joseph m. huffington, whom the ku klux klan had sent from texas as an agent for organizing in evansville, recruited stephenson to the group's inner circle. the historian leonard moore characterized them as both young men on the make. the evansville klavern became the most powerful in the state, and stephenson soon contributed to attracting numerous new members. more than 5,400 men, or 23 percent of the native-born white men in vanderburgh county, ultimately joined the klan.