New-York tribune., 1922-12-24
Alleged Mob Member Is
jailed as Attorney Gen.
eral and Troops Go
Into Ku-Klux Center
Mutilated Bodies
TOBe Buried To-day
Long List of Suspects Will
Be Taken This Week;
Public Hearing Jan. 5
Special Dispatch Z. IN. rrsu-.

MER ROUGE, La, Dec. I5.-lhe
first arrest in connection with the
deaths Of Watt Daniels and T. +.
Richards, who were killed on the
night Of August IL by a masked
mob, believed TO be Ku-Klux Klan
members, was made to-day, when 7.
]. gef) Burnett, employee Of a car
bon plant at Spyker, two miles south
Of Bastrop, was taken into custody
by Sheriff Carpenter on an afidayit
charging murder, signed by At
torney General Coco.
The Attorney General, with 7.
Semmes Walmsley, Assistant Attor-
ney General, reached Bastrop this
morning on the same train with two
additional companies Of the l5eth
Infantry under the command Of
Colonel Louis F. Guerre, Of New
Orleans.
The Bsstrop jail, where Burnett
is held, is guarded by troops, one
company being equipped with ma
chine guns. More arrests are ex-
pected, and the military guard will
be increased TO prevent any possible
attempt at rescue from any source.
Examination Of the bodies Of Dan
iels and Richards 10 determine the
cause Of their deaths was made by
DR.. Charles W. Duyal and DR.. G. NJ.
Lanford, Of New Orleans. The
pathologists are said 10 have discov-
cred evidence that indicates the men
had been fogged and that bones had
bsen broken before they were cast
into the lake.
Identification Complete
Attorney General Coco refused 70
make any statement on the result Of
the examinations Of the bodies othsr
than that the cause Of death was as
eertained and that the identification
was complete and unquestioned.
Their death was hOrrifying in hs
details" high ofieiG said to-day.
On petition signed by Attorney
General Coco. Assistant Attorney Gen
erals George S. Guion and 7. ssmmss
Walmsley. District Attorney David l.
Garrett and ST. Claire Adams, special
attorney for the prosecution. Judge
Fred NJ Odom, of the 9th Judicial
District Court, ordered a public hear
ing into the case on January 3. This
will be held at the Bastrop eourthoute
under the protection Of the state mi
litia.
The clerk OF court, j. T. Dalton jr,
WAS ordered by the court from time 20
time 10 summon such witnesses as the
state may require and to issue sub
poenas In blank form where desired.
Double Funeral To-day
The bodies Of Daniels and Richards
were turned over 20 members OF their
families this afternoon following the
sutopsy. Funeral services will be held
AZ the same time Sunday afternoon ard
burial will be in The MeT Rouge GENE
tery, where two graves have been dog
side by side.
When the bodies we're placed In the
easkets each Of the boxes was wrapped
with a hag. A detail Of @ Company,
i56th Infantry, on guard here, will at
tend the funeral and possibly FIRE
salute, as Daniels was a veteran Of the
World War with a long servies record
In France.
Late this afternoon Colonel Cuerre
ordered Captain Cooper 70 shift his
company 20 Bastrop, where the seems
Of Activities soon will be tranaferrsc.
But before camp was broken the order
was countcrmanded AZ the direction of
Governor Parker, who Is said 70 have
considered II unwise at this time 20
leave Mer Rouge without the proteetien
Of the militia.
Citizens are said 10 have expressed
fear that n the troops we're Withdrawn
at this time reprisals might follow
because the investigation into the
murder Of Daniels and Richards cen-
ters here and the apparent sympathy
Of a majority Of the townspeopie with
the movement 20 fix the responsibility.
The arrest Of Burnett was the first
move on the part Of the state authori-
ties under the Instructions or GoYer-
nor Parker 10 get 70 the bottom cf
the Msr Rouge tragedy and prosscuts
the guilty parties. The people here
are locking for almost anything 70
happen. The state had struck is first
blow in the war against invisible goY-
eminent.
More Arrests This Week
Christmas week will be one 10 bs
long remembered In Morehouse Parish.
The evidence IL said 10 be complete,
tho hnding and Identifying Of the
bodies Of the two murdered men form
ing the last link The identity Of the
members Of the masked mob 4 said 70
be known TO the investigators, and
many more residents Of Morehouss
Parish are expected 20 follow Burnett
70 the parish jail before New Years
Day.
Judge Coco. accompanied By his two
assistants, Cullen and Walmsley, with
DR. Duvai and Or. Lantord, arrived a.
Bancroft AZ $3.50 o'clock this morning
escorted BY the New 0rlsans National
Guard unit. machine gun company D Of
the i6eth Infantry, In command of
Colonel L. Y. Gusrre.