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FEDERAL
BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Cleveland, Ohio
5/24/35
Synopsis of Facts:
Secret organization national in scope and military in nature,
apparently organized by dr. Shepard, of Bellaire, O. membership
restricted to native-born, white, gentile, protestant citizens.
Former members. state organization is revolutionary and is
terrorizing former members for withdrawing. general of
organization, at Lima, O., has ordered subordinate to wreck
picture shows, burn roadhouses and assault individuals.
organization purports to have completely equipped machine guns
company in detroit, Mich. Former members advise 80% of FERA
employes at Lima, O., are members and relief in district
is controlled by head or order. Chief of Police, Lima, is
reputed to be a member; General of legion, lima, stated to
former member that 60 to 70 members of department of justice
were members; also stated that Cincinnati, o., agent was
admitted to order fall '34, Event of unknown nature scheduled
for Nov. 20-26. Ritual, organization, and partial list of
members set forth
Reference: Bureau letters dated 4-22-35 and 5-11-35
Details:
Agent interviewed Mr. J. F. Cordrey, Post Office Inspector,
stationed at Lima, Ohio, [was the FBI source of information] . .
. .
The following information relative to the history, ritual,
organization, officers, members and meeting places of the Order
were furnished by . . .
The Black Legion, historical in itself, was first formed
prior to the Revolutionary War, and it was this organization
that organized the Boston Tea Party, after the Colonies won
their independence; there being no more need for the existence
of the order it disbanded; however, those who were Generals at
that time, there being one General for each of the 13 colonies,
handed down their rank to their sons, and thus the order was
kept alive. the next time that the order felt it must become
active was immediately after the Civil war, and a band of
gorillas [sic] under Quantrell was organized and operated until
they had satisfactorily straightened out the country. it was
again disbanded and has now been reorganized as the country is
once again being threatened by various sorts ISMS. *(Note: the
above is part of the speech made by General Effinger at
meetings.)
Ritual and Initiation
members are armed and masked, recruits are lined
up for preliminary questions and oath. grounds are patrolled by
masked armed guards.
Captain of the Guard
1. Are you a native-born, white, gentile,
protestant citizen?
2. Do you understand that this organization you
are about to join is strictly secret and military in character?
3. This organization is classed by our enemies as an outlaw
organization; are you willing to join such an organization?
(The above questions are asked each recruit.)
Preliminary Oath
Kneel on your right knee; place your left hand
over your heart and raise your right hand; repeat after me: (Say I
and repeat your name.)
"Do solemnly promise and swear that i will
never reveal any part or portion of the work I have already
received or that which is about to be commutated to me. I further
promise and swear I will never reveal a single word of anything
that has transpired here tonight or the identity of anyone I may
recognize in case I am refused membership in this organization.
The penalty for violation of this is -- DEATH."
(The recruits having
passed this test and placed under oath are now taken before
the larger body of Night Riders and surrounded
by armed masked men.)
_____(missing page)_____
Do you believe in the separation of church and
state? Will you lie to protect a comrade in this organization, if
ordered to do so by your superior officer? To what political
organization do you now belong? will you forget your party and
vote for the best man if ordered to do so by your superior
officer? Can you keep a secret?
(On the last question
a phoney password is passed around and
one of the Blacks
purposely repeats it, and then he is taken
out and hung before
all the recruits; a special harness is
used and the rope is
hooked on; a strap in the back; in
the dark it looks
like a true hanging. Carter stated that
he has frequently been the victim in this act.)
Colonel to Lieut. Colonel:
"Do you think these men have shown their
fitness to join this organization by their answers to
questions?" Answer: "Sir, i wish to subject these men to
further questioning, have I your permission?" Answer:
"You have."
Questions By Lieut. Colonel
"Can you ride a
horse and shoot a rifle?"
"Are you properly
armed?"
"Will you properly
arm yourself as soon as possible"
"Do you believe in
Lynch Law?"
"Will you sign your name in Blood?"
Lieut. Colonel to Colonel
"Sir, these men have answered all questions
properly, and if they are bound by the oath that we are bound by
-- they are acceptable to me."
Black Oath
Kneel on your right knee; place your left hand
over your heart; raise your right hand; repeat after me: (orders
are then given to cover these men with loaded guns, and if they
fail or falter, you know your duty.)
"In the name of God and Devil and by the
power of light and darkness, good and evil, here under the black
arch of heavens avenging symbol, i pledge and consecrate my body,
my limbs, my heart and my mind and swear by all powers of heaven
and Hell that i will devote my life to the obedience of any
superior officers in this organization and that i will never
betray a comrade in this organization. I further promise and swear
that I will destroy, without mercy, all FEDERALS, Jay hawkers and
their abetors, whose serpent trail has winnowed the fair fields of
our allies and sympathizers; these I will fight without mercy as
long as breath remains. before divulging a single work or implied
pledge of this, my solemn oath, and obligation, i will pray to an
avenging God and unmerciful devil that my limbs be broken with
stones and cut off by inches; that they may be for carion birds;
that my body be ripped open and my bowels torn out and fed to the
foulest bird of the air, and that my head be split open and my
brains scattered over the earth, my heart be torn out and roasted
over flames of sulphur. And, lastly, may my soul be given unto
torment, may it be submerged in a molten metal and stifled in the
flames of Hell, and may this punishment be meeted out to me
through all eternity."
Signs and Pass Words
Pass word:
PUT (name of place) Americans only on guard.
Call word:
LIXTO (When this word is received by a Black Knight, either by
word of mouth, telephone, telegraph or mail, he is supposed to
drop anything he is doing and take up arms and go to the place
named: for instance, if a call was made for Cleveland, the word
would be LIXTO, CLEVELAND)
Test word:
(Under the star of the guard, which is answered by the party
approached saying Until Death)
Signs:
At night-time either a flashlight, match or auto head lights are
flashed three times, and if the party flashed is a Black, he will
answer with three flashes. in day-time the hat is pushed back on
the head three times and is answered the same way. Any sign may be
used in multiple of three and must be answered the same way.
Degrees
1.. Lowest rank -- Foot
legion
2.
Night Riders
3.
Black Knight
4.
Armed Guard
5.
Bullet Guard (consists of only selected Black Knights)
Organization
1. Squad
-- consists
of 6 men and a corporal
2. Company -- consists of
78 privates, 18 corporals, 6 sergeants
3. Battalion
-- consists of 3 companies and
is commanded by a major
4. Regiment --
consists of 3 battalions and is commanded by a colonel * * *
* *
In
Black Legion (the film directed 1936 by Archie Mayo),
Humphrey Bogart gives an outstanding performance as factory
laborer Frank Taylor, who loses a promotion to a foreign-born
coworker. Filled with hatred, Taylor joins the Black Legion, a
secret white supremacist organization. The group burns down the
barn of Taylor's coworker, scaring him out of town. Thus, Taylor
receives the promotion. But when Taylor is forced to spend his
time recruiting new members for the Legion, he is demoted from
plant foreman back to factory laborer. The Legion attacks
Taylor’s new boss, making friends suspect Taylor's
involvement, while Taylor himself begins drinking heavily in a
fit of self-loathing. When Taylor finally loses his job and the
Legion gears up for an attack on a former friend, it appears
that Taylor has hit rock bottom--with only himself to blame.
This fast-paced, black and white tale of moral decay and
redemption is based on the true story of the Black Legion's
condemnable actions in Michigan in the 1930s.
Warner
Home Video, Running Time: 83 minutes, Not Rated, B&W, item
#VVWA65273
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updated 10 December 2007 |
