New-York tribune., 1922-12-26
Hooded MobLaid Ambush
for Secret Service Men
Trailing Mer Rouge SIay'
ers, High Officials Reveal
Abduction Blocked
BY Timely Warming
Ku -KluK Trials May Be
Sent to New Orleans
Under Old State Law
speelal p,.pat.A % n, r,l,.n.

MEX ROUGE, La, Dec. 20
How members Of the Ku.Klux Khan
attempted 10 kidnap and murder
two operatives Of the Department %
Justice investigating the disap-
pearance Of F. Watt Daniels and T.
f. Richards was revealed by au-
thoritatiye sources here to-day. Il
was only through the vigilance Of
secret service agents working under
cover that another chapter Of VIC.
lcnce in Morehouse Parish was
averted.
Two or three weeks after De.
partment Of Justice men began
work on the Daniels-Richards case,
II Is said, Klansmen here becaiae
alarmed. They trailed the investi-
gators who were operating in tho
open, but could get no information.
The chief operator Of the Federal
agents carried a large portfolio,
which, the Klansmen believed, con-
tanned evidence against those impl-
Gated in the kidnapping and murder
Of Daniels and Richards.
Death Plot Charged
Failing 20 get a line on the inyts'
tigators. Elansmen arc said 10 have
plotted 10 kldnap them, seize the port
folio Of evidence and give them the
same treatment that was given 20
Daniels and Richards.
The two Federal investigators an.
nouneed that they proposed 20 90 %
Monroe on a certain train. Then the
Klansmen got busy. A plot was laid
70 take them from the train a. Col.
ilnston, hotbed Of Klanism. eight miles
south Of Mer Rouge and about thc
same distance from Bastrop. Collins
ton Is q junction point Of two lines ef
the Missouri Pacific Railroad, with
several highways centering there and
Is the most accessible place IN MORE
house Parish. v,
signals were transmitted 20 kian
"terrors" By telephone and runners
we're sent out IN automobiles 70 SUM-
mon enough men 20 assemble AZ COZ
linston ut a designated hour 70 kionAP
the two men and seize their evidence.
while the Klansmen were doing this
they were unaware that the depart
mont of Justice had secret service men
In this and adjacent parishes who
were operating quietly. The undef-
cover men quickly got word OF the
plot and notified the two mee who
were working In the open OF their
Quick changes IN the plans OF the
open operatives followed. They board
ed another train. took another route,
and wer, not molested. The hooded
mob assembled according to orders and
then dispersed.
One Reason for Troops
Discovery Of this plot offers one of
the explanations Of thc action of Gov
efnor John ". Parker in ordering
troops 10 Morohouse Parish
Materially, the Governor reached The
conclusion that men who kidn7pcd and
murdered Daniels and Richards and
plotted 20 kidnap and kill two gov
ernment agents who were assisting
the state would commit any Kind Of o
crimo. Ne therefore believed be hsd
ample reason for placing the stats
militia in the field.
Trial OF the eases may be held IN
New Orleans, Il became known here
to-day. This course will be- possible.
Il old 80 ~"
grants the state the right 10 demand n
change OF venue when Il is felt preiu-
dices or other local conditions nigh.
nrevent proper determination Of The
case in the parish where II was com
mitted or In an adjoining parish.
Members OF the Ku-klux klan In this
section OF the country have asserted, ~
Justification for the acts Of the blsck-
hooded mob In kdnhplng and murder
ing Daniels and Richards, that con1 f.
tons around Mer Rouge we're 20 lntol'
cradle that violence was necessary I1'
clean things up. Moonshining and boot
logging, according 20 statements from
Klan sources. have been common.
Citizens OF Mer Rouge assert that
these CHARGES we're wildly cxaggerated,
and that the conditions that existed ln
this town and the surrounding country
did not Justify mob violence.
Blame Parish Ofieials
There was some moonshining and
bootlegging, they say, but no more
than IN other sections OF the Onitet
states The constituted authorities Or
the parish, citizens here declare, could
have stopped these law violations at
any time " they had done their duty.
Charges are made by responsible c.u r
zens Of Mcr Rouge that the ku-hitt
Risr made raids only on those who
were not members Of the kian' and
That Klansnen who, according 70 au-
thentic reports, were guilty Of moon
shining and bootlegging were not NO.
Tested. Only one explanation Of this
situation can be- given, these citizens
assert, and that Is 10 give klansmen
A monopoly OF the bootlegging busi-
ness.
High KIGn Chief Reported