The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-01-24
Mysterious Witness" En-
Route to Mer Rouge to Tes-
tify as to Sayings in Lousi.
ana by Black Hooded Men,
Report to Authorities.

Bastop, La, Jan. 24.-Attorney
General Coco said today that ne
would attempt to obtain an indict-
ment for murder against Capt. J. X.
Skiowith, head Of the Morehouse
parish Ku Klux Klan when evidence
obtained into the hearing here con-
ditions in the parish is placed be-
fore the grand jury.
WITNESS LOCATED
Leon Jones of Moselle, Miss. re-
garded as the "mysterious witness"
was en- route here today to testify
at the open hearing. Jones is said
to be the owner Of the broken down
automobile parked near Lake La
Fourche on the night Of August "a.
1t is said tnat he saw black hood
ed band having Watt Daniel and I.
F. Richard as prisoners arrive at
the lake. The body of Daniel and
Richards were found in the lake on
Dec. 60.
SHIPMENT NAMED
The names Of Captain j. X. Ship
with, exalted cyclops of the More
house Parish Ku Klux Klan, again
figured prominently in testimony
given yesterday at the states open
hearing into operations of masked
men in the parish, which culminat-
ed August "a, in the kidnapping Of
Walt Daniel and J. F. Richard, of
Mer Rouge, whose bodies were found
December % in Lake La Fourche.
Miss Lillian Weilenman, a tele-
phone operator in the Bastrop ex-
change, testified that Captain Skip
with had requested her not to ham
die any calls between Bastrop and
Mer Rouge, either outgoing or in
coming. but an effort by the state
to definitely set the date of the re-
quest as August "a failed.
Miss Weilenman could not remem-
Der the time nor was she positive it
was August "a.
Told to Ignore Calls
"You don't remember anything?
You don't remember anybody COM
ing into your office and telling you
not to send any messages or to re-
ceive any messages over your way
she was asked.
"Yes sir.'I
"Well, who was it that told that?"
Captain Skipwith."
Exactly what was it that captain
SkilD|ith said, as well as you can
"Just asked me would I not take !
any calls to or from Mer Rouge"
"And did you refuse or yield to
that request?"
Il just went on with my work, 1 |
didn't say anything. He left"
Wires Were Cut
Miss Weilenman previously had
explained that Mer Rouge is on a di-
ect line with Bastrop. The kidnap-
ping of Daniel and Richard occurred
on the Mer Rouge highway just be-
yond the corporate limits Of Bas-
trop and witnesses have testified !
that the telephone wires at the
scene had been cut and were trail
ing on the ground.
Captain Skipwith also was men,
TONED by Pickett Mason and Roy
Of Gallon, both of whom
attended a celebration here on Aug
ust "a.
Clarence Teegerstrom, brother of
Harold Teegerstrom, timekeeper at
the plant of the Southern Carbon
Company at Spyker, who disappear
ed on the night Of December 20 and :.
for whom the state and department
of justice agents have been search
ng testified to receiving a note
rom his brother on January IL.
Ceegerstrom admitted he was q
member of the Ku Klux Klan and
stated he had joined the organiza-
ion the first of this month.
Hear From Teegerstrom
The letter from his brother. he
estified, bore an uncancelled two
'ent stamp and it was handed to
lim by Dean Ashcraft, who said it
lad been taken out Of the !, mail
,ox Of the carbon company by s. /.
3ennett, the superintendent.
Harolds Communication assured
Clarence that he was al right and
(continusd On Page Thrss)