100 Years Ago: May 24-June 6

From The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, May 25, 1924: An orderly procession of white robed and masked Ku Klux Klansmen, led by 100 robed and hooded Ku Klux Klan Knights mounted on horses covered with white blankets bearing the Klan insignia, paraded through the streets of Indianapolis last night on foot and in automobiles. A score of bands and several floats were in the parade. A crowd estimated from 75,000 to 100,000 lined the streets and filled the windows of buildings along the parade route greeting the Klansmen with enthusiasm. News accounts estimated 6,500 Klansmen while Klan officials said the count was 80,600 including several hundred women in their Klan uniforms with yellow masks and tam-o-shanters instead of peaked hoods. At the urging of county officials, the parade route was changed from entering the colored and foreign district near Military Park.

From The Indianapolis Star, Saturday, May 31, 1924: Joe Boyer flashed across the finishing tape yesterday driving Corum’s Deusenberg and smashing all Speedway records. The jinx of years was finally shaken off as an Indianapolis-made car once again won the laurels in the motor classic. The tiny machine, designed and constructed by automotive masters Fred and August Deusenberg, was one of four fast Deusenberg cars carrying the hopes of Indianapolis for victory. The pioneer automobile manufacturers have had a flair for turning out speedy racers, but their cars seemed pursued by an inexorable jinx which was not shaken off until the last quarter of yesterday’s race. “These are the last racing cars I expect to build; I have achieved my greatest ambition in winning the Indianapolis 500-mile race and no one can hope for more than that,” said Fred Deusenberg.