D. C. Stephenson

I wanted to change courses a little bit from some of the cases that I have been blogging about recently. Doing old cases, such as one like this, can often prove to be difficult. Often the information is contradictory if not flat out false and it can sometimes be a challenge to determine what is the truth. So I end up looking at many more sites than I normally would, often just to clear up why one site said one thing and another said something else. And sometimes I do not even need to go further when even the same site shows me proof. For example in this case I had read that associates of D.C Stephenson were also charged with murder, among other things and were acquitted at trial. Then there was an article by a reputable news outlet that claimed differently. However, right there in the article were photos of the newspaper accounts in 1925 that stated the men had been acquitted. Now, I am going to be fair in saying that while there were several charges against the men, murder was the one everyone was worried about. While I can say that reports stated Stephenson was found guilty on all charges and his associates, Earl Gentry and Earl Klinck were acquitted, I cannot say for sure that they were acquitted on all charges beyond murder.

But, the story of D.C. Stephenson goes way beyond murder. At this time our country is at complete unrest due to protests and riots around the country after the murder of a black man named George Floyd, by white police officers in Minnesota. It may seem weird for me to now blog about Stephenson, a former Grand Dragon of the Klu Klux Klan but I think it is important. I think it is important to realize that while we have come a long way from the racism of the 1920's, we still have miles to go. I think it is important to remember who these people were; what they allegedly said they stood for and believed so that we do not make these choices today. I am a firm believer that hate and racism is something that is taught and carried down through generations.

I am going to get a little political here and if that loses me some readers, then well, so be it I suppose. I am not naive enough to believe that racism has ever completely gone away. We have never truly stopped having our Emmett Till's, Rosa Parks, or even our Martin Luther Kings in many ways but we had become a society in which we were much more politically correct than we are today. No, we have never been in short supply of our George Floyd's, our Brionna Taylor's, our Eric Garner's or our Trayvon Martin's but they were our exceptions. They are the ones that have put a spotlight on areas or people and yes, often law enforcement. Sure, there has always continued to be racism and the people who knew that better than anyone are family members. For the most part they kept their mouths shut outside their inner circles. I absolutely and FIRMLY believed that changed drastically in 2016 with the election of Donald Trump. This is a vile man who does not simply keep his racist thoughts to his inner circle, he shares them with the country. And, while he is just one man he is “teaching” it is okay to be that way and to be that way publicly. People not longer give a qualm about making bigoted comments out loud to everyone. And let me be clear, this is not about just African American's this is about anyone of color, or of any religion or nationality. Donald Trump has openly praised white hate groups and condemned others. There are many more of us, than there are of them and we need to step up and put a stop to it!

Again, this blog being about D.C. Stephenson may seem to some to be the wrong place to talk about the condemnation of racism, but I think it is the exact platform for it. When you hear about Stephenson you will hear about the KKK and just how powerful they became, especially in my state of Indiana. You will hear just how far up the political chain they went; You will hear about the people who were running this state, and others. These were people who opening lynched African American's; these were people who burned crosses yards; these were people who became so powerful that they not only felt they were above the law, but in many cases were. These were people who then gained positions of power over others. I will give Stephenson this.... while his lifestyle and actions effectively destroyed the KKK in many ways, it was his arrogance and vindictiveness that took those who followed his beliefs out of power. Stephenson went too far in his actions and when none of his “friends” came to his rescue he turned them all in and the “good guys” ended up winning for the most part. While some escaped convictions and prison time, the majority of them were shamed out of politics forever.

You cannot live in Indiana all your life AND be a semi-history buff and not know who D.C. Stephenson was at some level. He would eventually be known as one of the most powerful people in the Klu Klux Klan and arguably Indiana during the early 1920's. Before digging into the research of this case I obviously knew he had been a Grand Dragon in the KKK and that a murder, one I knew little about then, had taken him, and the KKK out of power. I knew the scandal had happened in Northern Indiana but honestly, I had no idea until I started the research just how far reaching that power was, or that he actually began getting his power where I live now, in southern Indiana in Evansville. Many may ask if I claim to be a “history buff” how I did not know a lot about this. My answer is that honestly I was not sure I wanted to know. I could say that gaining knowledge about the KKK and their actions was not my thing, just as I can tell you that for some reason I am not good with WWII history due to the fact that I despise the whole idea of Hitler. But, with that being said, I love hearing and reading things about the Civil War, which while it has been argued was not about slavery but state rights really was deep down about slavery. Maybe it comes down to I like the “winners” and the progressives. I like that at the end of the Civil War we were starting to change attitudes and laws and moving forward as a nation and Stephenson's views, as well as Hitler's later, seemed to push us back.

