Klan Snatches Clerk From Southern Railway Yard Office, Oct. 16, 1922

Clerk Whisked Away by Klan, Given Warning. . . Mystic Figures Taken Clerk from Yard Office; Exact Promise of Behavior; Not Injured

By A.W. Hicks

Spencer, Oct. 16—The Ku Klux Klan is given credit for an interesting piece of work Saturday night when a company of men said to have been wearing the robes and insignia of the klan marched into the Southern Railway yard office at Spencer at about the oldnight hour. The presence of the robed figures among the clerks caused consternation for a moment which ended, however, when one of the visitors in a calm and composed voice stated that there was no cause for uneasiness, that none of the clerks would be bothered except one young man, said to be about 20 years of age.

Taking him by the arm he was escorted by the white robed visitors to a waiting automobile and whisked away at a high rate of speed, it is said, to a lonely piece of woods some two miles from town. In a cold, drizzling rain the Southern Railway clerk is said to have been led well ack into the darkness of the thickets where the robed figures took their respective stands around the circle.

Here the young man was reminded of certain unbecoming habits of a repressible nature which he is said to have formed, and was told in no uncertain terms that such practices must cease at once, and that if he promised faithfully to do this all would be well with him. It is said the terror stricken youth promised to do anything that might be desired of him, where upon he was assured that not a hair on his head will be harmed so long as he keeps his promise to follow strictly certain lines of conduct which are said to be in accordance with moral as well as statutory law.

The young man was taken back to his work and admits the truthfulness of the story and says he expects to keep his promise.

From the front page of the Salisbury Evening Post, Monday, Oct. 16, 1922. Oldnight hour is another name for midnight.