Batesville daily guard., November 06, 1915, Image 1

About Batesville daily guard. (Batesville, Ark.) 1912-1924

Image provided by: Arkansas State Archives

                
BATESVILLE DAILY GUARD.
VOLUME IX.
MNK CASE IS
IN PROGRESS
»«■ a Mrs. Erwin vs. Citizens Bank
Will Likely Be Decided Late in
Afternoon or Tonight.
Hub Kennerly, cashier of the Citi
ens Bank and Trust Company, was
n the witness stand all of yesterday
nd part of Soday in giving evidence
i the case of Mrs. Ida L. Erwin vs.
Itizens Bank and Trust Company, in
hich case Mrs. Erwin seeks $30,000
amapes for alleged embezzlement of
inds belonging to the Erwin estate
r Paxton Thomas, former cashier of
« institution.
The evidence brought out in exam
ation of Mr. Kenntrly and the books
' the bank showed that several large
nounts aggregating several thous
id dollars, and running two or three
ears, was drawn from Major Erwin’s
ecount and Mrs. Ida 1.. Erwin’s sc
ant and credited to the account of
axton Thomas, who was at that time
uhier of the bank. It was shown by
!rs. Erwin’s and Mrs Richardson’s
Forneys that Mr. Thomas' account
lowed credits on overdrafts and
>tes Ke owed to the bank to be the
une amount that Mrs. Erwin’s sc
ant was charged with the same day.
Evidence was introduced showing
i auditing committee was appointed
hose duties were to superintend the
(neral supervision of the bank's as
in. The auditing committee was
osen from three of the bank direct
Chas. F. Cole, who was one of the
mmittee. testified that he knew of
irregularities of the acts of Pax-
b Thomas or the bank.
The case is expected to cause the
urt to extend into night session to
rht for decision.
School Improvement Association.
The School Improvement Associa
n held the meeting, postponed from
r regular time, on Thursday after
on at 3:30 o'clock, in the Hail au
onum. Meeting was carted to or
r by the president and opened with
i Lord's prayer in concert. The
itine business was transacted Com
ttees for the ensuing year announc-
The president called attention to
■ handsome new Huntington eon
t grand piano which had recently
tn placed in the auditorium by the
I A. Miss Bess Maxfield, teacher
i director of music in the school,
behalf of the pupils expressed
inks for the S3O given by the S. I.
for the purchase of songbooks to
SILKS
AND
LACES
For Your
FALL DRESS
at
EDWARDS
lie used in the chapel exercises and
by the Glee Clubs. Two forward
movements were suggested by the
president, domestic science and a
school fair.
The domestic science will be dis
cussed by Miss Arthur of Arkansas
University at an early date, when we
hope mothers and others who may be
interested will hear her. The school
fair will be held next fall during the
same time that the agricultural ex
hibit is on display. As we so much
desire the Hai] auditorium to be a
social center, the school fair will be
held at the high school building. A
cordial invitation is extended to the
clubs and other organizations to use
the auditorium as a meeting place.
The book shower, under the direc
tion of the library committee, as fol
lows: Mesdames Chas. G. Prather,
John W. Ferrill, W. P. Jones, W. A.
Mitchell, O. J. T. Johnston, C. F. Cole
and Misses Lutie Stevenson and Bess
Mrxfield, will be held at an early date
when we hope the friends of the
school will look over the excellent
books in their own libraries, unused,
which would be of invaluable help to
the teachers in their work. Only the
choicest literature is solicited, the
modern literature in lighter vein be
ing eliminated.
Miss Bess Maxfield called attention
to the beautiful cantata to be given
at the Hail auditorium on next Tues
day evening at 7:30 o'clock. Patrons
and friends of the high school as well
as the other grades of this little city
need your assistance and co-operation.
We are counting on you.
A PROMISING SERIAL.
New Feature Making First Appear
ance at Gem Last Night Has
Earmarks of Masterpiece.
“Neal of the Navy” is the new fea
ture at the Gem, and judging from
the first performance of the serial last
night Gem patrons are destined to
have opportunity to enjoy one of the
best serials ever brought to Bates
ville.
It will be good news to Batesville
movie lovers to learn that on tonight
this wonderful serial, "Neal of the
Navy,” will be repeated at the Gem.
In all there will lie seven reels of pic
tures, and the "Neal of the Navy”
film will be depicted last, in order that
those who witnessed these reels last
night may not be forced to see some
thing that was not shown last night.
Four reels of pictures tonight that
you have never seen. See them.
Five suspects arrested in Little
Rock and taken to Walnut Ridge on
a charge of robbing a bank at Rich
woods October 18 were tried in jus
tice court at Walnut Ridge Wednes
day and freed.
BATESVILLE. ARKANSAS. CATURDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER V 1915.
Make The Fat Years
Support The Lean
In ancient Egypt, Joseph taught Pharaoh
principles of Saving which “hit home” to every
man and woman of today. In the seven years
of plenty, he saved sufficient corn to tide the
nation over its seven years of famine.