The KKK was really formed just after the Civil War but generally located fully in the southern states. Around the time that Stephenson came to Evansville in 1920 to work for a coal company at the age of twenty-nine, they were looking to expand. He was recruited into the Klan by a man by the name of Joseph Huffinton. A man by the name of Hiram Wesley Evans was the lead “recruitment officers” and he and Stephenson were close for a while. It appears after being recruited himself, Stephenson became the voice in Indiana and this point is considered to be the second wave for the Klan because now they were basically all over the country and not just in the south. Stephenson started his recruitment in Evansville and Vanderburgh County. It was said that quickly there were more than 5,000 members and that before it was over nearly 25% of all “native born, white men in Vanderburgh County” would ultimately be members. While there were Klan rally's and members all over the state Evansville would remain one of the most powerful.

In 1922 Stephenson became a member of the Democratic political party. Keep in mind that this was during the time in which the parties were basically in the middle of switching “sides.” Since the Civil War the parties had been in this process. The Republican party, the party of Lincoln, had been the more liberal party with the Democrats being the conservative party. Most believe that the full switch did not occur until around 1936 to what we experience today. Each side seemed to be inching their way to the other so people who joined them during this time could have thoughts either way. Also keep in mind just as we talk today about how there are those who consider themselves as staunchly supportive of their party it is likely the same was thought then until realities were finally realized and they were forced to switch sides. In fact, Stephenson only considered himself a member of the Democratic party for less than two years when he switched to the Republican party. From July of 1922 until July of 1923 it was said that Indiana gained 2,000 members in the Klan every week.

In November of 1922 Hiram Wesley Evans became the Imperial Wizard of the National KKK. In July of 1923 Stephenson was made the Grand Dragon of his sector that not only included Indiana, but seven other states. This, and his friendship with Evans did not last very long. By the fall of 1923 Stephenson had resigned as the Grand Dragon and by May of 1924 he was what appears nearly to be a self elected Grand Dragon in what was called the “New Indiana Klan” that also included some chapters from other states. Things become a bit confusing here. Indications were made that this “new” Klan was completely separate from the National organization that Evans controlled and yet in the summer of 1924 it was said that Evans proposed trying Stephenson in front of a Klan tribunal on several charges.

It seems far fetched to believe that before Evans had made Stephenson Grand Dragon that he had not been made aware of rumors and things about Stephenson and in my opinion Evans' move to put him in front of the tribunal likely had more to do with Stephenson apparently trying to split the KKK. That being said Stephenson had a huge reputation for being an alcoholic and abuser of women. There had been numerous rumors and official complains about attempted rapes, sexual assaults and other inappropriate sexual things with women when it came to Stephenson. At some point Stephenson had pleaded guilty in Ohio for indecent exposure. In January of 1924 it was said that he had attempted to rape a manicurist who had come to his hotel and when a bellboy tried to help the woman Stephenson hit him. In the fall of 1924 another woman claims that he had locked her in a room, knocked her down, bit her and attempted to rape her. Whether any of these, aside from the incident in Ohio, were officially reported to law enforcement is not completely clear but it seems reasonable to believe that even if they had been little would have been done about it. In fact, Stephenson was often quoted as letting people know he believed he was “the law” and he could not be touched. But again, it seems unreasonable to believe that Stephenson's actions were secret to those around or “above” him, especially the alcoholism which seemed to precede all of his incidents. Not to mention the Klan openly opposed the use of alcohol. Some say that was because of Prohibition, others simply just believe it was one of their “rules.”

In June of 1924 the national chapter did in fact have a tribunal and found him guilty on six charges including habitual drunkenness and disrespect to women. It was said they issues a fifty page report that called for his “banishment” from the Klan forever. It truly is unclear just what his association remained with the Klan at this point. It appears that for his part Stephenson laughed off the tribunal “ruling” and went on as normal, enjoying his yacht on Lake Erie and still heavily engaged in at least Indiana politics. However, by the time he was convicted in November of 1925 he was referred to in newspaper articles of the “Former Grand Dragon.” Whether he lost his title officially back in the summer of 1924, or not until other allegations came into play is not clear.

