Evening star., 1923-01-13
CLAIMS NIXON
"SH0T UP" SELF
w. B. Stuckey, Former Louis.
lana Legislator, Testifies at
Hooded-Band Hearing.

BASTROP, La, January 13.-Wil-
liam 3. Stuckey, Mer Rouge lawyer
and former member Of the Louisiana
legislature, testifying today in the
states open hearing inquiry into
masked and hooded band activities
in Morehouse parish. declared the
theory had been advanced in Mer
Rouge, in connection with an alleged
attempt to kill DR.. B. ~ Mckoin, for
mer mayor OF Mer Rouge. that DR.
McKoin shot up his own car to gain
the support of members Of the Ku Klux
Klan.
Mr.. Stuckey described himself as an
opponent of the khan.
Mr.. Stuckey also declared DIR. Nc
koin had incurred the enmity of many
people in and about Mer Rouge be-
cause of what he termed bull in the
china-shop" methods of McKoin while
he was mayor.
Met In Courthouse.
He told of a conference held in the
courthouse between khan members
and citizens who were not members
relative TO the deaths of Richard and
Daniel and quoted Capt. Skipwith as
saying that every man in Morehouse
parish who did not quit talking about
the khan would be whipped
Mr.. Stuckey did not give the exact
language said to have been used by
Capt. Skipwith, but handed to Judge
Odom a slip of paper on which he
had written the words.
Mr.. Coco stated that arrangements
for his conference with Capt. ]. K.
Skipwith. were completed last night
in a conversation between Judge Bar
nett, attorney for Capt. Skipwith, and
himself
Mr.. Stuckey was asked about the
anonymous letters and the rounding
up Of people believed to have been
connected with the plot to assassinate
DR.. McKoin.
81 have learned DR.. AicKoin wrote
them himself. They were written on
his typewriter"
Al Smith. another witness, told Of
eqorts undertaken by himself and
others to restore harmonious con-
ditions in Morehouse and to adjust
differences among certain factions
which developed as result of the
attack on DR.. McKoin and the kid
naping and disappearance of Rich
ards and Daniel.
means to cope with the trouble with
out nay assistance" said Mr.. Smith.
Martial law was threatened and the
government was reported to have
sent detectives here. We wanted to
call the governor off and handle the
situation ourselves"
Applause from the galleries greeted
Mr.. Smiths declaration that he was
a klansman and proud of it,"
Judge Fred L. Odom, before whom
the inquiry was being held, warned
the spectators against a repetition
of such a demonstration.
George Seth Guion, assistant at
torney general, and Howard Warren,
special states attorney, who talked
with Capt. Skipwith, stated that he
had stopped them on the streets early
yesterday and made a request for a
of the Ku Klux Khan. The assistant
attorney general said that Capt. Skip
with desired to lay before the attorney
general all OF the operations of the
Morehouse khan during the last year
in order to prove that 1t was not
ofhliated with the black masked
band said to have been responsible
for the deaths of Watt Daniel and
Thomas F. Richard.
Capt. Skipwith from early in the
morning until after nightfali is the
center of attention as he walks from
one group of men to another in front
of the Bastrop ourthouse. He has
a ready answer for every question
put to him and always comes out
in defense of the khan whenever the
occasion arises
Thirteen ON List.
lhiTlSSu HdtuSS were on InS IlSL
Of prospective witnesses for today.
Among these is Marshall Mott,
student of Mississippi College, who
was named by Conrad McDuffy as
being his companion when he saw
an automobile truck, driven by a
masked man. returning from the di-
rection of Lake La Yourche on the
night of August "a, the date on which
Daniel and Richard are reported to
have disappeared.
w. B. Stuckey. Mer Rouge attorney;
w. F. Campbell, town marshal of
Mer Rouge; w. l. Pugh and Fred
Cobb of Rastrop; F. E. Mason of
Monroe; A. l. Smith, Flodd Madison
and A, N. Williams are on the wit
ness list.
Campbell was one of three men
said to have been designated by
Capt. Skipwith to leave Mer Rouge.
Pugh was the one who Vouched for
Campbell and allowed him to remain.
Smith, Madison and Williams, local
men, were named by witnesses as
members of the committee who con-
ferred with khan leaders on a plan
to quiet conditions in Morehouse.