The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-03-22
JURY FAILS TO
INDICT kLANSMEN
Holds Evidence insufficient to
Justify Action in Mer Rouge
Ku KIux Staying.
STATE TO PRESS SUIT
Calls Killings "DeplorabIe Crime"
but Says Evidence Is Lacking.
Change of Venue From More
house Parish Will Be Asked.

Bastrop, La.-No indictments were
returned by the Morehouse Parish
Grand Jury in connection with the
Staying of Watt Daniel and T. F. Rich
ard on August "a last and with hood
ed band activities which the jury had
been investigating for ten days.
The Grand Jury referred to the
masked band case as "the deplorable
crime of August 24,' and stated that
while it had gone thoroughly into the
affair, 1t could find no evidence that
would warrant the indictment of any
individuals.
Attorney General Coco and two OF
his assistants left here before the
Grand Jury made its report. Mr.. Coco
said that in event no indictments
were returned he would file bills of
information against certain persons
named at the open hearing in Janu-
airy as having participated in mob ac-
tivities.
The Grand Jury said that reports of
friction between the Grand Jury and
the Attorney General and his assist
ants were absolutely false and I'M
founded"
Capt. ]. X. Skipwith, Exalted Cy-
clops of the Morehouse Ku Klux Khan,
made this comment
stTA -
highly elated. The state has done its
duty and hope 1t is satisfied and will
let the matter rest"
Many other crimes charged to hood
ed bands were not mentioned in the
Grand Jury report More than 125
witnesses were heard by the jury.
IT. o. Walmsley, Assistant Attorney
General, who questioned many wit
nesses at the open hearing, said at
New Orleans he believed the state
would act at once in presenting af-
fidavits against persons suspected of
being implicated in the death of the
two men and for various lesser Of
lenses.
1.-THE state had counted on indict-
ments at least for the lesser offenses,"
Mr.. Walmsley said, adding that there
was sufficient ground on which the
state could obtain new Grand Jury.
He said the state would request
change of venue for the trial of those
against whom affidavits would be
made. He intimated that affidavits
would charge more than forty-five per-
sons with such crimes as lying in wait
with a dangerous weapon, assault and
battery and deporting persons from
the state. He was not positive what
course would be taken concerning
those implicated in more serious
crimes.
On August "a, 1922, five citizens of
Mer Rouge, IT. F. Richard, Watt DAN
iel, his father, j. L. Daniel; W. c.
Andrews and "Tot" Davenport were
abducted on the Bastrop-Mer Rouge
road, while returning by automobile
from a picnic celebration at Bastrop
The abductors, estimated at from fif-
teen to twenty men, one in white
robe and the remainder wearing black
hoods, placed the five in truck and
drove away. Late that night ]. L.
Daniel and Andrews were released
after being fogged, while Davenport
was released without punishment.
Richard and Watt Daniel disappeared.
On December 81, Gov. Parker or
dered company of infantry to More
house to drag the lake in search Of
the bodies. The bodies Of two men
bound with telephone wires and badly
mutilated were found floating on the
surface of the lake. They were iden-
titled as those of Richard and Daniel.
An open hearing was started Janu-
airy 5 to investigate the Staying of the
two men and the activities Of masked
bands in the parish which the Cover
nor attributed to the Ku Klux Khan.
The open hearing revealed stories
of abductions, deportations, floggings,
sending of threatening notes and de-
tails of the circumstances leading to
the disappearance of the men who
were murdered.