by the people'; nor one that appeals to bigotry and endeavors to foster hatred of any nationality, class, religious faith or sect, as such.
"Therefore, I, Amos N. Alberson, grand master of Masons in Iowa, do solemnly charge each and all of the regular Masons in Iowa, now as heretofore when you were made a Mason, that 'in the state you are to be a quiet and peaceable subject, true to your government and just to your country; you are not to countenance disloyalty or rebellion, but patiently submit to legal authority, and conform with cheerfulness to the government of the country in which you live.'
"Furthermore, I charge each and all, that as our fathers have framed the truly Masonic principles of liberty and conscience, equality before the law, and fraternity among men into the constitutions of this nation and state, we as Free Masons and citizens of this republic are obligated to perform our full moral and civic duty, to promote and enforce an orderly administration of justice and equity, acting openly that it may be known of all men."
Grand Master Alberson further orders and directs "that this letter to the craft be read aloud at the next meeting, whether regular or special, of each lodge throughout this jurisdiction; that it shall be made of record, and due notice of the same circulated among the brethrens, that it may come to the knowledge of all Masons in Iowa."
William F. Johnson, grand master of the Carterlin Grand Lodge of Missouri Ancient-Free and Accepted Masons made this statement at the annual meeting of the grand lodge, which indorsed it:
"As the impression seems to prevail in some sections, that the Masonic fraternity is directly or indirectly associated with or furthering this secret organization (Ku Klux Klan), and as I have been asked on numerous occasions what relations, if any, our fraternity bears to such secret society or order, it is well that the seal of disapproval be positively placed by this grand lodge upon this secret organization, which assumes to itself the right and authority to administer law and punish crimes.
"Nothing is more destructive of free government than secret control. The arraying of race against race, color against color, sect against sect is destructive of peace and harmony, which is the great end we, as Free Masons, have in view. We profess and boast that we are true to our government and just to our country.
"We can not, as Free Masons and good citizens, recognize the right of any secret society or combination of men to assume unto themselves the right to administer law and to inflict punishment upon their fellow men. Such an assumption is subversive of our republican institutions, contrary to the great principles of Free Masonry.
"An organization that practices censorship of private conduct behind the midnight anonymity of mask and robe, and enforces its secret decrees with the weapons of whips and tar and feathers must ultimately merit and receive the condemnation of those who believe in courts, open justice and good citizenship."
Members of the Klan take an oath to Bring about White Supremacy, notwithstanding the Constitution, which guarantees the Negro Equal Rights.
Members of the Klan take an oath to Bring about White Supremacy, notwithstanding the Constitution, which guarantees the Negro Equal Rights.
Under the constitution of the United States, the negro is guaranteed equal rights with all other citizens. When the President of the United States is sworn into office he takes an oath to uphold the constitution and the laws passed under it. Every senator, congressman, governor and other important officer in the United States and in each of the states is sworn to uphold the constitution.
But the members of the Ku Klux Klan take an oath that puts the constitution at naught. They swear to bring about "white supremacy." Taken in conjunction with the speeches and writings of their leaders, this oath shows that the Klansmen intend to work together to create strife against the negro, to belittle him and his family, his churches, his business, his social societies and other things that are dear to him. The Klan is determined to put the negro out of business in the United States and to drive him back to Africa.
As is all other main objects—the warfare on Jews, Catholics and foreign born—the Klan intends to follow its own laws in dealing with the negro. The writings of its leaders are very plain on that point.
In his oath the Klansman swears:
"I swear that I will most zealously and valiantly shield and preserve by any and all justifiable means and methods White Supremacy——
"All to which I have sworn by this oath. I will seal with my blood by Thou my witness, Almighty God. Amen."
Prominent lawyers who have examined this oath declare that it really is an oath upholding mob rule and that any time the Klansman is given orders he will follow his leaders in a crusade outside the constitution of the United States that might lead to serious trouble and bloodshed.
Chaplain Ridley of the Ku Klux Klan has written inThe Searchlighton white supremacy as follows:
"Back in the days of the reconstruction the fathers gathered at the call of the low, shrill whistle and rode into immortal fame, rescuing a threatened civilization and making real once more the White Man's Supremacy. Klansmen of to-day, whether they assemble in the mountains of Maine, or 'neath the shadows of the great Rockies, or on the plains of the Wonderful West, or amid the trailing vines and wild flowers of Dixie, meet to keep alive the memory of these men and preserve the traditions of those days when the souls of men were tried as if by fire."
In Texas a white man who testified in behalf of an accused negro—he merely told the truth under oath as he knew it—was tarred and feathered by masked men.
