Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-04-26
MAY PROBE KHAN
As A RESULT OF
MOSHER s DEATH
Coroner's Jury lntimateS the
Organization Was Re-
sponsibIe for a Raid Near
Los Angeles.
tBy The Associated Press.)

Los Angeles, Calf, April 25.--
The coroner's jury, which today
inquired into the facts surrounding
the killing of Constable M. u.
Mosher, slain by another officer
while the constable was participant
ing in a raid of masked men Sat
urday night, returned a verdict
that Mosher came to his death
while q member of masked mob
presumably instigated and direct
ed by members of the ku klux
khan"
The verdict said:
"Melford d. Mosher came to his
death from a gunshot wound IN
flicted by Marshal Frank Woerner
in pursuit of his duty while Mosher
was acting as member OF an lie
gal masked and armed MOP, pre-
sumably instigated and directed by
members of the ku klux khan.
1--WE recommend the district at
torney convene a grand jury of this
county to investigate the matter
further and take necessary steps to
prosecute the perpetrators this
crime"
Facts Sworn To.
The verdict followed testimony
in which these facts were sworn
| to-:
The raid was made upon a fam
ilv of Spaniards who conducted a
winery under federal license, but
who were asserted by members Of
the crowd to be bootleggers.
Plans for the attack were made
Friday night at meeting held In
the undertaking chapel at which
today's inquest was held.
AT this. same meeting, attended
bv 30 men, including one of the
undertakers who own the chapel,
several took preliminary OATH"
which one witness described as the
first step toward joining the Ku
Klux Khan.
N. A. Baker, "kleagle," or or
ganizer for the Ku Klux Khan, at
tended the meeting and was pres
ent during the raid the following
night.
six business men of Inglewood
were named as having attended
the meeting Friday night. All
were called to the stand and five
declined to answer questions on
the ground their answers might In
eliminate them.
Deny Knowledge of Meeting.
William S. Coburn. grand goblin
and Gus Willard Price, king
kleagle. of the knights of the Ku
Klux Khan, testified they went to
Inglewood Saturday night after
hearing there had been a raid.
They denied all knowledge of the
meeting Friday night and said they
knew of no such thing as pre-
liminary oath in their organization.
Persons may be admitted to the
khan. Coburn testified, either upon
the payment of fee or rendering
some important service" to tho
khan.
After the verdict was rendered,
Deputy District Attorney w. c.
Doran. who conducted the inquest
with Coroner Frank A. Nance, con-
ferred with District Attorney
Thomas Lee Woolwine, and Pre-
siding Judge Frank R. Willis of
the Los Angeles county superior
court.
VIII Consult Judge.
Judge Willis announced after
the conference he would commu-
nicate with Judge F. w. Houser,
of the same court. whose duty ii
is to empanel a grand jury when
called upon. The jury, if called
by Judge Houser will be asked to
investigate the Inglewood raid and
the activities Of the khan. 1t was
stated.
The testimony at the inquest was
brought out in a dramatic man.
ner by Mr.. Doran, to whom the
greater part OF it came as a sur
prise as 1t was dragged from the
lips of reluctant witnesses.