The New York herald., 1922-12-30
KLAN PLANS INQUIRY
into MOB KILLING
Officials Confer and Vote to
Start Investigation
Within I8 Hours.
DENY ORDER is GUILTY
BastrOp Members Angered
by Mckoin's Denial He
Is One of Them.
SAY He LED RAIDERS
State Preparing Evidence for
Open Hearing Set for
January 5.
SAY HE LED RAIDERS

Special Dispatch 20 THE NEW YoRH HERALD.
NEW ORLEANS. Dec. 29.-The Loaf
siana Ku klux Klan will make its own
investigation of the Mer Rouge muir
ders.
Announcement to this effect was
made by high State official OF the
Khan yesterday following conference
OF heads of the State organization III
New Orleans. -Four or five of the
highest Klan officials In the State at
tended the meeting and mapped out
plans for a quick. undereoyer inquiry
by Khan agencies.
1t was stated that the investigation
probably will be started within the next
forty-eight hours and while comment
was declined on the possible length OF
time required for the inquiry IL was in
timated that the Klan hopes to see 1t
completed before the public hearing set
by the State authorities for January 3
at Bastrop.
There was no pretense behind the an
nouneement of the investigation. The
spokesman for the organization said the
purpose of the inquiry vast to whitewash
the Klan of any connection with the out
RACES.
Columns have been printed and state
rnent after statement has been issued,
by State authorities, all tending to fas-
ten on the Khan the blame OF the Mer
Rouge murders" said this official
Leaders of the Klan know differently.
] myself only recently returned from
Morehouse Parish, where l discussed the
outrage with many folk who know their
community We'll know that the Klan
is not to blame.
by our Investigations now we hope
10 uncover the facts that viii enable US
to convince the entire public Of what We
already know and believe
Denial by DR.. b. NJ McKoin in Balti-
more that he ever was a member os
the Ku Klux Klan has aroused the
anger of members Of the organization
at Bastrop, who can hardly believe ii
possible that the man who they say
Is the former leader of the hooded fra
ternity in Mer Rouge would declare he
was not one OF them.
Says He Initiated McNOip.
Three klansmen and former MEM
Der Of the organization insisted to-day
in interviews that McKoin was not only
member but was the captain OF the
order in Mer Rouge. One of the men
said be was not only present on the
night that McKoin was initiated. but
was one of seven men who went to
the Mayor and got his application for
membership. He said he helped place
the hood over McKoin's head just be-
fore the physician took the oath of the
order.
Two of the men interviewed said they
would testify If the State desired at
the open hearing that McKoin belonged
TO the order and one of them insisted
~ ba ne pt
when two raids were conducted with
McKoin as the leader of the expedi-
lions.
"He may deny he Is member Of the
Khan in Baltimore. but when he gets
back here no will never say that"
klansman said. lie knows very well
that bis membership can be established
without doubt by as many witnesses as
the state cares 20 produce"
IF am convinced the X. X. X. was
implicated i'm this outrage as an or
ganiza tion." said one of the Klansmen,
II will resign my membership, repu-
diate my oath and tell everything know
about the order. went out on two OF
the raids which Dr. McKoin headed.
The first one. ! think. was justified.
The other caused me to look At tho
KIan in highly different manner, and
my wife has begged me almost on
bended knees to resign from the or
gsnization.
"They say those two men who were
Killed were " q lawless type. This much
is true Mt least: they have never been
guilty Of taking a human life. Had
known that DR. Mchoin had ever killed
"a man / would not havo asked him 10
Join the organization.
"In taking the stand have. l am do
ing so knowing full we'll what my ac-
tions mean. l know that practically
l.
Others Call Mckofn Leader.
'If resign. as / certainly will IL |
am convinced that blood Is on hands of
the Klan. IL may mean | VIII have 20
take my family and move TO another
locality"
Attorney General Coco and his assist
ants were busy yesterday preparing
evidence for the open hearing at Bas.
trop
";rhe state will lay its cards sace
up on the table when the open hearing
begins" said Attorney-General Coco
with such evidence as we will offer
/ do not see how any Grand Jury can
refuse 70 ndict"
"When will more arrests be NADER"
Mr. Coco was asked.
'Tn due time" he replied.
From Baltimore to-day came another
telegram from Dr. Hugh ". Young OF
Johns Hopkins Hospital to Mr.. Coco
IL read
III you consider II presumptuous 20
transmit TO you information affirming
the innocence OF Dr. Mckoin given Dy
six prominent physicians and two bank
presidents OF Lopisiana. ] thank God
that live In Maryland. where our State
Executive welcomes all information
bearing on case
Dr. Young teiegraphed 20 Mr.. Coco
Thursday night urging the release OF
DR.. McKoin. Mr.. Coco replied TO the
Baltimore doctor that II was presump-
tuous OF him to make such a request In
a case OF which he had no Information.