The Washington times., 1922-12-28
Father of Murdered
Watt Daniels a Strong
Opponent of Mob Rule

MER ROUGE, La, Dec. 28.-One
would think that this town Of Mer
Rouge, with its anachronisms of
ancient coal stoves and mod ern elec-
trio lights, its quaint whimsies pre-
served out of an age OF French and
Spanish courtesy and department.
and its twentieth century thrift and
commercial progress, would be re-
sentful Of all of the clamor and pub
licity, the rigid conspicuousness Of
troops and the silent. determined
boring in of Federal Secret Service
men. Not so.
J. e. Daniels is an old planter Of
the sort that softly says "yes, SIR"
and mo, sir" to the meanest as
well as the noblest. He Is such a
citizen as might stamp any com.
munity for excellence. He is nearly
seventy years old. 1t was his son,
Watt Daniels. who was one of those
killed by the mob. The elder Daniels
himself was one Of the group of five
to be taken into the gloomy wilder
ness Of oaks, deep hung with boards
OF Spanish moss, and there flogged,
while his son, bound and blindfolded,
strained at his bonds and dropped a
perspiration akin to blood.
Opposes Mob Rule.
II any man could find justifica-
ton for fusing his being into a
symbol of satan-hatred that would
inspire to shoot and kill on sight
1t would be Daniels. But hear him:
Two wrongs do not make a right.
Because the hooded mob set out to
rule us, 1t amt right that we hunt
for justice in the mob's way of doing
business. If we had wanted mob
government, we could have put it in
when we fought the revolution. Our
people decided different.
1T amt just Morehouse parish
that we are worrying about. We
know this has been a shame and dis
grace to us, but we are thinking that
what has happened in this parish has
either happened or is going to hap
pen in every county in the United
States. And we are willing to be VIC
Tins Of this and 60 through the
courts and stir up all the hard feel.
ings that are bound to come if only
the rest Of the country will take heed
OF US now"
Bastrop q Klan Center.
Daniels expresses the anti-Klan
sentiment Of the parish. Militia
companies are camped in the towns
Of Mer Rouge and Bastrop. Roughly
speaking. Mer Rouge is anti-Klan
and Bastrop is pro-Klan. This is be.
cause the Klan, In its character of
political reformer. has succeeded to
official power in the parish. Sheriff
]. F. Carpenter Is a Klansman. So
is Prosecuting Attorney David I.
Marrick. The sheriff draws the
grand Jury. An anti-4{lan man has
not a Chinaman's chance. The troops
are welcome In Mer Rouge. Sullen
faces confront them in Bastrop. The
editors of the village papers are
klansmen. They write droll items
about the lack Of necessity foe SOL
diers.
The organizer of the khan here was
Capt. ]. X. Skipworth, Of Bastrop.
Among the charter members were
most OF the reputable business men
of Morehouse parish.
1t was organized in a room in the
courthouse. Many khan meetings
have been held In the courthouse
since.
When the khan started, many Mer
Rouge men Joined. Mayor Dade, Of
Mer Rouge. brother-in-law Of Watt
Daniels, was one of them. He quit
months ago. Among others who
Joined early, It Is said, was DIR. B.
M. McKoin, now under arrest in
Baltimore. Before long Skipworth
appointed McKoin as his lieutenant
in command at Mer Rouge. citizens
here declare.