Richmond Item [Richmond, Indiana], Oct. 6, 1923 (pp.

1-2)
The original spelling and punctuation are preserved to the extent that they are discernible.

Spectacular Array Presented By Klan In Mamoth Parade

Over 30,000 Persons Witness Ku Klux Klan Demonstration; City Trafc Is Suspended During
Parade

The largest Ku Klux Klan demonstration ever given in Wayne County was viewed last night by
approximately 30,000 people, including beside Richmond residents, visitors from this vicinity
and outlying towns. Fully 6,000 members of the Klan participated in the monster parade at 8:15
oclock, which in magnitude and impressiveness has had few equals in this city.

Order Preserved

The best of order was preserved by police and special details of police and Klansmen during the
entire proceeding, and nothing occurred to disturb any phase of the evenings program.

Throughout the day machines and buses entered the city carrying persons from the more
distant places such as Marion, Muncie, Anderson and Dayton. Toward evening when those
living nearer came pouring in, the crowds began to assume mammoth proportions.

During the day preparations were made at Exhibition park for the initiation, and the arena in
front of the bandstand was prepared for the crowds which attended the speeches given there at
night.

The program started at 5 o'clock at Glenn Miller park with band concerts and an address by a
national Klan speaker. Following this 5000 men, women and children, oats of all sorts,
automobiles, bands and drum corps were marshaled into line. The parade moved at 8:15 from
Exhibition park.

Trafc Suspended

Its course led down Main street to the court house, back on South A to Eighth st., thence to
Main, and back to the park. Trafc was suspended along the route for over an hour and a half.
The curbs from uptown to down town were lined and congested with parked automobiles and
people, virtually ghting for places. Only an avenue wide enough for the parade to pass through
was kept open by guards.

The parade itself was a spectacle not easily forgotten. Led by a vanguard of ten prancing
horses upon which were seated robed ofcers of the Klan, the parade stretched along Main
Street for many blocks. It is estimated at least half an hour was required to pass a given point.

A number of ery crosses borne on machines and trucks were in evidence. Ten or twelve bands
and drum corps provided music and cadence during the march. The Muncie Girls band and the
Darke County band from Greenville attracted more than usual interest. The oats were many,
varied and interesting. They depicted either and symbolic form or told by banners the aims and
feelings of the clan on different questions. Several hundred members of the women's branch of
the mysterious order marched in a prominent place in the line. Torches and ares of vivid color
added to the impressiveness of the parade.

Initiation In Park

Naturalization or initiation of candidates took place at Exhibition park after the grand parade.
Spectators were permitted in the grandstand but were not allowed on the open eld. As white
robed sentinels holding red ares were stationed in a great circle around the grounds, the
candidates assembled before an electric-lighted ery cross 100 yards from the grandstand.

The master of ceremonies standing before the candidates on a raised platform, then gave the
initiation in a loud voice through a megaphone, enabling all present to hear. While the binding
words were being pronounced, two large crosses in the background were ignited and blazed up,
lighting the entire eld. The American ag was prominent at all times. The audience was able to
hear all of the initiation ritual with the exception of the last part.

Brilliant Fireworks

Fololwing initiatory exercises a Klan speaker addressed a large crowd from the bandstand at
Roosevelt eld, setting forth the beliefs of the Klan, and attempting to dispel alleged misbeliefs
concerning the organization. In his speech he endeavored to explain some of the points in the
covenant of the Klan that have been misconceived by the public. He declared the Ku Klux Klan
is not arrayed against any sect or creed or race, and that the organization was propagated
primarily for the purpose of upholding true Americanism and forwarding the manhood of this
country.

A brilliant display of pyrotechnics concluded the program for the night. The reworks could be
seen for a long distance, and included three beautiful set pieces in color. They were the
American ag, K. K. K., and 100 percent.

During the early night and while the parade was in progress, an airplane circled the sky, bearing
and illuminated ery cross. This is an innovation in this section and consequently attracted
much attention.
erL=;::::=============::::::========================
I
;o
1e Oyer 30,000 Persona :Witness Ku Klux Klan '
ct Demonstration;-city Traffic Is
n
g Suspended. During Parade
1-
)f
1-
ir
Probe of M'Cray
Dealingar-6pened-
Y+-lNDIANAPOLIS, Tn<1., Oct. 5.-TM
t.: Marlon County grand Jury which to-
1t day began an lnvestlsatlon Into the
3. !lnanclal transactions ot Governor
I McCray with the Marlon. Ind., .Na-
il tional Bank ar.er arr all day session
0
adjourned until Monday mOJn1'18' .
____ 'f!!.e gtand Jmy- Wll8 closely shleld-
e ed !rom the 'public o.nd newsr>aper.t
3, men and others were warned by ofti-
clalg patrolling the court corridors
3.galnst attempting to approach wit-
nesses. Seven witnesses were seen
to approach the grand jury 1oom,
two ot whom were known to repre-
S '1ent the Marlon bank. The Identity
'.l f none ot the witnesses was dls-
n closed. .
.Judge James A. Collins In Instruct-
s ing-rn-e gtll n<l jury. which waa placed
Y in chat-ge ot Charlea W . Moore, spe-
r clal prosecutor. Indicated the. In-
'- quiry may real:h other dealings or
the governor originating In Marlon
D. Coun-ty.
'
CHARLES WEBB
f

