Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1923-03-24

DdStIOp, LII, mdTCU lO.-NO IuuiCt-
ments were returned today by the
MOrehouse Parish Grand Jury for the
kidnapping. torture and Staying OF
Watt Daniel and r. F.. Richards at
Mer Rouge on August "a last and var
ious other outrageS committed by
hooded bands in the parish which the
jury has been investigating for the
last ten days.
The jury before which Attorney Gen
eral Coco appeared with the evidence
taken at the hearing into the Mer
Rouge outrages held here in January
made its report to District Judge
Odom. who presided ut that hearing.
In its report the Grand Jury REFER
ed to the masked band case as 1.-The de
plorable crime of August "a" and stat
ed that while it had gone thoroughly
into the affair. 1t could find no evil
dence that would warrant the indict-
ment Of any individuals.
Attorney General Coco, who left be
fore the Grand Jury reported, stated
that If no indictments were returned
he would file bills of information
against certain persons named at the
open hearing as having participated
in mob activities.
A violent storm ragged the greater
part of the afternoon and when the
judge entered the court room at 4:5O
p. M, there were few spectators pres
ent. The report was what many had ex
pected and little comment was offered
by citizens.
After the report had been made
known, Captain ]. X. Skipwith, exa,t
cd 80 EtxG
khan made this comment:
1T is needless to say that I am high
ly elated. The State has done its duty
and I hope it is satisfied and will let
the matter rest"
Numerous other crimes charged to
hooded bands were not mentioned in
Grand Jury report. More than 125 wit
nesses were heard by the jury during
the ten days session.
Judge Odom made no comment on
the report. He dismissed the jury aft
err saying they had been in session
long time and he knew it was more or
less Of hardship, but 1t was duty
some one had to perform.
This was the third Grand Jury since
the first of the hooded band kidnar-
pings in MOrehouse Parish, none or
them finding indictments for the
crimes.
GOVERNOR PARKER STARTED
D.. INQUIRY
On August "a. 1922, five citizens If
Mer Rouge, T. F.. Richards, Watt Dan
lei. his father ]. il. Daniel; w. o. An
Crews and Tot Davenport were atdhct
el on the BastrOpMer Rouge Road
VILE returning By automobile '.om a
picnic celebration at Bastrop. The ab
ductors estimated at from fifteen to
twenty men, one in white robe AID
the remainder wearing black :,oucs
placed the five in truck and drove
away. Late that night j. L. Daniel
and Andrews were released after be
leased without punishment. Richards
and Watt Daniel disappeared.
Relatives Of the missing men insis.
ed they had been murdered and enlist
ed the aid of Governor Parker in the
search for them. In September Depart
ment of Justice agents appeared In
Morehouse Parish to investigate ana
their deductions were that Richards
and Daniel had been murdered and
their bodies cast into Lake La Four
che twenty five miles from here.
In November Governor Parker visit
ed Washington where he had an inter
view with President Harding and At
torney General Daugherty, and request
ed additional Federal aid in the case.
On December 81. Governor Parker or
dered company Of infantry to More
house to drag lakes for the bodies.
In the early morning hours two
days later. the troops engaged in d
skirmisr with a boatload of men Oh
Lake Cooper. While this was in prog
ress. dynamite was exploded in Lake
La Fourche twenty miles away, and
the next morning the bodies Of two
men, bound with telephone wires and
badly mutilated. were found floating
on the surface of the lake. The bodies
were identified as those of Richards
and Daniel.
Governor Parker Immediately or
dered an additional company of infan
try and a machine gun company into
MOrehOuse and set January 5. as the
date for an open hearing at the court
house at Bastrop to investigate the
say luS VI the TWO men ana Jne aCtlV1
ties of masked bands in the parish
which thu Governor cttribrtca 20 the
ku klux khan.
The open hearing revealed ahduct
ions, deportations, floggings, the SEM
ing of thTe2 cIi2S nvtes &ad Gt.ai.s
OF inc circun s.lGc05 l,aI,ng tc a.,
disappearance of tho :-~n WI = wer>
murdered. These crimes were charged
to bands of black hooded men accused
OF being members of the Morehouse
ku klux khan. The names of many
klansmen were associated with the
crimes. The black hood was identified
as part Of the "raiding" regalia of the
parish klansmen.
A previous Grand Jury, composed
largely OF klansmen. had failed -
take any action on the disappearance
of the slain men and it was openly
charged that the Grand Jury which
reported today numbered among its
members klansmen or their sympa
thiZers.
Npu- Or1nopa Morob ~ A..i.,.