The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-29
WEIGHTS TIED
TO BODIES
IN LAKE
Witness Completes Chain of
Evidence Against Hooded
Mob.
BY International News Service.

ny 1MEcHn0Bl0n0A news SERVICE
NEW ORLEANS. Jan. 2s.-An
unbroken chain OF circumstantial
evidence clearly indicating that the
mutilated bodies of Watt Daniel and
Thomas Richards, victims of a
hooded mob" in Morehouse Parish,
were tossed into Lake LaFourche
by their black mask" murders. was
in the hands Of Department of
Justice agents today The evidence
which viii not be used until the
grand jury investigation at Bastrop
In March, showed the bodies were
weighted with tremendous pieces Of
junk which dragged them down to
the muddy floor of the lake.
"Junk" Wagon Driver Known.
The body Of Daniel was weighted
with part Of a dismantled auto
mobile engine while an iron axle
was fastened to the crushed form Of
Richards, according to information
in the hands OF Federal agents.
These heavy weights were hauled
to the lake a few days before the
murder. The identity Of the man
who drove the Junk" wagon was
also known to the Federal investi-
gators.
Leon L. Jones, a Mississippi
farmer, who was the surprise"
witness at the open hearing. gave
Federal agents the last link in the
chain Of evidence. Jones. who saw
the BLACK masks" enroute to the
lake with their victims and return
ing later without them, today de.
clared he had also heard *Aem get.
ting the iron weights wStch were
used In the funeral at the lake.
Jones spent the murder" night
near the lake when his automobile
broke down in the lake road.
Confirmed Evidence.
Jones confirmed evidence previ-
of Justice by the international
News Service. This evidence
showed two wagon loads Of junk
had been hauled to the edge Of the
lake a few days before the murders.
This iron was missing by morning
after the black masks visited the
lake,
A negro living near tho lake was
found by International News Service
who heard the "hlaclE masks" moving
this junk on tho night of the muir
ders His statement was turned over
to Federal agents, 1t also included
a partial description of the junk,
which confirmed the information in
the hands Of tho Federal inVestiga-
tors that a dismantled engine and
iron axle had been used to weight
the bodies. The principal points in
his statement were also confirmed
by Jones.
VIII Solve Mystery,
The driver Of the wagon which
hauled this junk to the lake has dis
appeared since Department Of Justice
agents began their investigation of
the murder With his identity known
the search has narrowed. and the
Federal agents expect to have him
in custody in the near future, When
located, it is believed his stateEcen
will go far toward unFaVeling the
mystery, He is expected to
tell not only the men who employed
him, but to reveal the place where
the junk was obtained.
With this information, Federal
agents expect to involve from three
to four more men in the actual muir
ders, against whom there Is no evil
dence at present. With Jones telling
of the use Of this junk and the negro
to confirm the fact that 1t was miss
ing the next morning, one Of the big.
gest mysteries of the crime will be
solved, the Federal men declared,
All this evidence was being written
into the report Of Attorney General
A. v. Coco, which will be handed to
Governor Parker In q week or ten
days. The report then will be made
public: