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AE yee beat te ¢, wel. Ce Eo es ces i ane oe eee TESTIMONY OF JACK N. ROGERS, JUNE 16, 1965, (CO TINUED): | BY MR. ROGERS: Mr. Chairman, the next group with which we have come contact in our investigation. is an organization known as “ Knights of the White Camelia.” -This group is specifically na on the Attorney General’s list of subversive organizations. It apparently dormant in Louisiana at this time. The Robert E. I Patriots are not connected with the Ku Klux Klan, they are no p of it, whatsoever. They simply came to our attention on the ba of The Knights of the White Camelia. We have been informed police sources that Alvin Cobb is the head, or leader, of The Knig! of the White Camelia. As I have already testified, he is also the he of the Robert E. Lee Patriots, Inc. The Knights of the Whi Camelia are not holding meetings at this time, so far as we have able to ascertain, and evidently all of their members have go completely underground, and have at least temporarily disband the organization. We are told that these men intend to remain und ground until some future situation should become so serious as require their re-organizing and bringing their organization back the surface again in an active form. Apparently it is complete dormant at this time. Now, originally, back in Reconstruction Da! after the Civil War, The Knights of the White Camelia definitd were a part of the Ku Klux Klan. ain on mice ! The Knights of the White Camelia were originally organiz. in St. Mary Parish after the Civil War. They were limited in membe ship at that time to men who had been officers in the Confedera Army. The Organization was primarily political in function, b' there were some instances of vigilante action directed against vario! white carpet-baggers and scalawags throughout this part of t State. In 1868 the membership requirements of The Knights of ti White Camelia were revised to include any ex-regular Confedera soldiers. The old Klan was disbanded in 1869 by Gen. Nathan Bedfo! Forest, but The Knights of the White Camelia continued in existent to about 1872. The Knights of the White Camelia was well infiltrat! through these years by the United States military authorities durir the Military Occupation of Louisiana. Certain ‘‘Klansmen” wel into The Knights of the White Camelia after the Klan was disband in 1869, At “The Battle of Canal Street” in New Orleans abo’ 1872, there was an organization which took part called “The Whi Camelia Company.” As you will remember this “Battle of Can 83