The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-04

sheriff. who Is now under arrest
charged with murder in connec-
ton with the death Of Daniel and
Richards. From what they said
he became convinced that the
black hooded hand which had just
turned him loose was searching
for Tom Richards. who was work
ing for him In bis Baatrop
garage.
Neelis FASTENED back to town,
but the black hoods were close
behind him. Before he could give
warning the hoods had taken
Richards from the garage and
thrown him into q car and started
him for the woods. No one
moved to Richards assistance.
Sheriff Carpenter, the witness
stated. was standing scarce 100
feet away from the kidnapping,
but moved not Q hand. Later,
when ,Neelis went 10 protest to
the sheriff. the latter said to
him, In substance:
SHERIFF KLANSMAN.
Young man. If you want to
live here peaceably. you had bet
ter not talk too much about the
= =
khan or too much about the peo-
pie Of Bastrop." The sheriff.
published records show. was one
OF the charter members and off,
Gals Of the khan.
According to the story which
Richards told Neelis and other
witnesses on his return from the
woods, he was quizzed as to his
knowledge Of the shooting at
DR.. McKoin." He declared he
knew nothing about them. His
life was threatened IL he didn't tell.
He was returned home. and it
was presumed that he had salts
fled his inquisitors. Captain
skipwith was identified by Rich
ards as q member Of the band
which kidnapped him.
: Then came the great tragedy.
On August "a there was a, bar
becue and two baseball games at
Bastrop. It was the big day OF
the year. The whole parish turn.
ed out. The crowds which had
been In attendance on the after
noon game, at least that portion
which lived In the vicinity Of Mer
Rouge. was motoring home along
the Mer Rouge road.
PICK FIVE VICTIMS.
It was about shutdown. As the
van Of the motor cavalcade sped
down the road 1t was halted by a
truck. standing crosswise in the
road. As the cars slowed up a
band of armed. blackhooded men
sprang from the roadsides and
held them up. They searched car
after car.
They selected five men among
the homegoers. forced them from
their cars at points OF guns. took
them to the side Of the road,
blindfolded them and tied their
hands together. These men were
Watt Daniel and Tom Richards,
J. L. Daniel, father Of Watt; W.
c. Andrews and Tot Davenport.
Aged J. L. Daniel and Andrews
were placed in a touring car, with
armed guards. Watt Daniel,
Richards and Davenport were
placed in a truck. Captors ana
captives wended their way back
toward Bastrop and out along the
Monroe road.
J. L. Daniel and Andrews have
testified that somewhere in the
wood they were Intercepted as to
what they knew about the attempt
ed assassination Of DR.. McKoin.
There was nothing gentle about
the interrogation. Andrews was
nogged, beaten and kicked to with
in an inch Of his life.
Old man Daniel was beaten with
the leather lash.
BODIES IN LAKE.
Andrews, Davenport and ]. l..
Daniel were released at Collinston.
The truck with Richards and Watt
Daniel drove on into the unknown.
They have never returned.
For the present, the trail OF
Watt Daniel and Tom Richards.
alive, ends here.
Four months later two bodies
are found floating on the placid
waters of Lake Lafourche. They
are footless and armless. Heads
are missing. but they are iden-
titled as the bodies Of Daniel and
Richards.
The sensation rocks the COM
Mer Rouge openly takes
up arms against the Ku Klux
Khan. They openly denounce the
lxlon m tina fortlIrers and murder.