Ku Klux Klan Forces Catholic Out of Shelby Because He Refused to Join Protestant Church, March 27, 1926

Klan Poses as Czar of Family Washing. . . Eviction of Italian Who Refused to Become Protestant Arouses Press

Norfolk, Va., March 26—Newspapers in Virginia and North Carolina are denouncing Shelby, N.C., members of the Ku Klux Klan, who are alleged to have driven Tony Procelli, an Italian confectioner, out of town.

Porcelli was accused of having burned a bible that was presented to his daughter by her school teacher and of having required her to do a part of the family wash on Sunday. Tony denied the charges and produced the Bible. Then it is asserted, he was told he could not remain in Shelby unless he joined a Protestant church. He is a Catholic. He refused and was ordered to depart, which he did.

From the front page of The Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, March 27, 1926

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-03-27/ed-1/seq-1/