The New York herald., 1922-12-24

bullet would have killed him had he
been sitting in the seat as he says he
was. But at any rate an investigation
was made and the local authorities
found no clew which would justify them
In making an arrest.
Richards and Daniels were taken
from their homes one night by hooded
riders and questioned as TO whether
they had done the shooting. This
they strenuously denied and We're re-
turned home. a few nights later Dan
iels eavesdropped on a meeting OF the
Khan held In the woods near Mer Rouge.
A noise betrayed his presence and he
was warned not to tell what he saw,
He did tell later, however. of having
seen one of the prominent citizens OF
tile parish acting as leader OF the band
Tore on Mask.
Daniels and Richards later were IN
party of men kidnapped as they were
returning from a baseball game. Ac-
Cording to information gathered by M
vestigators Daniels snatched the mask
from one face and was promptly shot
down by another mob member. Rich
ards was killed TO prevent his describing
the affair, che officials believe.
The bodies, badly decomposed, had
been weighted down. probably with two
heavy iron wheels taken Nfrom log
wagon. AlAtHiDNS were ihaUc ~ AA'N
the legs. arms and heads. but divers
We're hampered by the nature OF the lake
bottom and persons dragging from boats
met failure also.
man whose name cannot be men
toned yet told Gov. Parker how the two
men were murdered. His statement fol-
lows:
when the hooded band waylaid j. l..
Daniels, Watt Daniels, Davenport, Rich
dc nn AndrauG N murder from
the thoughts of it's members. The band
Kidnapped the five men with the inten-
ton of interrogating them concerning
the attack upon Dr. Mckoin, former
Mayor of er Rogue.
The five men were bound and taken
to place in the wood near Mer Rogue
There a kangaroo court was convened
by the mob, with the hooded men act
ing as judges and jurors. To wiring
confessions from their victims the
hooded men whipped j. l.. Daniels,
father of the missing Watt Daniels. The
elder Daniels is 70 years old.
"The son protested the whipping OF
his father. He cried out: 1t is hell
of state of affairs that you whip my
father while ] am bound and that l must
hear his pitiful cries for mercy and am
not able to help him.
"The mob thereupon turned its atten-
ton TO Watt Daniels and Richards, who
was sitting beside him in an automobile.
THE two men were taken from the
automobile and brought into the center
OF the hooded circle. They were ques-
tionco regarding the attack on Dir. Nc
Iloin. They declared they knew nothing
OF the incident, reterating the denials
OF the elder Daniels.
Lashed and Slain.
1.-THE lash was applied to both men,
Watt Daniels struggled. He managed
10 free one arm and in a flash tore the
mask from the face of one of the hooded
men. He recognized the man.
This member of the mob finding his
identity discovered drew his revolver
and shot Watt Daniels before he could
cry out the name Of his assailant.
Richards stood nearby. He also had
seen the face of the unmasked men
and betrayed by his change of express
sion that he had recognized him. Then
Richards also was killed.
Finding themselves with two bodies
on their hands. the members of the mob
held council. They quickly released
the other three Kidnapped men warning
thom not TO repeat anything that they
might have seen or heard.
What TO do with the bodies worried
the mob. AS they were headed for
Bayou La Fourche they decided its
waters offered a solution of the prob
lem.
Putting the bodies into an automo-
bile. they drove rapidly 20 the lake The
old negro ferryman, seeing the hooded
men, fled. On the shores of the lake
We're two heavy iron wheels, With
these the bodies were weighted and sent
to the depths Of the lake with the hope
that the disappearance OF Watt Daniels
and Ricaids would remain a mystery"
Bodies Identified.
The wire bound and mutiIated bodies
were viewed to-day by Richards's widow.
J. l.. Daniels. aged father OF Watt. and
score of relatives and friends.
Identification Of Watt Daniels Is COM
plete. according 10 authorities. because
of the initials IF. W. D." found on n
belt buckle and a buckle Daniels IL said
10 have worn at the time he was spirited
away. The bodies are lying in the Ma
sonic Temple, where they are guarded
by detachment OF Monroe National
Guard. The guards are armed with au-
tomato rifles. and were instructed by
Capt. Cooper to shoot persons who may
attempt TO spirit away the bodies.
Mer Rouge citizens this afternoon
were forming a committee TO take
charge of the bodies when official State
proceedings have been completed and
will arrange for the funeral. expected TO
be tomorrow. The Attorney-General
probably viii leave tonight for Baton
Rouge, IL was learned here. but will
return prior TO January B.
Reports OF IN feeling previously ex-
isting between two factions IN this COM
munty since the kdnaring episode was
famed by the recovery Of The bodies
and the report that Daniels and Richards
met death under horrifying circum-
stances Some relatives are under the
impression the men We're still having
alive when thrown into the lake after
having been bound with wire from which
was suspended iron weights and that
death resulted from stra ngulatlon.
Men are now seen driving automobiles
and wagons with shotguns and rifles by
their side weapons are strapped to their
saddles when on horseback, and even
at street corners revolvers are seen
bulging from their hip pockets.