The Searchlighthas printed column after column of anti-negro stuff, mostly under anonymous names or under the titles of organizations whose addresses are not given. One such resolution adopted by the "Patriotic Societies of Atlanta" condemns Rev. Ashby Jones, a minister, for inviting an honorable negro to an interracial meeting and for addressing the negro as "mister."
Here are some of the titles of articles inThe Searchlight, showing its evident purpose of stirring up racial feelings:
"Social Equality Put Under Ban."
"Negroes Must Serve on Chain Gangs Now."
"Separate Cars for Negroes."
"White Woman Marries a Negro."
The Searchlightcondemned President Harding for appointing Henry Lincoln Johnson, a negro, as register of deeds.
Here is the proclamation issued by Imperial Wizard Simmons, making Mrs. Elizabeth Tyler his "grand chief of staff" to have charge of the women's organization to be affiliated with the Ku Klux Klan:
"To all Genii, Grand Dragons and Hydras of Realms, Grand Goblins and Kleagles of Domains, Grand Titans and Furies of Provinces, Giants, Exalted Cyclops and Terrors of Cantons, and to all citizens of the Invisible Empire, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, in the name of our valiant and venerated dead, I affectionately greet you:
"In view of our Nation's need and as an additional force in helping on the great work of conserving, protecting and making effective the great principles of our Anglo-Saxon civilization and American ideals and institutions, the Imperial Kloncilium, in regular session assembled, after deliberate care and earnest prayer, decided that there shall be established within the bounds and under the supreme authority and government of the Invisible Empire an organization that will admit the splendid women of our great national commonwealth, who are now citizens with us in directing the affairs of the Nation. Which decision of the Imperial Kloncilium I have officially ratified after serious, careful and devoted consideration of all matters and things involved by this move.
"In view of the foregoing, I hereby officially declare and proclaim that such organization does now exist in prospect. Plans, methods, ritualism and regulations of same are now in process of formation and will be perfected at an early date and officially announced.
"I do farther proclaim that in order to have the proper assistance in the formation and perfecting of thisorganization, I have this day and date selected and officially appointed Mary Elizabeth Tyler of Atlanta, Fulton county, Ga., to be my grand chief of staff, to have immediate charge of work pertaining to said woman's organization under my authority and direction.
"Further information will be duly and officially communicated from time to time.
"Done in the Aulic of His Majesty, Imperial Wizard, Emperor of the Invisible Empire, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, in the Imperial City of Atlanta, Commonwealth of Georgia, United States of America, on this, the ninth day of the ninth month of the year of our Lord, 1921.
"Duly signed and sealed by His Majesty,
William Joseph Simmons,"Imperial Wizard."
Ku Klux Klan Knights of Beaumont, Texas, issue a justification for taking the law into Their own hands.
Ku Klux Klan Knights of Beaumont, Texas, issue a justification for taking the law into Their own hands.
Confession that the Ku Klux Klan uses tar and feathers and the lash to punish persons whose actions it condemns is made by the Klansmen of Beaumont, Tex. The Beaumont Ku Klux Klan organization tarred and feathered Dr. J.S. Paul and R.F. Scott and later acknowledged, under its official seal, that its members did the job.
"Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, No. 7, Beaumont, Texas," admitted taking the law into their own hands in a statement dated July 21, 1921. This statement was made to the editors of two newspapers of Beaumont. It sought to justify the "tar and feather party" and gave warning that the "heavy hand of the Ku Klux Klan" was waiting to yank other persons from their beds in case they came into its displeasure.
Grand Wizard William J. Simmons has declared publicly that the Ku Klux did not indulge in midnight raids on defenseless victims whom it tarred and feathered. He has defended the Ku Klux Klan by ascribing these unlawful actions to imposters who use the regalia of the Ku Klux. The Beaumont incident proves that the Ku Klux not only was responsible for assaults on Dr. Paul and Scott, but that it boasted of its exploits with them.
The Paul-Scott "party" occurred on May 8. Its details were telegraphed all over the country. The letter to the two Beaumont newspapers the following July read:
"Your publication since the organization of the Ku Klux Klan in the city of Beaumont has on various occasions published information concerning and pertaining to the affairs of this organization. We believe, as you do, that a newspaper should serve the best interests of its constituency and that all legitimate news should be given the public through its columns. During the past two months items have appeared in your paper relative to the case of the Ku Klux Klan and its connection with Dr. J.S. Paul.
"Now, that you and the public may be fully informed of the true facts in the case, the Klan has assembled and herewith hands you an intelligent, true and correct history of the entire matter. The Klan suggests that this summary of facts be published in the columns of your paper not later than Sunday, July 24, 1921, and that it be published verbatim, according to the enclosed copy, typographical errors excepted.