This principle is as strong and true today
as then. We should lay by some part of the
returns in the good years to take care of our
needs in the “off” years. This year taught us
all the urgent need to do this much. Will we
not profit by the lesson and begin now to Lay
up every bit that can be spared for future
emergencies ? Men in their prime especially
should remember during their best years,
they must provide for the days when their
earning power may be less.
JUST RESOLVE TO PUT SOME
PART ASIDE BY DEPOSITING IN THIS
STRONG BANK. WHERE IT WILL GROW
BY OUR ADDING TO IT EACH 6 MONTHS
ALL INTEREST IT EARNS at 4 PER CENT.
Union Bank & Trust Co.
“The Bank That Helps”
Where Your Savings Are Absolutely Safe.
Capital, Surplus and Additional Liability to
Depositors Over $117,000.00.
NECESSITY OF THE KU KLUX KLAN
When an American has been born
who can write an impartial history
of the ten years of our country im
mediately succeeding Appommatox,
and deals fairly with the opposing
factions in the bitter after struggle
he will find nothing so remarkable
and mysterious as the purposes and
history of “The Invisible Empire,"
more commonly known as the “Ku
Klux Klan."
It sprang into existence almost in
a night, and spread with inconceiva
ble rapidity, until its “dens” largely
dominated the whole south.
It defied state and national au
thority, as then existing, and under
the very nose of the army of the
United States sent forth one hundred
thousand armed men to do its bidding.
Passing laws without legislatures,
trying men without courts, it was the
most thoroughly organized, extensive
and effective vigilance committee the
world has ever seen, or is likely to
see.
As a little child I sat at my fath
er's feet and listened to the weird
stories of phantom horses and gigan
tic riders who nightly kept the coun
try side in fear, of ghostly visitors
whose grinning skulls were carried
under their arms and whose skeleton
hands were offered in salutation, and
of how each night they came from the
graves of Shiloh and Vicksburg to
ride again and warn the wandering
negro to stay by his own fireside and
not tempt Providence by nocturnal
meetings.
As the years passed the child grad
ually learned who these riders were
and why they rode. In search for
the truth the writer has not hesitated
in appropriating from several excel
lent articles on the subject of the
“Ku Klux Klan," all of which are be
lieved to be correct. But, in writing
and by word of mouth I have received
from survivors a clearer insight into
what has never been half understood
at the north, and not fully at the
south.
In order to understand the remark
able condition existing when the or
der sprang into being and did its
work, it is necessary to glance at na
tional legislation and policy between
1865 and 1872.
Perhaps the greatest misfortune
which could have befallen the aouth
was the assassination of Abraham
Lincoln, the second greatest was the
succession of Andrew Johnson to the
presidency. With the one exception
of Aaron Burr, no public man of our
country has suffered so much at the
hands of his cotemporaries as has
Andrew Johnson, despised by the
south as a renegade, first distrusted
and finally hated by the republicans
« venom unsur) re* In public
life, he was ground between the up-'
per and nether millstones. It is said
of him that no man was ever more
brutal or less diplomatic in dealing I
with delicate situations or endowed
with such faculty for doing the right
thing in the wrong way. In grateful
contrast is the head of our great gov
ernment today, in his stand for peace.
Woodrow Wilson, president of th<*
United States.
Thousands of negroes, as soon as
they knew they were free, left the
farms and crowded into the towns
and villages to live on the bounty of
the government; as an old negro said, j
“We’s free now, and we’s cum to git
us somthin’ outen date Freedman’s
Bureau.”
Under the regime of this Freed- j
man’s Bureau and the military Satrap,
conditions were bad, after an election '
at which United States soldiers stood i
at the voting boxes, and influential ■
men of the South were disfranchised ,
the negro and carpet-bagger took
complete charge, and it was seen that
still darker days were at hand.
In his “History of the American
People,” Woodrow Wilson sayz: “The
white men of the south were aroused
by the very instinct of self-preserva
tion to rid themselves, by fair means
or foul, of the intolerable burden of
government sustained by the votes of
ignorant negroes and adventurers.”
At this critical moment fate had
prepared a potent weapon and thrust
into the hands of these desperate and
despairing men. At this time there
were probably several hundred “dens”
in Middle and West Tennessee, a num
ber in Mississippi and Alabama, but
they had no general organization.
The young Confederates had organ
ized it to mystify outsiders and have
fun, but now they realized what a
power was in their hands and deemed
it best to perfect a more regular or
ganization, and in the Spring of 1867
the Grand Cyclops of the Pulaski
“den” sent a request to all “dens’’ to
send delegates to a convention to be
held in Nashville. These delegates
met secretly and adopted a plan of
oragnization. Gen. Bob Shaver was
st this meeting end served on the
tactical committee, and was very ac
tive in the organisation. The need of
some drastic remedy for existing
conditions was recognized by all and
the terror inspired by the “Ku Klux
Klan” suggested, that it be utilized
to protect property and suppress
erime and disorder.
