New Britain herald., 1922-12-20
Brand is Thought to Be in Connection With Kidnapping of Pronli- nent Residents of Warehouse Parish.
Feud Said to Have Been Bubbling for 25 Years Reported About to Boil Over.

New Orleans, Dec. 2o.-Company c, national guard of Monroe. has arrived at Mer Rouge. La, and pitched camp. according to teie- phone despatch received here today.
 Monroe, La, Dec. 20-National guardsmen who left here yesterday were mobilized and moved on orders from the adjutant generals office at Baton Rouge but Gov. John M. Par ker and other state officials declined to say where they were being sent or for what purpose.
 It generally was believed they were ordered to Warehouse Parish in con nection with the situation growing out of the Kidnapping last August by hooded men of five Mer Rouge citi- zens, two of whom-Watt Daniels and Thomas Richards-still are miss- ing.
 The Mer Rouge Kidnapping case, which for four months has baffled all the legal machinery of the state of Louisiana, originated, it is said, as result of fued between rival fac- tions of Warehouse parish.
 Deep Feud Suspected
 Although the Ku Klux Kan or- ganization of Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi has been charged in some quarters with being involved in the mysterious disappearance of Major Watt Daniels and Thomas Fletcher Richards, citizens of Nfer Rouge, many citizens of Northeast Louisiana believe that the case goes much deeper than alleged Ku Klux Kan animosity and Is more or less racial, rivalling in many respects the cele- brated feuds of the Cumberland noun tains of Kentucky, Tennessee and Vir- ginia
 Kidnapped by Masked Men Although the feudal fight was said to have been brewing for quarter of a century, involving some of the lead ing families of Warehouse parish, q climax was reached on August 24. when J. L. Daniels. 70 years old. for mer prominent Mer Rouge merchant; Watt Daniels, his son; Thomas F. Richards; Watt Davenport, scion of leading Louisiana family, and w. Q. Andrews a &planter, were kidnapped by 40 or 50 masked men on their way from Bastrop to their homes in Mer Rouge.
 A big festival was held at Bastrop on August 24, and thousands of peo- pie attended. The five victims of hooded riders attended the celebration and then started home in the evening in two automobiles. When they were midway between Bastrop and Mer Rouge the hooded men appeared on the highway and seized the five.
 Watt Davenport was released with- in an hour.
 Searchers for 24 hours tried to find the men who were kidnapped and the day following the affair the elder Daniels and Andrews found their way back to their homes at Mer Rouge in a serious condition. Their stories gave but little information in regard to the Kidnapping.
 Victims Feared to Speak
 For while neither Daniels nor Andrews would discuss the case, but they finally told of how they were kidnapped on their way to Mer Rouge by masked men and severely beaten. For several weeks Daniels was in a precarious condition because of his age.
 Neither Daniels nor Andrews was able to identify single person in the mob, nor could they give any infor- nation in regard to Daniels son, Watt. and Richards.
 Daniels declared he recognized Arkansas and Mississippi automobile license tags.
 Following the Kidnapping the Warehouse parish grand jury was or- ganized at Bastrop and made a thor ough investigation but no indictments were returned.
 When district court officials failed to solve the mystery. Governor Par k6r announced his determination to use all the power of the state in the case.
 secrecy Cloaks Investigation.
 Governor Parker's investigation and that of Attorney General Coco have been shrouded Tn much mystery. and directed from the state capitols at Baton Rouge. A
 For the past three months there have been detectives and other inves- tigators in Morehouse parish interro- gating citizens and making searches for the bodies of Richards and Daniels. which. according to some re- ports, were believed to have been cast into lake in the vicinity Of Mer Rouge.
 Reports were current throughout Morehouse parish today that the bodies of Watt Daniels and Thomaq Richards had been located either in Cooper or La Fourche lake, weighted down with wagon wheel, said to have been taken froru a farmers ve< hicle by the band of masked me1 who Kidnapped five Mer Roueo el11r verc or, 9A