In Sherlock Holmes the five orange pips why is the KKK following elias openshaw?

In "The Five Orange Pips," Elias Openshaw is being pursued by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) due to his involvement in a land dispute in the American South, where he opposed their interests. After he received threats related to this conflict, he fled to England for safety. However, the KKK tracked him down, leading to a series of events that culminate in his murder. The story highlights themes of injustice and the far-reaching influence of the KKK's terror.