Stephenson had helped the Klan in gaining power through politics by now. It was said that Indiana was “completely controlled” by the Klan and that every candidate that backed them was elected to office. Warren McCray had been elected as the governor of Indiana in 1920, beginning his term the following January. At that time Edward Jackson was Secretary of State. At some point it appears that McCray was having personal financial issues and may have done some shady dealings through the state that would help him. He tried for embezzlement while in office but was acquitted of those charges. It was said later that as soon as he was acquitted he was charged with mail fraud, which technically came from the same issues that had brought the embezzlement charges. Whether Stephenson and Jackson were involved in any of it or in the way charges for the embezzlement were levied is unclear. But, it was said that the two men, apparently knowing about the mail fraud charges coming, attempted to bribe McCray with money and the promise that the fraud charges would go away by having him appoint a fellow Klansman in the position of Attorney General. McCray refused and was ultimately convicted on mail fraud charges, resigning his office in April of 1924. Edward Jackson then ran for the office and was elected later that year, taking office in January of 1925.

On January 12, 1925, the day of Jackson's inauguration, Stephenson was introduced to Madge Oberholtzer a twenty-eight year old woman who worked for the state in education and adult literacy campaigns. Madge lived in Indianapolis with her parents. Now, if you search around about Madge you may hear that she lived in Irvington and not Indianapolis so let me clear this up a bit based on not just my research, but the fact that I spent more than two decades living in Indianapolis. Irvington was initially considered to be a suburb of Indianapolis near the northeast. In 1902 in was annexed into Indianapolis and is now just considered an “area” or historic neighborhood within the city. But, in 1925 many people did refer to it as if it still remained its own town. It was said that Stephenson and Oberholtzer danced at the inaugural party. It was said that they may have had at least one dinner together at some point and had discussed a book that Stephenson was writing called “One Hundred Years of Health.” In fact, the word was that Stephenson wanted Oberholtzer to help him with the book. By all accounts this was another “moneymaker” for Stephenson. He was pushing for House Bill 287 that ordered public schools teach a course in diet and nutrition. The law was passed on March 25^th and not surprisingly the only book that met the requirements of the bill was Stephenson's book. I am surprised however that not only the bill passed when it did but that Stephenson's book was chosen to be used considering things were already going down hill for Stephenson. Then again, it is possible that the politicians believe this was a small price to pay to possibly keep Stephenson from revealing things that he knew about them.

On March 15^th it was said that Oberholtzer returned to her home and her mother told her that she had received a call from Stephenson and she should call him back. She did so and would later say that Stephenson insisted that he needed to see her about something “very important” before he left for Chicago and he sent “one of his men” to pick her up in his car. She claimed that she was picked up by his associate Earl Gentry and taken to Stephenson's home where he and at least one or two other men were there. She stated she was uncomfortable being in the presence of all the men and no women and that Stephenson never got to the point of telling her what was so important that he see her. She says the men were drinking and first asked if she would like a drink and when she refused they insisted. She says she drank three glasses before becoming ill. At this point she said that Stephenson stated he wanted her to go with him to Chicago, by train, and she stated that she could not go but once again he insisted. Eventually Stephenson, Oberholtzer and at least Earl Gentry headed to Union Station in downtown Indianapolis where they boarded a train allegedly headed to Chicago. It appears that Earl Klinck, another associate of Stephenson's did not ride the train with them but drove Stephenson's vehicle. The interesting thing about this is that the occupants did not stay on the train all the way to Chicago and yet somehow Klinck still met up with them in Hammond Indiana.

