The Washington times., 1923-01-22
EVIDENCE
INVOLVES
SCORES
Louisiana State Attorney Says
He May Be Able to Ask
100 indictments.
By VIM. X. HUTCHINSON,
International News service.

a.t4a
COURTHOUSE, BASTROP, La,
Jan. %. The State Of Louisiana
today launched closing drive to
wreak belated justice on the
"black masks" of Morehouse
parish, who climaxed their terror
list rule with the brutal murders
Of Watt Daniel and Thomas r..
Richards last August.
Evidence Involves Score.
A net Of circumstantial evidence
has been spun at the open hearing
involving q score Of members Of the
ku Klux Khan In depredations OF
the black masks and 1T was the
purpose OF State prosecutors to iI1-
yolve the Khan as an organization IN
the hooded moi" murders. New
evidence, said to place responsibility
fbr the reign of terror squareIy On
the khan was In the hands Of the
State authorities ready for use at
the open hearing.
1 Five klansmen, one of them the
son Of Capt. J.. k. SkipWitla, exalted
cyclops, have been identified as
members of the hooded murder
mob" which kidnapped Daniel and
Richards with three companions
last August. The two men never
returned alive from the custody Df
this 'mob" and their mutiIated
bodies were later found floating In
Lake Lafourche. The five were
z jeff Burnett, former sheriff; u.
Newt Grey, church deacon and
INw
son Of the cyclops: Steve Stevenson,
former policeman and ..Blacksniths'
Smith, said to have been guard on
the murder trick
Msy Link ,McKoin.
Announcement was made today
that additional identificafions of
murder mob members will be
made through witnesses who were
halted by the masked band during
the kidnapping of Daniel and Richards. Z
Reports were current that the name.
of DR.. Bunne M. McKoin, charged.
with murder as the alleged leader.
of the mob, will be linked to the
murders in testimony for the first.
time. McKoin was previously iden-5
titled an the leader Kof the black
masks who .deported Miss Addiea
Openly Ichatging the Ku / Kli1x
whole reign ok terror In Morehouse
Parish. the state prosecutors
planned to link the organization dr.
rectly with the murders of Daniel
and Richards. The state has at.
tempted to prove the kIan's respon.
sibility for other outrages through
the Identification Of mob, leaders as
recognized khan officials. A score
Of witnesses have testified that
Capt. j. K .Skipwith, khan chief
tain, led bands Of black masks" on
kidnapping and whipping expeditions.
II was believed similar action would
be taken to link the khan with the
murders.
Attorney General A. v. Coco,
fresh from a conference with Gov:
John NJ. Parker, renewed his dec
laration that 100 indictments would
be asked of the Parish grand Jury
when the open hearing Is COM
pIeted. A special indictment against
all officials OF the Ku Klux Khan
here will also be asked. The pos-
sible action OF the grand jury, how.
ever, remains riddle.
No Arrests at Present.
There will be no arrests, II was
learned, until after the grand jury
has acted. II indictments are re.
fused by the grand Jury, the State
then will take special action
''informations," q special
permitted by Louisiana
laws. The prosecution then would
be conducted independent Of all To-
cal authorities.
r. jeff Burnett, former deputy
sheriff. who is, the second man
charged with murder In the present
was at his home In
Spyker, near here, today at liberty
under $4,000 bail. The granting OF
bail to Burnett. 1t was learned, was
\ move Of the attorney generate
staff and was not desired by the
accused mans attorneys,
The attorney generals office
arranged the bail. 1t was said, over
the heads of defense attorneys in
order to prevent the Incarceration
OF Burnett. who Is Ill. to be used
TO win sympathy for him. The de-
Tense attorneys also intended to
Institute. proceedings to get Burnett
but in sueh~a way as to
force the State to reveal all the
evidence 1t holds against him.
Under the circumstances. the State
won a decided victory,