DEFENDS ACTS
1
Gives His Version of Events Pre-
)
ceeding Death of Wife

to Reporters
NEW YORK. Ort. 5.-CllJLrJes H.
f Web-b today fllled In a poose In the
gr.!Lnd jll1'Y Investigation cf the al-
rilysteHoua de9.th c.f his wlfe,
a u .
1 try Club about ten days ago. .-
.Wlth ' the gran-0 jury not
1-al;aill . ..unt.11- .MondaJ .. to.. . deternilne
1 whether the society .woman was pol-
- soned, Webb met reporter twice to-
day and gave his verslcn of events
preceding her death.
Far Different Picture
Dr. William J. !\feyer, who
'"''" "" 'hri. .. """"'A ,..,..,.,,r,.,.,t t . .... ro,,a n Annf'h
The largest Ku Klux Klan demon- h
strntton ever given In W11.yne county (
n
w;nr \ ' Iewe9- fast night by appr.oxl- t
mately 30.000 people. Including be- . _I;
illde Rlchmontl resldPnt s . visitors n
from this vicinity and outlying towns.
Fully 6,000 member!! or the Kl an pa r -
ticipated In the monHt er parad!' at
8 : 15 o'clock. which In magnlt .uclP. and. a
lmpressiYeness has had !cw equals In a
this cl.ty. 1
Order Pre41erved ii
The best or ordC'r was by s
pollq,e n. special details of police 0
and Klansmen during thC' e ntirr .. Pro- Ii
ceedlng. and nothing O<'Curred to dis- p
any . phase or the evenffig's pro- p
g .
Throughout the day machines and h
buses the city carrying per- .T
eons from the more dlstant places t:
such as Marlon, :\luncle, Ander11on II
and Do.yton. Toward evening when f
thoae llv.fng nP.arer came pol.iring In, ii
the crowds began to assum<' rnam- t .
moth proportions ..
During the day prepara.tions were f
made at Exhibition park for the in- 11
!tlatlon, and the arena In front o! the 11
bandstand was prepnred f.or the o
c-rowds whlcl1 attended the speeches "'
given there at night. c.
Th" program ata1ted at G o'cloc k 1
at Glen Mlller park with banrl con- ('
ct>rte and a.n address by a national i !'! '
Klan speaker. Following thi11 6.000 : h
men, wo!Jlen and c hildren. floats or! f
all aorta, automobllea. band!< and ! r
1
drum corps. were marshull <'d Int o' n
line. The parade moved at 15 !rum
Exhibition J>ark.
ff
n
Traffic Suapended
-Hs ooure led down Main street to
the court pouse, back on South A to s
Eighth street, thence to Main, and a
back to the park. Tratflc was sus- t i
pended a.long the route !or over an , ii.
ll,gi,it .. ana a. l!! -T.l\e curbs !Gm up V
town to down town were lined and n
ooTQte!ited "With patked - auton:iobllea l1
and people, . virtually fighting for p
places. - Only an a.venue wlde enough n
for the parade to pass lhroui;h was
kept opon guards. ti
Th A pa re.de _ llielL WU/! "- b
not, eRslly forgotten . L :<:l by a , an-
guard of ten pra.nclng horses 11pnn 11
Til.tht,,h t'1;tl'\9"\. Gl'\ o + ,.. ,t _ ,..\..,.....11 ... A .. 1 ---- I 1L
_1 ARRAY IS
PRESENTED IN PARADE
whe:
cent
vi sic
rece
i- dent
Id (Continued From Page One) Min:
at tng. red flares, were stationed In a CODf
tie -lll"'Q'11'Hd
;:h 01l'ndldate11 al'IHmbled before an elec- bee1
p trlc-ilghted fiery cross 100 ya.rds who
iw t'rom the grandsta.nl!. the
t- The master ot' ceremonies standing . In
betor6 thA candidates on a raleeO to s
pla.tform, then gave the lnltlatlon In the
or a loud voice throtigh I\ megaphone, thrc
;!}- AnR.hllng all preeent to hear. While ]eat
the binding words were being pro- ThE
lid nounced, two tarp crossel'I - In the ltev
ch background Wf're tirnlted and blazed IA l
'he
:he

the entire field. The Am- tatr

rlil erlcari t'lag was prominent__ m all mis
;he times. The audience was ahle to he
bea-r all of the lnltlatl-on rltue.l with ' rat
nd. the exception of the le.et part. 'J
lay Brilliant Flreworka to
Fololwlnw lnlt la.tory exercleAe a cee
Klan epe-aker addressed a large . I>OI
av- orowd from: thE" batubtand at Roose iii 1
lay \'"elt flel<l, !lettlng forth tho bellef11 of anc
th111 Klan. and attempting to dispel agi
alleged misbe!lefs concerning the or- b1li
en- ra.nlzatlon. In his speech he en- tlO'
deavorcd to explnln some ot the anc
.rry - points In the of the Klan Uo
t
1
rs. that he.ve been leconcelved by the
r ea or1
ten publlo. the Ku Klux po;
!hei I Klan Is rrayed asaJnst any sect
or cree . race, and .that the organ!- Co
enc\ sa.tlon was j)"topagnted prlm1ttlly for bu
ellt" the purpose of upholding true Am- du
ly. lj ertca.nilnn and torwardlnl' the man- Pi
and
1
t
El- hood ot' th s ooun ry. Bt
I
A brllllant display of pyrotechnics up
was oonoluded the program . tor the night. fe
If. ; 'The fireworks could_ hf' eet'n for a be
t at i IOll8' &lstance, nnd Included three
lun- l beo utlful set ple-ces In color. T.hf'y pl
wlJI I' were the Amerloau flag, K. K. K ., m
ant J :ind 100 porcent. 1
1
vi
r, of j During the eorJy night- - and while er
l\fr. th pa<ado w In p,og,eas, on
I
plane circled the sky. bearing .
lllumlnated f\ery rross. This 1 -
-,
Jj l!l_novli.tton In thls seotlon and conse-
quently e.ttrac-ted. I e!