Oberholtzer would later say in what was called her “dying declaration” that on the train Stephenson had pushed her into a sleeping compartment where he repeatedly raped, and tortured her. Part of the torture included Stephenson forcefully biting her all over her body. The party got off the train in Hammond where they went to a hotel and Oberholtzer says he forced her to claim to be his wife so that they could share a room together. My research did not mention that there was necessarily any more assaults made on her at the hotel but that is not completely clear. The party stayed there for the night though. The following morning it was said that Oberholtzer found Stephenson's gun while he was sleeping and considered shooting him but then decided to shoot herself until someone else ended up in the room. She then asked for money to go to a drug store to buy some make up. She would say that she had planned to use this as the ruse to get away and just keep going but while Stephenson agreed to allow her to go, he sent one of his men with her. Oberholtzer claims that many times throughout her ordeal Stephenson would let her know that he always got what he wanted and he was “the law” in Indiana. While some have questioned her ability to get away from and have questioned as to if she was truly being held completely against her will, few will argue that few people said no to Stephenson and those who did probably were not happy with that choice later, especially if he had been drinking, which apparently seemed to fairly often.

When they got to the drugstore instead of buy make up Oberholtzer bought a bottle of “mercury bichloride tablets.” These tablets were used for external infections and even as a pesticide. It was also said they were sometimes used by women to induce an abortion. In lay terms they were poison but just like Lizzie Borden was able to buy arsenic over the counter in 1890, these too were available and the danger of its use was known. Oberholtzer claimed she while there were eighteen pills in the bottle and she planned to go back to the hotel and take them all, she only managed to take six of them because of the burning sensation they had. When it became apparent to Stephenson and his associates what had happened there seemed to be some chaos involved. The pills were starting to have an effect. According to Oberholtzer Stephenson initially wanted her to go to the hospital and have her stomach pumped but insisted if she did so she must do so claiming to be his wife. She claims she refused to do that but also that Stephenson apparently decided that was a bad idea anyway. While he believed himself to be above the law he also did not want any trouble and a hospital visit would surely do that with all of her other injuries.

Instead Stephenson, Oberholtzer and his two associates got into his car and headed back to Indianapolis. She claimed she cried in pain the entire way, sometimes insisting that they leave her at the side of the road hoping someone else would come help her. What happened next is kind of in dispute with my research. Some things state that while they initially planned to take her to her home her parents were there so they took her to a room above Stephenson's garage for a day or two before sneaking her into her own home when her parents were gone. Other reports say the sneaking in occurred on that day. At any rate she was eventually taken back to her home where she stated that Stephenson insisted that she told people she had been in a car accident. Throughout all of this she claimed she was in and out of consciousness.

Once under her parents' roof again she was taken to the hospital where her stomach was pumped but much of the damage of the poison had been done. In the meantime her body was covered in bite marks and many, especially on her chest and near her breasts were now infected. Her parents called a doctor in and they also brought in a lawyer who took down her story in moments that she was awake. On April 14, 1925 Madge Oberholtzer would succumb to her injuries. Her doctor would later testify that the infected bite marks had induced a staph infection that traveled to her lungs and that by the time he was about to treat her it was too late to control the infections. The poisoning had also caused kidney failure that contributed to her death.

The lawyer who took down her story turned his findings over to Marion County District Attorney, Will Remy, a Democrat and what would seem like later, one of the few men on the payroll of the KKK in the city. Stephenson, Gentry and Klinck were all charged with murder, among other things. By most accounts none of the men seemed to be particular upset by their arrests nor did they appear worried about a conviction. The overwhelming thought was that while Stephenson was surely confident nothing would come of the charges. He was certain even if he did have to go to trial it would be a farce and he would win. It is reasonable to believe that Gentry and Klinck also had this confidence knowing they were less involved than Stephenson and it would be in Stephenson's best interest to make sure they were cleared also.

It is not exactly clear what all of the charges were. There of course was a murder charge and a charge of kidnapping. It appears that all three of the men were tried together but considering the clout that Stephenson held in the state he overshadowed the other two defendants so there was not as much information about them. The trial was moved out of Marion County and to nearby Noblesville in Hamilton County. I am going to guess that there was likely some discussion as to the proper jurisdiction to try him but I do not necessarily see people lining up to convict a man who had a hand in getting so many of them elected. Reality is though the case basically began and ended in Marion County. It was the county in which the kidnapping charge originated and the county in which Oberholtzer took her last breath. The trial began in November of 1925. Oberholtzer's mother and doctor testified to her injuries and her lawyer testified to her “dying declaration.” The prosecutors also had a medical witness testify that the cause of death was likely the staph infection from the bites and that the poison too played a part but that more importantly the fact that she was prevented medical attention for so long was the ultimate reason for her death.

