THE MODERN
KU KLUX KLAN
BY
HENRY P. FRY
BOSTON
SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
Copyright, 1922
BY SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY
(Incorporated)
Printed in the United States of America
THE MURRAY PRINTING COMPANY
CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
PREFACE
It seems strange that, in narrating events and analyzing an organizationexisting in the United States of America in the year 1921, the mostappropriate introduction to the subject consists of a few pages from thehistory of Germany during the Middle Ages. There existed in mediævalGermany a secret organization, which, in its highest stage of developmentis said to have numbered over 200,000 members—the Vehmgericht, orsecret tribunal. Its origin is clouded in obscurity, some authoritiesclaiming that the system was first founded by Charlemagne, while otherssay that it was handed down from the most remote pre-historic Germans, butis understood generally to have first appeared in the year 1180 inWestphalia, after which it scattered all over Germany.
Its head was the Emperor, assisted by the nobles of his court, and withthem men of all ranks, associated together for the formation of “freecourts,” to try persons accused of crimes against persons and property.The members of the organization were known as “Wissende,” or initiatedones. They were bound by solemn oaths not to reveal the circumstances of atrial or the sentence imposed on the offender if found guilty; and inorder to become one of the brotherhood[Pg iv] the applicant was required to beof good character, and have two sureties who were already “free judges.” Aceremony of initiation, usually held in some out-of-the-way place,inducted the outsider into the organization, and thereafter, he wasrequired under his solemn oath never to reveal the fact that he was amember of the brotherhood. The initiated ones recognized each other bysigns.
The Vehmgericht could be summoned at any time and place, in privatebuildings, in the forests, in caves, or in the open fields; they wereoccasionally held publicly, but usually they were closed against all butthe initiated and the accused person. The Emperor, or, in his absence, thecount or noble of highest dignity presided, and if any uninitiated personintruded, he was immediately put to death. The secret tribunal met whennecessary and received complaints, to answer which they assumed the rightto summon any one in Germany. Ordinarily, the accused was arrested andheld by his captors for the secret trial, but if he had not been arrested,he was summoned to appear by fastening on his door or gateway the summonsof the dreaded court, which usually had enclosed in it a small coin. If hefailed to appear or send a messenger, he was condemned, as despising thejurisdiction of the Holy Vehmgericht, and once condemned there waslittle chance of his life while he remained in Germany.
The condemnation of an offender by a[Pg v] Vehmic Court was known to the wholebrotherhood in a short time; and even if it were the father, brother, orson of one of the initiated who was condemned, he not only might not warn