KU KLUX KLAN

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 4871, 16 July 1936, Page 6

KU KLUX KLAN

POLICE SUSPECT REVIVAL. All knowledge of the Black Legion is denied by a high authority of the Ku Klux Klan. Nevertheless, the American police suspect that the Black Legion is but a revival of this white-hooded terror in its original foi-m or a sinister reincarnation. Many recent deaths and acts of violence are believed to point in this direction. Startling facts have come to the notice of the U.S. police, who are now investigating the remarkable story of the ritual murder in Jackson County, Michigan, of Charles Poole, whose body was found riddled with bullets.

Poole is now believed to have been a renegade member of the Black Legion, and murdered to prevent him from turning State evidence.

Documents seized at the home of a man believed to be "brigadier-gen-

eral" of the Black Legion, have revealed details of extraordinary oaths for new members. The first oath in the Order was revealed by the Jackson County prosecutor. It ran:—

"Are you willing to accept an order and go to the death if necessary to carry it out?" The text of a "sermon" delivered by the "chaplain" to new members, and also found, read:— "You have already signified your desire to cast your fortunes with us. In so doing remember that our purpose is to tear down, lay waste, despoil and kill our enemies." Terrible Oaths. The last oath required of new members ran:— "I will show no mercy, but strike with avenging arm as long as breath remains within me. I will submit-to all tortures mankind can inflict and suffer the most horrible death rather than reveal a single word of this my oath. "Before violating a sing-le clause " the oath concluded, "I will pray to an avenging god and an unmerciful devil to tear out my heart and roast it over flames of sulphur. . That each of my limbs be broken with stones, then cut off by inches that they may be food for the foulest birds of the air; lastly, that my soul be given to torment, my body submerged in molten metal and stifled by the flames of hell—and that this punishment be meted out to me through all eternity."