Fiery Cross, Volume 2, Number 17, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 April 1923 — Page 1

2nd EXTIHSA A1J

2nd EXTE

PTTnT

VOLUME II NUMBER 17

PEOPLE LOOK ASKANCE AT THE INVESTIGATION Underworld Characters Willing to Commit Perjury in Order to "Get Even" With Element Enforcing Law.

Ministers and Civic Leaders

City Administration at Muncie.

(By Maurice Early in the Indianapolis Star.) Munclc, Ind., March 25. When the good citizenship of a city looks with misgivings upon the process ol a Federal Investigation of. Its law enforcing officials there exists a situation somewhat unique, If not unparalleled In the history of municipal cleanup campaigns. Muncie citizens do look with misgivings upon the present investigation. They do not, however, want to be misunderstood. They declare they do not want to shield any official even though his Indictment and conviction would give Muncie another black eye but to put It bluntly, they do not want the Federal agents im"pViiS upon "bf "undeTwofra ehiraTF tera who are willing to commit perj ury In order to "get even." This sentiment is expressed by the Delaware County Ministerial Asso ciation In resolutions adopted, the last paragraph of which is a3 fol lows: we wouiu deplore any success which might attend the efforts of certain lawless elements now undertaking to interfere with the present law enforcement departments of our county and city, and would call upon all good citizens to aid in every just and proper way fo rthe maintenance of good government and respect for law." Council Backs Officials Likewise at a meeting of the Muncie City Council, with twelve of the thirteen members present, the Republicans and Democrats alike signed resolutions expressing the "earnest belief that there are certain elements of law violators who are trying to bring discredit upon the law enforcement officials with the object of hampering their honest efforts." Bankers, business men, manufac turers, heads of civic organizations when Interviewed readily expressed the same views as presented in the resolutions adopted by the ministers and the Council. xnere are some who are not so "worked up" over the situation and declare they would not be at all surprised to see the proceedings take a different turn and trap some persons who are now trying to enmesh off! cials. To understand the Muncie situation It Is necessary to refer to a weekly newspaper of the muckraking type, which it appears, some of the citi zens have taken seriously. It is the usual type of one-ma' edited weekly publication which exists by printing legal advertisements. Through this publication the sparks of religlou prejudice have been fanned. Nearly every man In public life In the city and eonnty has been vilified by the paper. As plain ordinary muck rak Ing is rather obsolete the editor of the paper haa seised upon the Ku Klux Kln. Every official Is branded a a kUnsman. The police depart ment, and others connected with the law enforcement In the city have been pictured aa tools of the klan Editor la la Jail The editor la now In jail for con Uropt of court Typical of the reasoning in this paper la a denunciation of the power f the Supreme court to determine (Continued on Page 3, Column 6)

"THERE IS NO

uv.

Deplore Effort to Discredit VALPO STUDENTS GET REAL SERVICE IN BOOZE JOINTS LADY BOOTLEGGER SUPPLIES STl'DEXTS WHEN" DRY Cafe Propi-lFtreaa Caaaes Sensational Development (By Stall Correspondent) Valparaiso, Ind., March 30. This quiet college town was rudely shocked with the arrest of the pretty French care proprietress, Mrs. Mary Daniels, porting liquor. Her case -dRs set oyetf for hearing at a later date. Accompanied by two students, she motored to Gary, furnished the money for the purchase of two quarts of wine and returned to Valparaiso, the charges relate. The cafe caters to the university student trade. The police waited the return of the party, acting upon advices received from citizens. Her automobile is held by the authorities pending the outcome of the trial. The affair has rocked the placid tranquility of the university. It was the climax of midnight parties in which Mrs. Daniels played the hostess to picked and chosen friends, at her cafe. The -woman was arrested twice in connection with the same case. One of the students was given the blame for having liquor in their possession; both students were held and Mrs. Daniels was released. iTiends obtained a lawyer for the two students. Accompanied by him they went before Chief of Police Chas. "-ires ana signea confessions, saying Mrs. Daniels had paid for the wine and that it was to have been for her use that they merely acted upon her instructions. The confessions tells that while in .ary Mrs. Daniels remarked she would like to take some wine back to Valpo, and giving one of the students money to purchase liquor with she drove to the place where it was obtained. Un the way to the station, the woman instructed one of the boys to take the blame and to protect his friend. He did. However, when Mrs. Daniels denied all connection with the boys and acted the part of an injured damsel with her feelings greatly abused, the boys told their Bide of the story and were released. Mrs. Daniels is the twenty-four-year-old wife of James P. Daniels uary contractor. She was married when she was sixteen years old, is mother of a 7-year-old daughter liv ing with her and a 3-year-old son who Is with an aunt in Michagan, Mr. Daniels, carrying on his Oarv business, spends alternate nights at his home here. It was on the nights when he was absent that the midnight parties are said to have been staged at the French cafe. He was In court with his wife at the time of her arraign meni. tier attorney is Frank B. Parks. The Daniels arrest is declared by general reports to be but a small beginning of an aetive clean-up waged by local citizens, their organizations and the police authorities. In Val paraiso University, alone, there a body of more than 200 selected men who are waging an active and successful fight against un-Amerlcanlsm la the student body. mere is a Klan Order in nearly very large college or university in the nation, Mayfleld's Weekly declare. Tolerance Is now busy exposing the Purdue University Klan, It thinks. It is rumored that there is also a Klan among the Prntatnt students of Notre Dame. By Kidder, j