The key to the defense argument was that this was not a murder case at all. They argued that Oberholtzer voluntarily bought the poison and took it voluntarily in secret. It appears that they did not address the issue of the staph infections brought on by the bite marks that covered her body or if they did I found nothing reported. I am going to guess they argued against the kidnapping by simply claiming they had not forced her or held her against her will. That would have been a very tricky one to maneuver through though because the way the rules of kidnapping go they would have had to tread very lightly to not trip over themselves.

The jury consisted of twelve men who took six hours to deliberate before deciding that Stephenson was guilty of second degree murder on November 14, 1925. Since this was the big charge and one that he would ultimately be given a life sentence for two days later little was mentioned about the other charges. Gentry and Klinck were acquitted.

By most accounts even his conviction did not shake Stephenson. He still appeared jovial and even stated how he liked the food he was receiving. This was likely because he was still convinced his friend, the governor, Edward Jackson was going to swoop in and save the day and pardon him. What Stephenson did not seem to realize is that since his arrest, then trial and later conviction not only were people attempting to put as much personal distance between themselves and him, his once beloved Klu Klux Klan was losing members by the droves. His trial had shown that he, a man many had apparently blindly looked up to, and most of his associates were alcoholic men who took advantage of women and that left a poor taste in their mouths.

By 1927 Stephenson seemed to realize that Jackson was not going to pardon him and none of the other friends he had made powerful were going to help him either so he began talking to a reporter. In September of that year he gave the reporter a list of names that ultimately made it into the hands of powerful people in the state who had never held allegiance to Stephenson in the first place and investigations began to take place.

John Duvall, the mayor of Indianapolis, would be convicted for accepting bribes when it was revealed he signed a paper before taking office here he pledged not to appoint anyone that Stephenson did not approve. He resigned from office in October of 1927. He was ordered to serve thirty days in jail and barred from politics for four years. Several Republican Marion County Commissioners resigned after also being charged for accepting bribes from Stephenson and the Klan. Governor Jackson was charged with bribing former Governor Warren McCray but he avoided jail due to the fact that the Statue of Limitations had ran out for that crime. He would finish his term in office and never work in politics again. It was said that in the end more than 100 men were investigated and charged for roles they played with conspiring with Stephenson and the Klan.

Stephenson was granted parole on March 23, 1950 but within six months he had “disappeared” and was in violation. He was found in Minneapolis (maybe not so shocking considering the news of late in our country) in December of 1950 and would given another ten year sentence. By 1953 apparently Stephenson had had enough of prison. He began pleaded for his release even going as far as attempting to deny he had ever been a leader in the Klan. Finally in December 1956 he was paroled once more. Some reports say that a condition of his parole was that he leave Indiana and never return but reports were that his next stop was Seymour Indiana, just south of Indianapolis where he lived and married a woman. The couple separated after less than a year and Stephenson took off to Jonesborough Tennessee. He began working at a newspaper and got married again... without divorcing the previous wife. This wife, was said to be at least his fourth as it was reported before he ever came to Indiana he had been married and deserted two women. I saw no reports of any children so I guess that could be a plus.

The year 1961 either proved prison had done nothing for him, or it showed that his reputation was something he would never get rid of. He was seventy years old and was arrested in Independence Missouri on charges of attempting to sexually assault a sixteen year old girl. He was later released after paying a $300 fine, for what, I do not know and the charges would be dropped for insufficient evidence. He was also ordered to leave Missouri immediately so he headed back to Tennessee.

Stephenson died in Jonesborough on June 28, 1966 and is buried in a national cemetery in Johnson City Tennessee.

Most historians believe that Stephenson single-handedly destroyed the Klan in Indiana for the most part and for the sharp decline in membership it suffered nationally. Of course every few decades they seem to rear their ugly heads. There's a surge in the 1960s during the civil rights era. Many of the groups do not necessarily call themselves the Klan anymore but names like White Knights and other names (but a lot include the word Knights) and a lot of them have also adopted Neo-Nazi ideologies. I told you I did not like Hitler either!! Most of us know them simply as White Supremacists. It is all the same thing. The difference is that while their numbers have been growing, by reports especially since 2016 (surprise, surprise) the good guys are still fighting back hard and they have a lot more on their side then they did back in the 1920's.