The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-12-22
FIND MEN IN
LAKE WATERS
NEAR GUARDS
Louisiana Authorities Believe
Attempt Made to Remove
Bodies from Lake
DRAGGING NEARLY OVER
Seek to Find Persons Kid.
mapped by Masked Men
Last August

naped by Masked Men
Last August
Mer Rouge, Dec. 22.--The bodies of
wo men in high state of decompos;-
ton, bound with wire, believed to be
Watt Daniels and Thomas Richards.
alleged victims of masked and white
robed men last August, came to the
surface of Lake La Fourche, 12
miles from here this morning, fol-
lowing discharge of dynamite placed
by unidentified persons in the lake,
according to reliable information re-
ceived here today.
1t is believed here persons respon-
sible for the staying of the men dy-
namited the spot in order to recover
the bodies and remove them to some
other burial ground, to thwart the
efforts of Louisiana National Guards
men who for three days have been
assisting professional divers in ex-
ploring the bottom of the lakes. The
condition of the bodies indicated
they had broken loose from some
heavy object by which they had been
weighted down to the bed of the lake.
The bodies were reported found at
Eastern Ferry, the exact spot appear
ing on the chart of special invest-
gators as their most probable loca-
tion. Divers had been unsuccessful,
however, in locating them there.
Efforts were being made today to
learn the identity of those RESPONSE
BILE for the dynamiting.
Mer Rouge, La, Dec. 22.--The Ma
tional Guard company which has
been on duty here, while the lakes
surrounding Mer Rouge were drag
ged in the search for, the bodies of
two missing men kidnapped by E
band Of mask ked men on August "a
last, was ordered to Cooper lax,
early today, when guards discovere,
a number of men moving about il
the shallow water of the lake ane
nred upon them.
Eight men stationed at Cooper
lake had been given instructions to
fire on any persons seen about the
lake who could not give an account
of themselves. Shortly after one
o'clock several men were seen some
distance from the shore, wadine
about in shallow spot. They paid
no attention to orders to surrender
given by guardsmen, according to
report to the officers and the COM
pany here. Several shots were fired
at them and the men disappeared.
1t was believed they escaped in a
boat through one Of the bayous open
ings into the lake.
Two of the guardsmen were sent
to report to headquarters he-c,
making the eight mile trip on foot,
much of the way through a dense
swamp. The entire militia company
was sent to the spot in motor trucks.
Cooper lake is surrounded by
dense swamps and is in an inacces-
sible part Of Morehouse Parish.
Department of justice agents were
Of the Openion that an effort was
made to remove the bodies of the
two men by the party which was
seen at the lake today.
A number of civilians who accom-
panied the troops to Cooper lake
early this morning, returned to Mer
Rouge after 6 o'clock and reported
that although thorough search of
the lake shore had been made by the
guardsmen, no sign had been found
of anyone having entered the water
near the point where the guards re-
ported having seen number of men
wading about
Drag Lake.
Militia officers announced the drag
ging of Cooper lake would be com
pleted this morning and that work
of dragging LaFourche lake, nearby:
will begin Immediately.
The program as outlined by mil
itary officers included the exploring
Of every lake in Morehouse Parish
until the bodies of Watt Daniels and
Thomas Richards, believed to have
been the victims of masked and
white robed men last August, are re-
covered.
With firearms in evidence through
out the town of Mer Rouge, ana
stocks Of rifles and shotguns loaded
for immediate use reported in stores
and residences, resulting from the
feeling that has divided many of the
citizens into hostile camps, machine
guns were ordered mounted at the
lakes yesterday to be used to repel
any attacks by opponents of the
present efforts on the part of the
state.
The detail Of six men on guard
at Cooper lake, near Mer Rouge,
which was partially dragged on
Wednesday>in a search for the bod
les of two men who were kidnapped
by masked men last August, discov-
cred some men moving about in the
lake about 3 o'clock this mornin'
and fired on them. Two men of II
detail returned at once to Mer Rou