FAILURE EXCEPT FAILURE

lepublican State llfith American Bargains in

lECOMES TOOL OF CHICAGO

Benedict Arnold of

Would Control Indiana Politics and Conduct Un-American Campaign of Hate.

Catholics, Republicans and Public Alike Stunned and Amazed at Intolerable Actions of Lawrence Lyons. (By Eyewitness Plus.) Lawrence Lyons, Republican State Chairman, the "Benedict Arnold" of nfarti-iiiitre,- wttg hid "bi "I3e Ku Klux Klan, born in hell, and inspired by Satan, betrayer of the con fidence of the Republican party and people of Indiana, has pledged his human soul to "Mad" Pat O'Donnell, editor of Tolerance, and President of the American Unity League. Lyons has ripped off the mask, showing why ,he joined the Ku Klux Klan, and would secure control of the Republican party, making the Klan an issue in the next campaign. Lawrence Lyons is not to be even dignified a3 the Judas Iscariot of the Indianapolis Klan, because he is not running true to form. Judas Iscariot sold Christ his Master, for thirty ILpieces of silver, and then went out and hanged himself. Lawrence Lyons, servant of the Republicans of Indiana, and clothed with the official title of state chairman of that party, employed by the state of Indiana, has denounced passionately, as un-American, 80 per cent of the peo ple of the state in which he serves. Judas Iscariot, after betraying his Master, went out and haneed him self, but late dispatches show that Lawrence Lyons is resting peacefully in his home, on which he has brought infamy, at Brook, Indiana. Lawrence Lyons becomes the tool of bribed criminals, who are committing larceny, burglary and trespass. This high public official, and this man who has held the confidence of his fellow beings has associated himself with men who steal the names of the Protestants of Indiana, under cover of darkness, and then sell them to the American Unity League. There never has been a time, and there nerer will be a time in the future, when the organization which Lyons denounces as un-American will be so guilty to incite to such religious strife, and such political and ciiric dissension as this act ot his will cause and bring about. Nothing in the history of the state will ever result In such universal condemnation as to steal the poll that had been taken of the Protestants in Indianapolis, ind publish it broadcast as list of Indiana Klanamen, after purchasing it for the . paltry sum of $300i0, and as part -of the scheme of Ltfwence Lyons to gain political preferment 'within his native state, which baa in the past so signally trusted and honored him. FOR THE INFORMATION' OF PAT 0D03XEIX, ATfD THE AMERICAN UHITT LEAGUE, THE POLL OF ODIANAPQLIS PROTESTANTS, ffUILH WAS STOLEN FROM THE INDIANAPOLIS OFFICE OF THE

