The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-04
SKIPWITH-M'KOIN
COALITION FORMED
TO RULE I'm PARISH
Evidence Indicates that Khan Carried ON Reign
of Terror to Achieve Its Objects, Whatever
They May Have Been-MOral Indignation of
Khan Leaders Said TO- Have Led to Demand
for "Clean-Up" of Quiet Town.

dressed to the Mer Rouge editor
and then forgot all about it.
STAGE is SET.
Mr.. Davenport fumed, but all
the Tuning only made things
worse. He never got the gentle
mans satisfaction.
Things moved along. The
breach widened, so today's trag-
edy was. perhaps, conceived. The
years passed.
Mer Rouge flourished.
Bastrop continued to slip.
Values increased in Mer Rouge.
They dropped in Bastrop.
But Bastrop held one ace. It
was the county seat. The histor-
ic county seat" fight developed.
Time came some eight years
ago when Bastrop decided that it
wanted q new courthouse. It
wanted it for two reasons: town
pride and the more subtle rea-
son. that once q new courthouse
was built it would effectually
stop Mer Rouge's effort to grab
the seat Of government.
Mer Rouge saw the possibilities
It would afford a splendid oppor-
tunity to bring the battle to an
issue.
But Bastrop had been caught
asleep once.
BASTROP WINS FIGHT.
It's leaders worked quietly to
build new courthouse by bond
issue. However, they feared q
bond issue would be defeated by
the people because Of more
taxes. Bastropians controlled the
police jury.
It could vote an "appropria-
ton" and 1t could order the
repair" Of the old courthouse
through this appropriation.
A happy thought. The police
jury received it's instructions, the
appropriation" was voted and
over night Bastrop had won the
great fight. a new courthouse
had been ordered.
1t was Mer Rouge's time to
awake with a start. The two
towns at last were at the point
Of swords.
Things went from bad to
worse.
NIXON ENTERS.
About this time there came
into ascendency in Mer Rouge
a young doctor by the name
Of McKoin-Dr. B. M. McKoin.
He was affable and determined.
He was rather a slxillful prac-
dtioner. He made friends rapid
~. His prestige grew. His
power spread from Mer Rouge.
And there was ascending to
the pinnacle OF greatness over
here in Bastrop one Capt. J. K.
Skipwith. In the more metro
politan districts he would have
been a ward leader, a boss.
These two men became friends.
Each undoubtedly saw in the
other what he, himself, lacked.
Together, they apparently real
lied, they possessed the qualities
of forceful leadership.
The doctor was persuasive and
suave.
FORMED PARTNERSHIP.
The captain was blunt and
domineering. Without knowing
it. perhaps, they unconsciously
formed a partnership.
And it was about this time
that DR.. McKoin .sprang into q
little more than local notoriety.
There was a doctor over the
Gallon way by the name Of
Thomas. He was a good doctor.
He held the confidence of the
public over there. He was to
Gallon what DIR. McKoin was
to Mer Rouge.
But McKoin was a business
getter.
Thomas was the typical coun-
try doctor. Thomas patients, it
is said, eventually found their
way to DR.. McKoin's office.
DR.. Thomas practice COM
menced to dwindle. He regarded
McKoin as an interloper. Thomas
confided to his friends. Words
passed between them. Thomas,
tits said, asked McKoin to stay
lin his own back yard"
McKoin laughed. One day the
two men came together. Thomas
died with two bullet wounds near
his heart, McKoin was exonerated
by the coroner's jury. It was
self-defense. The grand jury re-
ported a no-bill. The incident was
closed. Capt. Skipwith was the
Doctors most valuable defender at
the time.
DR.. McKoin plunged into the
politics Of Mer Rouge. He became
the stormy petrol OF the com.
munity.