Sherlock Holmes on the Ku Klux Klan

From "The Five Orange Pips," which involves the murder of an American ex-pat by the KKK.

"Have you never--" said Sherlock Holmes, bending forward and sinking his voice--"have you never heard of the Ku Klux Klan?"

"I never have." [This is Dr. Watson] . . .

"This terrible secret society was formed by some ex-Confederate soldiers in the Southern States after the Civil War, and it rapidly formed local branches in different parts of the country, notably in Tennessee, Louisiana, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Its power was used for political purposes, principally for the terrorizing of the negro voters, and the murdering or driving from the country of those who were opposed to its views. . . . For some years the organization flourished, in spite of the efforts of the United States Government, and of the better classes of then community in the South."

I find this interesting because the story was written in 1891, yet this is a pretty accurate description of the Klan. Conan Doyle did make up some details elsewhere to move the plot along. There are some more law and literature tidbits about Holmes that I will post on later.