New-York tribune., 1922-12-24

had actually moved; that the kidnsT-
inrs. whippires. murders and threats
of the Last four months had now come
face TO face with real law-not invisi-
bic government
Preliminary Hearing Opposed
Attorneys for Burnett have applied
70 Judge odom for q preliminary hear
ing, which II granted might emoarrass
the state IN is hearing set Tor jar
uary S 70 develop the facts IN the
case. Mr. Coco was notified Of the ap..
plicstion shortly before he departed
Tor his old home in Avoyelles Parish
20 spend Christmss Day. lie eot ~
soueh With Judge Odom and asked hin
not % make a decision on the appliea-
tion until the matter could be taken
VI next week.
Application for ths preliminary hear
inR will be opposed By Mr.. Coco, VINO
will seek 70 have the trial set oaek
until the hearing IL complete. Undef
the Louisiana law any person charged
with a capital crime has the right 70
demand a preliminary trial. The court
kas 10 grant this application. The
preliminary trial may be set At the
same time as the hearing. but Judge
Coco will oppose this course.
The arrest Of Burnett was made on
evidence obtained BY the operatives OF
fhe Department Of JUSTICE who have
been working on the case nearly three
months. Burnett. who is married ano
has two children. is said 10 be highly
connected in the parish.
OnieisIs Guarded
Attorney General Coco. Assistant
Attorney General Walmsley, Dr. Duval
and Or. LAnford went 10 New orleans
under guard 10 prevent any posHole
attack on .he ohieial party or the oe-
struction OF valuable evidence the AZ
torney General took with him; Inc
guard was under the personal com
usnd Of Captain Cooper. Part OF TINS
evidence was in property found on
the body Of Daniels that made positive
his Identification.
Captain J. X. Skipwith, head OF inc
Ku.Kiuy Klan in MOrehouse Parish,
was one Of the first TO meet MT. Coco
and Mr.. Waimsley in Bastrop to-day
After introducing himself 70 them'
ne told the Attorney General that tne
people Of Morehouse Parish were law
Abiding, and that the Klan had mem
bership Of 500 who were ready 70 SOP
mort any movement for the enforce
ment Of law. Captain Skipwith oenieo
that the Klan Rad any ofhcial connec,
tlon with the kidnapping and killing oi
Daniels and Richards.
Victims Diamonds Gone
When Daniels was kidnapped and mur.
dersd on August q he had diamond
,tud IN his neektie, a diamond ring
on his finger and $50 in cash in his
noekets. according 20 statements OF
psrsons who were with him that day.
The diamond stud, ring and cash
were not found when his body was
taken from Lake Lafourehe. .In1ss Ins
question Is now being asked; Dio
the kidnGpers and murderers add rod
bery TO their crime y
Another lawless act laid at the door
OF members Of the Ku-Klux klan II
Morehouse Parish was reported here
to-day Investigators learned that
delegation declaring themselves hlans'
men several weeks ago waited on
man named Griffin, manager OF an zee
factory at Bastrop, and ordered him 70
leave the parish and not return.
Grlfhn's sole offense TO the sup
poaed Klansmen, according 20 investi-
gators. was that he was a member OF
the Catholic Church and had denounced
The Klan. Griffin came 10 Bastrop from
Central Mississippi. He left when
ordered to do so and his present
whereabouts is unknown here.
Former RIsn Leader Missing
Where is Dr.. B. NJ. MeKoin. former
Mayor OF Mer Rouge and leader Of the
Klan AZ this place, whose actions, citi-
zens here assert. had much TO do with
present conditions in Morehouse Par
ishi
That Is a question asked by many
persons in this section, with no an
swer.
DR.. MeKoin came into public notice
several months AGO when he charged
that an attempt was made 70 assassi-
nate him al night when he went out on
a professional call. II was this incl
dent which started the alleged ku-
Klux atrocities that later resulted In
the kidnapping OF Richards and Daniels.
After this alleged attempt 20 kill him
DR.. MeKoin left Mer Rouge and moved
20 Monroe. He said that he left here
because Of threats against his life.
The former Mayor remained in the
vicinity Of Monroe until Daniels and
Richards we're kidnapped and murdered
by the masked mob In the regalia Of
the Ku-Klux Klan. Then he disap-
reared after giving out a statement
that he was going TO Johns Hopkins
University 20 take a postgraduate
course IN medicine Inquiry brought
the reply that he has not been there.
Remains IN seclusiOn
Although Investigations into eondi-
tions in Morehouse Parish have been
under way for several weeks DR.. Nc
Koin has kept himself in seclusion and
has not offered the state and Federal
authorities any assistance.
The investigators are anxious 10 in
terview him and ascertain what hS
knows. II is understood that he wal
the leader Of the Ku-Klux Klan In Mer
Rouge.
Federal agents have made a critical
examination Of D.. McKoin's automo
bile, which he sold when he left Met
Rouge They found that two loadi
OF huckshot had been fired through th'
curtain at the rear Of the ear. Mos
Of the bullets passed directly over thI
steering wheel and one Of them shat
tered a spoke in the wheel
The Investigators placed one OF theii
men in the automobile and photo
eraphed him IN the car. The picture
shows that il man had been sittinI
A. the wheel both loads OF bueksho
would have entered his body and h
would have been killed or wounded.
KlaR Taught . Lesson
Federal Secret Service operatives
have taught the members Of the Ku
klux Klan in this section a lesson tha
they never will forget. When the Fed
ernl agents began investigating condi
tions In Morehouse Parish about Nv,
months ago some OF them worked II
the open. while others operated undei