INDIANAPOLIS, IND., MONDAY, APRIL 2,

airman

nity League Which

uman

Indiana Klan and "Had Pat" O'Donnell

KLAN, WAS INCOMPLETE. THE BALANCE OF THE POLL, WHEN COMPLETED, WILL BE FURNISHED THEM WITHOUT COST, AND ANY INDIANAPOLIS NEWSPAPER IS WELCOME TO PUBLISH IT. We are glad that 315,000 Hoosiers, members of the Ku Klux Klan, have dedicated themselves to law and order, and to constitutional government, and that they will now stand forth in the trying hours that are to they will be a bulwark of constitutional government, and sane public opinion, which will meet the assualts of Lawrence Lyons, unworthy of the mother who bore him, inspired and led by "Mad" Pat O'Donnell, in his efforts to pour out his bitter spawn of passion, and uncontrolled hatred for the Protestant people of Indiana, who have been polled and listed as being citizens of this state. If Lawrence Lyons did not like the principles of the Ku Klux Klan, he could have quietly withdrawn, and any honorable, right thinging American would have done so, but Lawrence Lyons attempted to use the organization for political motives, and when this damnable and perfidious scheme of his was discovered and denounced he was not thrown out of the organization, and publicly branded as the type of man he was, but out of respect for his political connections, and out of respect for the great political party which he represented, this man, who has got ten away with political anarchy for years, was given the opportunity to quietly withdraw, and nothing be made public. Failure in his efforts to accomplish political preferment within an organization which furthers the ends of no political agpirsut, he had no farther nse for it. , Born on 8t Patrick's Day At the opening of what was then termed, and what Is known to be a fight to crush the Klan In Indiana, held in Tomlinson Hall, On St. Patrick's day, Pat ODonnell, president ot the American Unity League, and Lawrence Lyons, chairman of the Republican SUte Committee, under the shadow of the flag of the Irish Free State, planned this damnable conspiracy, to be staged in Chicago, March 30th, It was then that "Mad" Pat O'Donnell of Delphi, sounded the key-note. It was then that this infamous deal was made; it was then that Lawrence Lyons betrayed his fellow citizens, and every American, be he Catholic, Jew, or Negro. It was then that arrangements were made for him to come to Chicago, and complete4; the deal by which he would gain control ot the Republican party and secure anti-Klan rotes In the next political campaign. ' - A common Jlog would steal latg his master's collar tor. a bite to eat, and steal away, bat he would not. bo betray his master that he would fall to protect his' interests in the hour of seed and the hour of trial, And so it is that Uirreace Lyons left

TO SERVE THE PURPOSE"

1923. Makes leal battels. CRIMINALS for Chicago, where the stage was set, the plans completed, the Word sent out. The newspapers were furnished with cuts and propaganda, as proven by his own telegrams sent from that city, and while locked in the secrecy of a hotel room, and while Klansmen of Indiana who had gone to Chicago and would save him from this in famous act, were being brutally as saulted into unconsciousness by agents of the American Unity League and placed in jail where they were would be sprung, Lawrence Lyons, the "Benedict Arnold" of all Hoosierdom, was betraying his God, his peo ple, his oath, and the organiza tion of the Ku Klux Klan. On St. Patrick's day in Tomlinson HalL Fat O'Donnell, president of the American Unity League, cast down the gauge of batUe, "We are going to drive the Ku Klux Klan out of Indi ana," he cried, "we are going to re deem Indiana and re-annex It to the American Union," and yesterday In Chicago he said "that with this we begin to make good that promise." Pat O'Donnell and Lawrence Ly ons, are right; there are 315,000 Klansmen ia Indiana, and they oc cept your challenge. The men you class as murderers, and as having taken a treasonable, blood-sealed oath, will retire yon, and your co herts, and your associates so far into political oblivion that there will only be a faint but hideous memory. "Mad Pat" O'Donnell and Lawrence Lyons would, if they do not go to some hospital for the feeble-minded in the near future, have the Ameri can people think that we should re turn to a erign of tyranny, lawless ness, mob-mindedness, riot, persecu tion, oppression, and other destruc tive practice. Only the distorted brain of an over-developed sub lime egotism could so pervert the truth, but "Mad Pat," springing up from a small town in the central part of the state, and mistaking the noise ha. makes himself for a call to duty he convinces the poor, ignorant Catholic that he should pay money into the fund for "Mad Pat" O'Don nell to rare over the country display, ing his ignorance and rendering himself ridiculous and contemptible, and now aligns himself with Lawrence Lyons and would secure control of a great political party to further their campaign of hate and malice. The Knights ot Columbus will not admit a Protestant into their ranks. The Protestant 'people are not conducting hate meetings all over the nation because the Protestant people do sot want Into the ranks of the Knights of Columbus. The ProtestLant people are tolerant, and concede the Knights of Columbus their rights. - Then the Knights of. the Ku Klux Klan organize and take only Protestants Into their ranks. Because they take' only Protestants, sworn to America only and , the constitution, and not sworn to any ecolealastlo yielding to the domination ot some "wop" In a foreign country, the Ho'(Continued on Page 9, Column l)

17 A

(LAN

PERSECUTION

RESULTS IH

Courtner Seeks $50,000

of Poke O'Brien in Suit Filed at Springfield, Ohio.

