How dangerours was David C Stephenson?

I recently saw a cut down version of "Cross of Fire". I was interesting to discover that it was in most key respects it seems to be true.

Stephenson managed to grow the Klu Klux Klan to millions in the Mid West. He used his influence incredibly corruptly - especially in his home state of Indiana.

He became obsessed with his desire for a progressive woman public servant called Madge Oberholzer.

He raped her with such incredible sadism that he drove her to what turned out to be a slow suicide.

He was convicted of second degree murder. When the governor did not pardon him he released proof of the corruption of lots of high public officials.

The KKK collapsed from an organization of perhaps 6 million to a much smaller less mainstream group. (After release he again violently assaulted women and girls and he did die in jail in the 60s)

Had he tagetted women who did not have relatives who would fight for justice just how far could he and the Klan have got?
 
Hmm

Not sure, Klan was facing quite a bit of pushback in the 20s. Indiana was a special case due to the presence of the Horse Thief Detective agencies which the Klan figured out how to use to get some official sanction for its members.

Madge Oberholzer's death gave those opposed to the Klan a weapon to use against the Klan. Stephenson's real problem was the prosecutor in Marion county Indiana, William Remy, who had been elected without Stephenson's support and didn't bend to pressure. Also, the Judge in the case Will Sparks, was not subjct to pressure from the Klan.

I recommend the book "Grand Dragon: D.C. Stephenson and the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana" for further information.

In answer to your question, assuming Stephenson had been able to avoid self-destructing in some form, a big assumption in my opinion, the Klan still probably would have suffered a contraction in members in the late 1920s/early 1930s. Too many entrenched powers in the United States had a reason to see the Klan reduced in power and influence. Also, even to some who agreed with the aims of the Klan, they came acorss as an embarassment.

There were just too many factors against the Klan in the long run.
 
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