New Bern, Oct. 9—Eight Craven county men Friday were ordered held under bond of $5,000 each fo the January grand jury in connection with the alleged kidnapping of Ray McIlwean on October 1st. Hauled before Judge N. A. Sinclair on Superior Court warrants issued by the jurist’s orders, a preliminary hearing was granted the men Friday afternoon and probable cause was found. A ninth man, Clayton Cox, turned State’s evidence. He was held for the grand jury on a $1,000 bond, while Sam Jenkins still is sought by authorities.
Judge Sinclair was vigorous in his denunciation of the attack on young McIlwean. He expressed his willingness to stamp out the alleged lawless activities of the organization which the men are said to be members of and of which is known as the Great Tiger Klan.
The jurist stated that prominent citizens had advised him that the organization was making threats of “serious bloodshed” should any effort be made to check its activities. He warned that if any of the self-styled “klansmen” so much as “crooked a finger” in retaliation for the movement against its activities that they would be taken into custody if discovered.
“I shall be back here in January,” he concluded his warning.
The men held under $5,000 bond are Henry, Harvey, Albert, Luther and Claud Ipock; Claude and Henry Davis and tom Watson. All of them are from Jasper section of the county.
A band of masked men visited McIlwean’s home on the night of October 1st and attempted to kidnap him. He resisted their attempt and his brother sided him inputting them to fight. Three of them left their robes behind. Cox was arrested when he claimed an auto truck the men abandoned when they made their escape.
From the front page of the Beaufort News, Thursday, Oct. 14, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn91068210/1926-10-14/ed-1/seq-1/
