her parts of the Maritime Provinces but, it seems, without much success, as there is little evidence of the order’s activities. Prince Edward Island also appears to have witnessed some Klan activity, as stories of the Klan apparently circulated among the people, but no reliable or specific information on its activities has been discovered or documented.As early as September 1923, the Ku Klux Klan had begun recruiting in Ontario. The campaign for membership was to be continued under the leadership of King Kleagle R. Eugene Farnsworth of Portland, Maine, who was a former itinerant hypnotist, lecturer, promoter, and photographer. A meeting was held, in March 1925, at the Iroquois Hotel. The purpose of this meeting was to set up and establish the Ku Klux Klan in Canada. The official name of the organization adopted was The Invisible Empire, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan of Kanada, and the chief officers appointed were R. L. Cowan, Imperial Wizard (President), J. H. Hawkins, Imperial Klaliff (vice-president), and C. L. Fowler, Imperial Kligrapp (Secretary) (Shades of Right, p. 46)By May 16th 1,102 members had been recruited. But within six weeks, Hawkins, the Imperial Klaliff, resigned and was demanding $2,836.00 in back salary, and threatening to go to court if not paid. Hawkins, however, did not remain at rest; he quickly met with Klansmen at London and Hamilton and won them to his side. On July 17th, 1925, Hawkins organized a completely independent branch of the Klan, the Ku Klux Klan of the British Empire, the upholding of the womanhood of the nations and its protection against colored or foreign peoples, the abolition of the yellow peril, and the abolition of anything tending to bring ridicule on the Protestant church. The new regalia for the “reorganized” Klan was to be the same as the original body except that the Union Jack was to be worn on the right breast, instead of the left. Within a few weeks, howeve...
