The Washington times., 1922-12-26
Gull TLESS
Of CRIME,
He SAYS
tContinued from First Page)

take off his coat and leave IT.
When he got back with the
bucket of water one Of the hooded
men offered 80 cents to MILESTONE
for the errand, but he declined to
accept the money. Thinking they
were through with him. he started
to leave. When he was again
halted and told that he must re-
main because he might give the
alarm further up the highway, he
was directed to take q seat on u
log. where he sat for some time
and saw the mob seize +. w. Dan
ieIs, T. r. Richards, ]. L. Daniels,
w. G. Andrews. and G. 0. (ToO
Davenport.
While MILESTONE was seated on
the log, so the tale goes, he saw a
number of the hooded men raise
their masks to drink from the
bucket of water. This enabled him
TO recognize them, and among those
whom he recognized. according to
the story, was T. J. Burnett, his
relative. and the man who Is now in
the Bastrop jail.
milestone, 1t II understood here,
told his story to agents of the De-
partment of Justice. He is also said
to have told Secret Service men that
had killed two negroes a few years
ago.
After MILESTONE had disappeared
some klansmen became greatly
alarmed and attempted to locate him.
Secret Service operatives have in
formation, it is understood. that'they
employed detectives who traced
MILESTONE to Baton Rouge and
thence to New Orleans. where they
lost the trail. To dab they have not
been able to find him.
Mysterious Man Visits Burnett.
A report that high official of the
Ku Klux Klan had visited Jeff"
Burnett in his cell here today. and
an intimation by the prisoner that
he would be able to prove an alibi
were the two developments at the
parish seat relating to the Mer
Rouge mystery. When this after
Moons train stopped at the station
near the jail, a prosperous-looking
man alighted and walked hurriedly
TO the Jail. He gained permission
from the guards to talk with Bur
nett through the jail window. The
guard was unable to hear what the
man said, as he uttered only a few
words in a low tone and then
walked away. His identity has not
been disclosed, but It is reported that
he was a high national official of the
Ku Klux klan. He left Bastrop by
automobile afteT refusing to talk.
Burnett today denied that he is a
member of the khan. Are you a
member of the Ku Klux Klan?" he
was asked. The question was ac-
companied by a secret sign of the
klan by which its members identify
one another. Burnett ignored the
signal. If he recognized II and pre-
tended not to know it was good
acting.
His reply was: I am not a men,
Der OF the klan and have never
been. I know nothing of them ex-
cept what ] have heard"
DO you think the khan respoh-
able for the deaths of Daniels and
Richards?" he was asked.
Il don't think so. but as I have
told you before, 1 know very little
about the khan. However, / believe
the khan has been wrongfully ac-
cused Of many things. On the
night Of August "a, when Richards
and Daniels were killed, I was no
where in the vicinity in which they
were kidnapped. On that night I
was working at the carbon plant
and did not hear Of the deaths of
the two men until a day or two
later: and I can prove what tell
YOU"
Burnett asserted that he was In
Bastrop on August "a. attended
ball game there and was later
driven to his home in Spiker by
Williarm Bird, a farmer.
Soldiers on guard at the fail say
that Burnett Is silent, surly and
suspicious. sitting in his cell for
hours reading newspaper stories Of
the Mer Rouge crime. The Jail
where he Is confined Is a small,
brick structure with four rooms. d.
vided into as many cells. Burnett
occupies the first cell with a door
and window commanding a full
view of the street and the Missouri
Pacific station.
Armed guards are constantly on
duty at the Jail. This does not
seem to meet with the favor of the
citizens, who say that there is no
real reason for It and that Burnett
would not leave town III liberated"
Burnett is a nephew Of Madison
Flood, a well.known local attorney.
David /. Garret, prosecuting attor-
ney Of the parish. is the son-in.law
Of Flood.
Sheriff Fred Carpenter, who ar
rested Burnett last Saturday, today
stated that no more arrests were
expected until the return Of At
torney General Coco, who is sched.
uled to be here about January 2.
Judge Odom, OF the Sixth judicial
district, corroborated the statements
of the sheriff.