Gov. Morrison Declines KKK Money to Fund Rewards, Feb. 4, 1924

Klan’s Proposal Is Flatly Denied by State’s Ruler. . . Governor Morrison Will Have Nothing to Do with Proposals for Reward. . . Aid Is Declined. . . Nash County Floggings Started Proposal from Kaln for a Reward. . . Fight Outlaw Bodies. . . Session of Imperial Kloncilium in Raleigh Saturday Night Authorized Reward by Ku Klux

By the Associated Press

Raleigh, N.C., Feb. 3—Proffers of considerable sums of money to be used by the state as a reward for the conviction of persons perpetuating whipping outrages in Nash county was made by the Imperial kloncilium of the Ku Klux Klan, Inc., were flatly denied by Governor Cameron Morrison tonight when representatives of the kloncilium laid the proposal before him at the executive mansion.

Governor Morrison stated frankly to the delegation that the state could and would offer such rewards in the matter as the circumstances demand, and that he could not tolerate any assumption of the state’s authority. He declined also to consider a substitute proposal that the Ku Klux Klan place the money in a local bank to be paid as a reward to any person designated by the governor.

While agreeing fully with the governor as to his objections to acceptance of the money, the Ku Klux Klan Inc. will tomorrow deposit in a local bank a sufficient sum of money to cover any claims that may be established for rewards, and at the same time notices will be published in the leading papers of the state “outlawing” illegitimately formed unions purporting to the Ku Klux Klan, it was stated tonight by the klan officials.

Authorization of the appropriation for the reward was made in the concluding session of the imperial kloncilium here yesterday, according to a brief statement made by Henry A. Grady, grand dragon for North Carolina. Members of the kloncilium left for their homes in the afternoon. Mr. Grady declared that only routine matters were discussed or considered, and nothing was done affecting the policies of the organization.

In declining the proffer of rewards for the conviction of the perpetrators of the outrages, Governor Morrison said that he had no objection to the offering of the reward directly by the Ku Klux Klan Inc., but that in his judgment, the state could not accept and pay out money for such person from any individual or organization. The governor will probably offer the customary reward for the continuation of any persons in connection with the outrages.

From the front page of the Durham Morning Herald, Feb. 4, 1924