The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-12-21
Louisiana Authorities Show
Determination 10 Learn the
Fate Of Missing Business
Men, Believed Slain and
Thrown Into Lake, Weight
ed Down - Hooded Men
Accused.

Monroe. La, Dec. 20.-The purpose
OF the movement Of 4 company Of
Louisiana National Guards into More
house parish by Governor John NJ.
Parker yesterday continued to remain
a mystery tonight To all except q hand
rul Of officials, who refused to speak.
Late today Il detachment 'of % men
under the command Of the company
officer hastily departed from the camp
established in the heart OF the little
town Of Mer Rouge. The men said
they did not know where they were
going. The officers would not speak.
Observers offered tho opinion that
the men were CnrOute to one OF the
lakes in the vicinity Of Mer Rouge.
where il Is believed the bodies Of
two men. weighted down with wagon
wheels, victims Of hooded men. arc
resting.
Hope to Convict Fifty.
In the event the bodies are recoF-
cred. open hearings. discussed by
Governor Parker and other state of
flrials, will probably be instituted at
f'aStrop. the parish seat. Under this
method the state would hope TO gain
evidence urUn which to convict MEM
bers of the band Of fifty or more hood
cd men who. on horseback and In mo-
tor cars. Swooped down upon a party
of five prominent Mer Rouge citizens
returning from a celebration, carried
thrm off into tho woods and severely
focced them. Two Of tho Victims.
Watt Daniels and Thomas Richards,
failed to return.
Tho troops were woh''ihcd and m"r"d
on orders from tho adJutant generals
ufrrc at Baton Rouge. but Governor
Parker and other state officials declined
10 say where they were bciug S'ni ur
ru: what purpose.
Missing Since Last August.
u generally was bClicrcd they were
ordered to Murchuu>c Parrish In connec-
tlnn with The situation growing out OF
Tho kidnapping last August b" hooded
men ur five Nor Rouge citizens. Two Of
whom Watt pau'rIS aud Thomas E!ch-
ar1S--still ar" missing.
ono report Yesterday waS that tho
soldiers were going /" RaStr"p In guard
the court house during an "rcn hearing
of tho Mer Rouge KIDNAPPING. when
hearing Is said To have been ordered ny
Governor Parker. SIN another report
Wa. tina; they would drag tho lake near
Mcr Rouge. which is believed by rcla-
tivcs OF tho missing mon may contain
their bodies.
The Mer Rouglc kidnapping case. which
for four months has hafflrd all of the
legal machinery Of the state or L"ulSi-
mana. originated. il is said. As a result
cf fcud between rival factions OF
Mopehousr.
Although the Klu klux klan OF Lou
isiana Arkansas AUD Mississippi has
been CHARGED in some quarters wiih be
lug involved In tho disappearance or
Major Watt Dauicls and Thomas FIctch-
er Richards. citizens Of Mcr E"uge,
many citizens OF Northeast Louisiana
believe that tho case goes murn deeper
than alleged Klu kluN auimosity and Is
more or less racial rivaling II many r"-
Sperts the celebrated fuCdS Of the Cum
berland mountains Of kentucky. Ten
ncssec and Virginia.
Kidnapped by Masked Men.
Although the fcudal light WAS said 10
have been brewing for Il quarter OF
century, involving ono OF the lcadlns
families Of M"rchous" Parish. Il climax
was reached on August -. when j. J."
Daniels. ~ wears old. former prominent
Mcr Rouge merchant; Wait Daniels. his
son. Thomas T.. lichardS. Watt l'arcn-
port S,,I Of 4 leading Louisiana iam-
lis, and W G. Andrews. - planter. we're
kjdn,nod hv 50 or % masked men un
their way from EaStrop 10 their homes
IN Nor Rouge.
4 highway celebration and festival
VAS held at EaStr"r on August "a. ana
thousands nc people attended. tn" tre
victims uf hooded riders attended the
celebration. witnessed tho baseball GanA
between Monroe an FaStr5p and then
started hnm" In tho evening ~ t"" ah-
,umobiies When they wer" midway be-
twccn Rastrop and MGR Rouge, the hood
(continusd on Page Fourteen.)