Klansmen Appear at Grave of Mr. J.B. Mabe, May 11, 1922

Klansmen Appear at Burial of Member. . . Place Beautiful Design, Emblematic of Klan, On Grave of Mr. J.G. Mabe

The funeral of Mr. J.G. Mabe, an account of whose death appeared in last week’s paper, was held on Thursday afternoon and interment was made at the cemetery. Just as the grave had been filled a closed car appeared and two white-robed Klansmen approached the grave and placed on it a large cross made of flowers, on each end of which were candles. After lighting the candles and handing to the minister the resolutions, which appear elsewhere in this issue, the men departed as silently as they had come. The number of the car had been removed and there was therefore no way to determine the identity of the Klansmen.

This incident furnished the first public announcement that there is an organized Klan in Morganton and created much comment.

The design placed on Mr. Mabe’s grave was one of the most beautiful seen here in a long time and emblematic of the principles of the Klan. The flowers forming the cross were red, white and blue and the lighted tapers carried out the “flaming cross” idea.

From the front page of The News-Herald, Morganton, N.C., May 11, 1922