“Done in the Aulic of His Majesty, Imperial Wizard, Emperor of the Invisible Empire, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, in the Imperial City of Atlanta, Commonwealth of Georgia, United States of America, on this, the ninth day of the ninth month of the year of our Lord, 1921.
“Duly signed and sealed by His Majesty.
“WILLIAM JOSEPH SIMMONS,
“Imperial Wizard.”
Mrs. Tyler went back to Atlanta, complacently happy in the proud consciousness that she had “pulled” a wonderful piece of publicity.
On Monday, September 19, 1921, however, the World and its associated newspapers printed a story that sent a shock of consternation into the hearts of the entire Ku Klux organization, stripped the mask from Mrs. Tyler and Clarke, and sent a ripple of merriment and disgust from one end of the country to another.
The story, which has been fully verified by the New York World, read as follows:
(Special Despatch to The World from a Staff Correspondent.)
“Atlanta, September 18.—The World’s exposure of Ku Klux took an astounding turn here yesterday when a staff correspondent obtained evidence of the truth of rumors which have long been matters of gossip in Atlanta. This evidence proves that:
“1. A few days prior to October 31, 1919, Edward Young Clarke of Atlanta, who is at present, by appointment of Imperial Wizard Simmons, the Imperial Kleagle or boss organizer of the Ku Klux Klan, and Mrs. Elizabeth Tyler of Atlanta, who recently, also by appointment and proclamation of Imperial Wizard Simmons, was made Grand Chief of the newly formed woman’s division of Kluxters, were arrested at midnight and in their sleeping garments, in a notorious underworld resort at 185 South Pryor Street, Atlanta, run by Mrs. Tyler, and taken to the city prison, where Clarke was immediately placed in a cell and where Mrs. Tyler, after being searched, was also locked up.
“2. The two prisoners gave assumed names, as ‘Jim Slaton’ and ‘Mrs. Carroll,’ respectively, and being unable to obtain bail at that hour, were imprisoned until morning, when Francis Clarke, now managing and then city editor of an Atlanta newspaper and brother of Edward Young Clarke, now Imperial Kleagle of the Ku Klux Klan, appeared at the city prison and by giving $50 bonds effected the release of both prisoners.