Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-23
Witnesses Identify Skip
With'S Son, Truck Owner
and Another-KIan Chief
Plans to Make Statement

| Plans to Make Statement
| BtA3STROP, La, Jan. 22.-By thu
| Associated Press efforts of TIL
state of Louisiana, through an oper
hearing here, to fix responsibility
for the kidnapping August "a of Wat
Daniel and T. F. Richard, whose
mutilated bodies were discovered De
cember % in the waters of Lake La
f ,.che, twenty-five miles from
Bastrop, moved forward Saturday
with unexpected rapidity. Three more
names were added to the alleged
| roster of the masked band which
made captives of Daniel and Rich
ard, and the Ford truck in which
they were whisked away was identi
| fed.
Smith Stevenson a1S7 Oliver Skip
with, the latter the youngest son cl
Captain J. K. Skipwith, admitted
| leader of the Ku Klux Khan in More
house parish, and a third man iden-
titled only as Blacksmith" Smith
were declared by witnesses today tu
have been members of the kidnapping
band and the state put in evidence
a telegram from the state bureau OF
motor vehicles at Baton Route giving
the name of the man registered az
the owner of the truck.
The name of Captain Skipwitll
also was connected with the str.
ring evidence of the evening when
inc witness testified that he saw
the khan leader at the fork OF the
Monroe ollinston highway in con.
versation with a hooded man. The
captors and their prisoners were
last seen at Collinston.
H. B. Blankenship, of ,Bastror, was
the witness whose Identification OF
young Sl1ipwith, Stevenson and the
truck created one of the greatest
sensations since the hearing began.
Blankenship testified that IN the la,e
afternoon the hooded band in several
automobiles and with Daniel, Ttich
ard and three other prisoners. all
blindfolded aud with their hanGs
tied behind their backs, went by his
home. The caravan, he said, pass
ed within fifteen ieet of him. The
prisoners were aboard TIC truck, he
said He did not see the license
number of the truck or ears hut
having been for some time familiar
with cars Of the kind he observed
the truck closely in order that he
might recognize it if he saw Il again.
Searched for Truck
Asked f he searched for it later,
he replied that he had, ard that be.
cause Of various distinguishing
marks, he had recognized it. He
said it bore 922~Louisiana license
tag No. 74657. 1t was at this june.
ture that Attorney General Coco in.
PRODUCED lin evidence the telegram
from Baton Rouga declaring that
car No. 74657 was registered in the
name Of Smith Stevenson.
Blankenship was then asked if
he had recognized any of the hood
ed men.
eyes, I am positive; Oliver skip
with and Smith Stevenson"
The witness explained that he
had identified Skipwith by the man
ner in which he was attired, and
added that he was on the running
board of one of the cars "close to
me-" Stevenson, he said, was driv-
ing the machine. cit was his car,
and from his appearance, I am sure
it was him.
Stevenson was on the stand ear
ly this week and testified that he
was in Bastrop the night of Au-
gust "a, adding that he had been
deputized as a marshal during the
day to assist in preserving order
at the barbecue and baseball game.
He testified that he owned a Ford
truck; that it had been used dur
ing the day to haul water to, the
baseball park. but that it was at
his home that night. He said if it
was used during the night it was
without his knowledge and without
his permission.
The man identified as BLACK
smith" Smith was named as a mem
Der Of the kidnapping party by Mrs.
B. d. Carlisle. After Mrs. Carlisle
had told of Identifying T. Jeff Bur
nett, former Morehouse deputy
sheriff, as having been the masked
man who liberated her horse from
a tangle of several telephone wires
at the scene of the wholesale hold
up, she told Of having met a strange
woman in Bastrop several days la.
ter. While in her company, she
was approached by man who, she
said, she was informed by her COM
panion, was "Blacksmith'' Smith.
Asked Not to Tell
Smith, she said, asked her If she
had recognized him at the scene
Of the holdup on August "a.
II told him had" the witness
testified. "He then offered me $1.50.
I refused it and he gave 1t to my
baby. He told me not to tell on
him, and I said I would not"
! Captain Skipwith's name was