Evening star., 1923-01-07
GOVERNOR PUSHES
MER ROUGE PROBE
Louisiana Executive Has
Worked for Months to
Solve Lake Tragedy.

NEW ORLEANS, January 6.-That
knowledge three months ago of the
horrifying manner in which two
Louisiana citizens had been cut to
death by their fellowmen, prevented
Gov. Parker resting until he had at
least used all the states power to
ferret out the guilty, was believed
here tonight as the principal cause
for the months of tireless effort on
the part of the states chief executive.
While it was the general opinion
until several weeks ago that Daniels
and Richards had fed from More
house after being severely fogged,
Gov. Parker insisted the bodies of
the men were wallowing at the bot
tom of Lake La Fourche after the
men had been tortured to death.
Certain terrorizing outrageS have
been committed, horrifying crimes
have been reported" the governor
was quoted as saying during a visit
to Washington six weeks ago when
he sought federal intervention in
handling masked band activities in
the state.
Visit to Warrington
1t was this belief that the mutt
lated bodies of the two men were held
down by weights at the bottom of
the lake, that prompted the governor
in calling out National Guard troops
to assist In exploring the bottom.
The governors visit to Washing
ton, preceded by a newspaper article
given wide publication that the khan
had reduced the sovereign state of
Louisiana to the vassalage of in
visible empire" which was imm edi-
ately denied by the governor, drew
sharp criticism from the floor of the
n CnnDraCE Q
story which seriously reflected on the
state of Louisiana, is false" Repre-
sentative Aswell of Louisiana said
1T is entirely proper for the at
torney general of Louisiana to come
here and seek the aid of the Depart
ment of Justice in law enforcement,
but it is another question for the
Governor Of Louisiana to inf1ict ire
parable injury on the state.
ITO the regret OF our peaple, the
Governor of Louisiana, with his in
satiable thirst for publicity, is re-
sponsible for the great injury done
our state"
Governor Attacked.
Mr.. Aswell said he knew nothing
of the Ku Klux Khan except from
reading Governor Parkers "bluster''
in his campaign against the khan.
But resent the attempt of the gov
ernor to surrender the sovereign power
and
his efforts to play cheap politics for
front page notoriety"
Senator Ransdell and Representative o
Wilson and Sandlin of Louisiana. de-
MED that the Louisiana government
had broken down and resented the
"unwarranted assaults on the people
of Louisiana"
The Mer Rouge incident was re-
ferred to in letters read into the rec
ord by Senator Walsh of Massa-
chusetts.
One of these letters, written by
Joseph Morningstar of New York to
the Massachusetts, senator, testified
and asked that inasmuch as Gov.
Parker admits that justice cannot
be secured through local authorities
the matter be called to the federal
Department of Justice.
Mr.. Morningstar inclosed a letter
received from Gov. Parker. in which
the Louisiana executive stated:
'It will be necessary to use all the
influence at your command to get
the United States government to take
an interest in this matter, and for
that reason / would appreciate your
writing me at length your opinion
of this man as soldier, and put 1t
in such shape that can send it to
Washington with the certainty that
1t will bring results.
eff these results do not come quick
ly, could l impose upon you by asking
you to get in touch with your con-
gressmen and senators, requesting
the Department OF Justice to see that
not only is the matter probed to the
bottom, but that the murderers are
brought to the bar of justice. Every
possible effort at my command is and
will be,Nsed to that.end