Knights of the Ku Klux Klan."
The "intelligent, true and correct history of the entire matter" was a lengthy statement. It accused Dr. Paul of being a physician who for years had sold whisky and narcotic drugs and had performed illegal operations on women. Because he had political and financial backing grand jury proceedings against him had been squelched.
About the middle of December, 1920, R.F. Scott, who lived in Deweyville, Texas (Scott was a former member of the United States Marine corps), consulted Dr. Paul and arranged for an illegal operation. The statement declares the girl became seriously ill as a result of malpractice onDr. Paul's part and was taken from her residence to a hospital, where a serious operation was performed.
After this occurrence the girl demanded that Dr. Paul assist her in defraying the extra expense due to his negligence, and he offered her $500 to leave Beaumont. This bargain he broke and is accused of having threatened to cause her arrest for attempted blackmail, or with death if she exposed him.
Her predicament was reported to the Klan and the statement says her cry was heard by men who respect the "great moral law more than the technicalities of the legal code."
The statement goes on:
"The eyes of the unknown had seen and had observed the wrong to be redressed. Dr. Paul was wealthy. His victim was a poor girl. Between the two stood the majesty of the law, draped in technicalities of changes of venue, mistrials, appeals, postponements, eminent counsel skilled in the esoteric art of protecting crime and interpreting laws involved in a mass of legal verbiage, the winding and unwinding of red tape, instead of the sinewy arm of justice, wielding the unerring sword. The law of the Klan is JUSTICE.
"Dr. Paul was approached in his office by three men on the night of May 7 and instructed to go with them. He was placed in a waiting automobile and escorted a few miles out of town. The judgment of the Klan was read to him and charges were related to him, none of which he would deny.
"In a cowardly, whimpering plea, he pleaded that others were as guilty as he. The lash was laid on his back andthe tar and feathers applied to his body. He was then informed of the will of the Klan that he should leave the city within forty-eight hours. Upon the return of the party to Beaumont, Dr. Paul was discharged from an automobile at the intersection of two of the main streets of the city, that he might be a warning to all of his ilk that decent men and women no longer wanted him in the community.
"Dr. Paul complied with the instructions of the Klan that he leave the city and returned for a few days to his former home at Lufkin. During this time he was constantly under the surveillance of the Klan. Within a few days he had surrounded himself with relatives and hired hench-men of his own tribe and character and returned to Beaumont.
"Scott, who had been constantly watched by the Klan, whose number is legion and whose eye is all-seeing and whose methods of gathering information are not known to the alien world, was apprehended and punished in the same manner Dr. Paul had been dealt with. He was taken to the woods and guarded until nightfall. His captors during this time treated him with kindness and consideration. They provided him with food and fruit to eat and ice water to drink. During the day he was questioned and admitted all the charges the Klan had accused him of. The judgment of the Klan was that he was to be given ten lashes across the bare back and that he was to be tarred and feathered.
"Scott left Beaumont on Monday, July 18, and spent the major portion of the day in Orange parading the streets and proclaimed the diabolical lie that he had been subjected to the tortures of the inquisition. He posed to the gulliblepublic and sensational newspapers as a patriot and a hero. All these things the eyes of the unknown have seen and their ears have heard. We can not be deceived and JUSTICE will no longer be mocked."
The seal of the Beaumont Klan was attached to the end of the statement.
Rev. Caleb Ridley, known as the imperial chaplain of the order, acknowledged that the Klan's purpose was to set itself up as prosecutor, jury, judge and sheriff.
On Aug. 26, 1921, he issued to the citizens of Dallas county, Texas, the following warning:
"To the Citizens of Dallas County, Greetings: This organization has caused to be posted the following proclamation:
"Be it known and hereby proclaimed
"That this organization is composed of native-born Americans and none other.
"That its purpose is to uphold the dignity and the authority of the law. * * *
"That this organization * * * recognizes * * * that situations frequently arise where no existing law offers a remedy.
"That this organization does * * * not countenance and will not stand for social parasites remaining in this city. It is equally opposed to the gambler, the trickster, the moral degenerate and the man who lives by his wits and is without visible means of support.
"The eye of the unknown hath seen and doth constantly observe all, white or black, who disregard this warning. 'Whatsoever thou sowest that shall you also reap.' Regardless of official, social or financial position, this warning applies to all living within the jurisdiction of this Klan.
"This warning will not be repeated.
"'Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.'
"Hereafter all communications from us will bear the official seal of the Klan.
"KNIGHTS OF THE KU KLUX KLAN."