Five Separate Causes For Petition Sets Forth ANTI-MASK KLAN BILL PASSES IN IOWA HOUSE Des Moines, la., March 30. With out a disenting vote or a word of opposing debate the Iowa house of representatives today passed the Tenter anti-mask bill. Prior to the final vote a substitute ottered by the author of the measure was adopted, which Is practically the Tennessee law, said to have operated very satisfactorily In that state In

anriiisf JK Klwx.Klan aumiesidge.Qol4en.C. Davis in police,.

The entire action of the house to day took less than thirteen minutes. There were 100 votes for the bill. none against it and eight were absent. The bill does not, as did the original Tenter proposal, make it unlawful to wear masks in public places. It pro vides: Provisions of Measure First Any masked person who dis turbs the peace or Beeks to intimidate any other person shall be punisnea for misdemeanor by a fine of $100 to $500 or a jail sentence of from one to six months, or both. Second Any masked person entering the premises of another person or demanding admittance shall be deemed prima facie guilty of assault with Intent to commit a felony, and may be sent to prison for ten years. Three Assault with a dangerous weapon by a person wearing a mask, shall be punishable as an assault with intent to commit murder. This crime carries a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison. Preecanllonary Measner "This bill," Tenter said, "is a precautionary .measure. We have not yet had in towa any acts of -violence inspired by mask organization. But we do know that such acts have been committed elsewhere in the United States and we do not want to be unprepared if such lawlessness should sperad to Iowa. "The substitute bill seeks no way to curtail the activities of any organization eo long as those activities are out In the open, where a real American always should be." 2nd EXTRA BULLETIN Executive officers of the Ku Klux Elan today Issued a stinging challenge to officers of the American Unity League. ' Details on Back Page.

FIVE CENTS PER COPY

MEM3 Damages From Chief Action Mentioned and the Many Unlawful Acts. (By Eyewitness.) Springfield, Ohio, March 31. Suit for $50,000 damages was filed by Worley M. Courtner, Kleagle and organizer of the Ku Klux Klan of Springfield, against Richard E. O'Brien, chief of police, in common pleas court Friday morning. The Buit is the outgrowth of the recent unlawful and unwarranted raid by a party under Chief- O'Brien, on Klan headquarters, at 321-2 S. Fountain Ave., Feb. 4. and of the subsequent prosecution of Courtner, which developed to be "persecution," on a charge of conspiracy to incite to riot. By a decision handed down by court last Tuesday. Courtner was dismissed, the Klan property ordered returned and the entire proceedings thrown out of court Fire separate causes of action are set forth in the suit, which ia a scathing indictment of misguided justice, evidenced as being prompted and carried out by religious hate. prejudice and malice, each cause for action demanding f 10,000 damages. The first cause alleges that the . chief and his raiding party went to -Klan headquarters on the night of Feb. 14 without authoritv of law or search warrant and that the raid was deliberate prostitution of the chief's office as an agent of the law and that the raid waa conducted to injure Courtner and throw the Klan into disrepute; the second cause al leges false arrest; the third cause alleges unlawful imprisonment and depriving of ball without cause; the, fourth cause aUeges assault; and the fifth cause alleges that the defend ant, in order to disrupt and destroy the Klan displayed the m-ivntn papers of the Klan for an unlawful' purpose. The petition is signed by Fred An derson, Elza McKee, Robert I Marsh and P. E. Smyth, attorneys for Courtner. The petition in fuU follows :- "First cause of action: On the 14th day of February, 1923, and for a long time prior thereto, plaintiff was. and had been, in the lawful and peaceable possession and control of certain real estate situated In -lha State of Ohio, County of Clark, and City ot Springfield, and being the second floor of a certain huilding known as the Old Armory building, and located at No. 32 S. Fountain Ave., in said city. At said time and place plaintiff was engaged In theconduct ot his business, which, waa the organization of a subordinate lodge or body of the Ku Klux Klan; and was at said time and place conducting said business in a decant.

I SUIT

orderly, peaceable and lawful man-' ner. At said time said Ku Klux KUn I was a lawful, orderly and patriotic organization ot American ' citizens, -which organization and Its business was at said time duly approved and ' authorized by the State of Ohio. "At eaid time defendant and' n George Abele - mat one; Nicholas ' Fischer and numerous other persons whose names are to plaintiff unknown, wickedly, wrongfully, mall-v ciously and unlawfully contriving: and conspiring to injure ' plaintiff, and hit premises ;. and to Injure and " destroy his said business, and said " (Continued on Page t, Column a J

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