The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-26
Suspected Ring Leaders in the Tragedy Will Be Served With Warrants Soon, Investiga- tors Declare Man Held in Jail Is Denied All Visitors
GOVERNOR SPENDS BUSY DAY AT STATE CAPITOL
Conference of All Parties Tax
 ing Part in Probe Will Be Held in New Orleans on ThurSday--F Mayor of Mer Rouge Is Now Sought
By AssocInfed prnsn

probability that the next chapter in the Morehousc Kidnapping investiga- tion would be written soon in Mer Rouge loomed strongly here tonight.
 Attorney General Coco's announce ment in Marksville, La., where he is spending Christmas, that the state expected to jail at least six or seven more on charges of murder in con nection with the death of Watt Dan iels and Thomas Richards, is cx- pected to be fulfilled in the Mer Rouge community.
 It is believed that many of the men the state suspects as ring leaders of the August white-robed and masked mob will be served with warrants be- fore January 5, the date set for the open hearing here. Developments at the hearing may bring about the ar- rest of others. Fderal agents have de- clared they have the names of 20 membrs of tn mob.
 Relierrs Burnett Guilty.
 The state believes T. J. Burnett guilty of the murder charge upon which he was jailed Saturday, the attorney general declared today in speaking of the lone suspect held in the jail at Bastrop. We further be- lieve we have the evidence upon which nf fcf ts he added.
 An order was issued today denying visitors permission to communicate with Burnett except in the presence of an officer of the military eetail. Burnett's friends, who are many, are rallying to his support.
 The state forces penetrating into the mystery and the populace of Morehouse relaxed today under the influence of the Christmas spirit.
 The troops stationed here and at Mer Rouge rested on their arms as the towns folk brought them good things to eat and helped them to be merry.
 Governor At Desk.
 The officials composing the legal machinery of the state scattered to spend the holiday with their families but held telephone conversations with one another. Governor Parker was at his desk at Baton Rouge sum marking the developments of the past week which began with the troops movement that succeeded in locating the bodies of two men be- lieved by the state to have been exe- cuted by the hooded mob. The gov- ernor dispensed with the traditional ri faft in~ xr,t+h l I- mother and relatives at New GgleaFa to remain at his post.
 conference of those eonda ting the Inquiry was announced todsx lS Thursday at New Orleans,2 At tha4 time plans for the hearingss xi.l s outlined and the findings of the ro4 oners jury which held the inouests over the bodies of Daniels and RicM ards will be discussed. The repo(t of the pathologists will be canefulIy weighed. It Is regarded by the state as going far toward clearing up the manner in which the former service mah and his companion met death.
 Think Men Were Beaten.
 The bodies, lying in cool water at the bottom of the lake four months before being shot to the surface by unidentified midnight dynamiters, were said to have been well pre- served The heads and some limbs were missing.
 The pathologists are in a position to state whether these parts were hacked off by the executfoners, or blown away by the blast or eaten off by fish. it is known.
 The physicians disclosed that evil dence indicated the men were beaten and their bones broken before they died.
 Department of justice men are seeking to locate Dr. B. M. McKoin, former mayor of Mer Rouge, wanted for interrogation. The mayor quit Mer Rouge following an attempt made to assassinate him. He went to Monroe. and then to New Orleans and upon departing from here de- clared he was en route for Johns Hopkins University at Baltimore for a post graduate course Efforts 10 locate him there have failed and his whereabouts are unknown to offi- cials. It was the attempt on his life that Is believed to have culmi- mated in the event of August.
 sensations Expected.
 Testimony of a sensational nature duplicating many substantial citi- xens of Mississippi and Arkansas as well as Louisiana Is expected to e developed by the state at the open hearing.
 The hearing. as the term indicates. will be open to the public. and for the purpose of developing the facts in the murder of these two men.
 Affidavits will be mad against all persons pointed to by the evidence as probably Implicated.
 All persons will be free to entcr