Evening star., 1923-01-20
BURNETT ALLOWED BAIL.
Prisoner in Lake Murder Case Has
Been III.


BASTROP, La, January 20-T. j.
Burnett, held on an affidavit charging
murder in connection with the death
of Watt Daniel and Thomas Richards,
will be released on bond of $1,000, it
has been officially announced.
Burnett arrived here early today
from Shreveport, where he has been
confined in a hospital because of an
illness he contracted while in the
small parish jail here. A conference
between attorneys for defense and
members of the attorney generals
staff resulted in an agreement to al
low bail for him.
A coroaer's certificate was presented
to show If the prisoner was recon
fined in the Bastrop jail he would
moro than likely suffer a relapse.
Burnett IdentIAed.
Burnett was identified yesterday as
a member of the black k-hooded band
which kidnapped Daniel, Richard. W.
C. Andrews. Tot" Davenport and j
L. Daniel on August "a. +. A. Der
ry) milestone testified he saw Bur
nett with his mask up while the band
was assembling In a woods about two
miles from Bastrop for the wholesal.
kidnapping.
A. V. Coco, attorney general, early
today announced he would leave here
this afternoon for Baton Rouge for a
conference tomorrow with Gov. John
NJ. Parker.
The attorney general said the con
ference is for the purpose of discuss
ing the investigation into masked
band activities and the report made
to him by Department of Justice
agents yesterday that q black-hooded
band continues TO operate in More
house parish.
attorney general early today by tele-
phone, urging him to be in Eaton
Rouge at an early hour tomorrow.
Mr.. Coco will return here Slouday.
Sidney Rogers. youth who claimed
he was a victim of a masked band
near Mer Rouge Thursday night, will
be brought here today by Department
of Justice agents for further ques-
tioning. and will be placed on the
witness stand at the open hearing
some time during the day, 1t y as Off
cially announced.
Report OF Hold-Up.
Rogers reported to Department OF
Justice agents yesterday he was held
up about two miles from Mcr Rouge
by six or eight black-hooded men.
knight" He identified himself and
was released.
Rogers, according to the report,
claimed that while driving a team
of horses attached to- a light wagon
he was stopped by six or eight black
hooded men, one of them holding him
up with pistol. The federal officers
report said that the man wanted was
j. NJ. Knight, grocer of Mer Rouge
IAS - %taaf
port, could give no reason why the
hooded band was after him. In
statement given to federal agents
the grocery man claimed that he had
only one enemy in Mer Rouge, and
that had resulted from a quarrel over
the payment of rent.
Ordered to Leave Town.
A personal experience with hooded
men in Morehouse parish was de-
scribed today by e. C. Osborne, TWEEN
ty-nine. witness testifying at the
open hearing here.
Osborne, now a resident of Madison
parish, testified he had an order from
the Vigilant committee giving him ten
days to leave Morehouse parish. He
said he received the notice in Febru-
Il tried to make an investigation"
said Osborne. "but 1 was advised to
leave, and leave at once"
1.-THE note was delivered to me by a
masked man. l asked him to be al
lowed to stay. but he merely flashed q
light on his hood and then rode away.
I was up against IL. ] had to sell my
property. / realized $3.50 for sixty
acres of land. I went to the sheriff
and told him ! had been accused of
making whisky, and for him to 60 to
my place and make a. search.
"I then went TO a lawyer. and he
told me ! was powerless and he said
the court was poweriess. ! was then
advised to leave the parish
The witness said he went to his
brother-in in-law, Bud McCoWin, and
learned he, too, had received a warn
ing.
II stayed there for about day and
that night was walking about three
miles from Bastrop when ] was sur
rounded by masked men. i made a
break through the woods and got to
$ha xuIfposc