1923, First Christian Church Gets Klan Visit

Charles R. Scoville EvangelistThe following post is a transcript of the Carbondale Free Press dated May 21, 1923. It is somewhat typical of the Klan’s approach to infiltrating its way into the good graces of local christian churches, as long as those churches weren’t Catholic, that is. This area during the early 1920’s, was wrought with bootleggers born out of prohibition, prostitution, gambling houses and gang warfare. Much of the system of authority and law enforcement were on the take and useless against these elements. Continue reading

1927, April 12 – Christian Church on N. Market Badly Damaged

Fire starting, it is believed in the motor of the pipe organ, left the Christian church a mass of ruins on Monday night. The building estimated at $75,000 is a total loss although the walls are still standing and are believed by contractors to be of sufficient strength to be re-used without danger. Continue reading