In the recently published book, “Th<
Aftermath of the Civil War in Ar
kansas,” by the late Gen. Powell
Clayton, he bitterly attacks the “Ku
Klux Klan,” painting them as law
defying spirits, who met at night in
their “dens” and condemned men to
death. He also speaks in vindictive!
terms of Nathan Bedford Forest, |
whose military genius has extorted
universal admiration—true, the Grand
Wizard did give him some trouble.
He was the terror of the federal gen
erals. “If 1 could only, match him,”
wrote Gen. Sherman, with a man of
equal energy and sagacity, all my
troubles would end."
Gen. Powell Clayton wrote many
pages of his book in the bitter spirit
mentioned above—a pity he could not
have drawn a less unhappy picture of
the state in which he passed the
greater part of his life.
The writer has the story of the or
ganization from the pen of the late
Mr. John B. Kennedy, one of the six 1
young Confederate soldiers who, in
the town of Pulaski, Tenn., the win- ।
ter of 1865, brought into existence the ,
Ku Klux Klan, the "Salvation of the
South.” The letter is as follows:
Lawrenceburg, Tenn., Sept. 28, 1912.
Mrs. John Sitford, Camden, Ark.
Dear Madam—Your kind letter re
ceived today. 1 gladly send you the
statement you requested, in regard
to the origin of the Ku Klux Klan. It
was organized in Fulaski, Tenn., the
latter part of December, 1865, by
Calvin Jones, Frank O. McCord, Rich
ard R. Reed, Capt. John C. lister,
Major James R. Crowe and John B.
Kennedy.
We six young men met in the law
office of Judge Thos. M. Jones, father
of Galvin Jones, and organized the
Klan. We were all six native Giles
Counteans. and ex-Confederate sol
diers. At this, the first meeting,
when the committee was selecting a
name. Richard R. Reed, the Grand
Scribe, suggested the name Ku Klux
( from the Greek Kuklos, meaning a
! circle. His suggestion was adopted.
I Then John B. Kennedy suggested that
they add Klan to the name. His sug
' gestion was also accepted, thus giv
ing the name Ku Klux Klan to an or
ganization which was destined to be-
come famous throughout our dear
southland.
Klans were organized in every dis
trict in Giles county, and later the ad-
I joining counties. The Ku Klux Klans
were always composed of the very
best and most honorable men in the
: community. The laws were very
strict, the oath iron-clad, so none but
the true and tried were received. Per
mit me to ask you dear Daughters
, never to think there was any similar
| ity between the Ku Klux Klan and
the night riders of recent years, for
, i there was not, I assure you.
, The Night Riders destroyed prop
. i erty and lives. The Ku Klux Klan
C protected the weak and the oppressed.
i Their special mission was to protect
t ’ I the women of the south during the
, dark days of reconstruction, when the
■ south was invaded by unscrupulous
' carpet baggers who made the ignor-
I ant, vicious negro and undesirable
In Our Clothing Department we
are featuring a
Boy’s Suit
WITH
TWO PAIRS
OF
PANTS
This is the Sensible Kind of a
Suit for boys
See them and many other at
tractive styles for boys and
young men.
Weaver Dowdy Co.
NUMBER 282.
DEAN RECEIVES
SMALL DAMAGES
Second Division of Circuit Court in
Progress in County Court
Room Today.
Judge Coleman being disqualified
to preside during the case of Mrs. Ida
L. Erwin vs Citizens Bank and Trust
Company, Judge Crawford has charge
of the main division of the circuit
court, while Judge Coleman has moved
his headquarters down into the coun
ty judge's office, where he is conduct
ing business.
Two cases have been tried down
stairs. The first one was that of Hail
Dry Goods Company vs. Iron Moun
tain. Judgment against the defend
ant was sustained in the amount of
$25. Messrs Hail lost a quantity of
merchandise at Norfolk during the
recent flood, it being alleged the agent
at that place, in whose charge the
goods had been placed, negligently
allowed the goods to become impaired.
Today the jury in the case of Wm.
Dean vs. John W. Flinn returned a
verdict for the plaintiff in the amount
of $25. Dean claimed that Flinn
wrongfully ejected him from some
land, from which alleged imposition
the suit originated.
men dangerous. Gen. George W.
Gordon prepared the oath and ' itual
for the Klan. Muy prominent Con
federate officers were Ku Klux. In
fact, the Klan was composed entirely
of Confederate soldiers, and men wh >
were thoroughly in sympathy with
them. For the “Carpet Bag” rule was
dreadfully oppressive and dangerous
to the Southern people, the only re
lief and protection came from the
Ku Klux Klan.
Gen. N. B. Forest joined the Klan,
the oath was administered to him by
b's artillery officer, Capt. John W.
Mii-ton, in the Maxwell House at
Nashville, Tenn. When he joined the
, Klan was nearly a year old; it had
] spread to almost every state in the
। south. We needed a leader, and glad
ly and proudly made Gen. Forest the
Grand Wizard of the Invisible Em
pire. We had a brave, fearless leader.
When he felt that the mission of the
Ku Klux Klan had been fulfilled, that
their protection was no longer need
ed. he gave orders for the Klan to
disband and burn their regalia, papers
and everything which would betray
their secret.
About 1869 and in the early 70’s
(Continued on Page Four.)