"Patriots, _view the hellish countenances of Hundreds of Thousands of Knights of Columbus and millions of members of the Roman Catholic Church_! The latter despise real Americanism, hate our government, hate you, Patriots! They class your mothers, sisters and daughters as harlots, while the former is the monstrous iron wheel upon which the Roman Catholic Church hopes to crush America, American government, American institutions and purity of our women for the sake of the Dago on the Tiber--the hope of the Roman Catholic Church! "Patriots, if ever red blood ran through your veins for pure American womanhood, innocent and undefiled Southern womanhood, for the purity of your home and household, let it run now with a warmth that knows no quenching! Yea, let your blood spurt fire! "If there must be war with the Roman Catholics, the Knights of Columbus, and the hireling newspapers, editors and reporters, let it come! We are ready!" The theft of the records from the police court occurred about ten days after the _World_ had printed the Clarke-Tyler story. The representative of the paper, in getting the evidence of the arrest of the two persons had procured certified copies of the record, and had personally seen the original entries in the books. Upon going back again to look over the books, he found that all traces of the original record had been obliterated, the pages having been cut out and removed. The records were supposedly in the custody of the proper public officials who were responsible for their safety and their preservation from mutilation. No other organization aside from the Ku Klux Klan would have had the slightest interest in destroying the records. CHAPTER XVII THE KLAN BEFORE CONGRESS Congress was not in session when the _World_ began the publication of its articles, and did not resume its sessions until the close of September, 1921. Many of the members of both houses were in Washington, however, and they followed the exposure of the Kluxes with close attention. Senators and Representatives expressed themselves as being gratified that the work was being carried on, and it became evident that when Congress resumed its session, there would be several resolutions introduced demanding an investigation of the Ku Klux organization. This proved to be true, and resolutions were introduced immediately after the two houses assembled by Representatives James A. Gallivan, of Massachusetts, Thomas J. Ryan of New York, Leonidas C. Dyer, of Missouri, and Peter F. Tague, of Massachusetts. As these resolutions were very much alike, the following, introduced by Representative Tague will be the only one reproduced: