The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-01-26
KHAN BLAMED FOR
REIGN OF TERROR
Morehouse 0utrages Laid
AT Their Doors
CHARGES OF COCO
Louisiana Attorney General
Makes Statement To Court
- At Close Hearing -.
fAssociated Press pisnatch.l

AoSNtCps in'1 SOs-- ne
Ku klux Khan was charged with re-
sponsibility for numerous outrages
in Morehouse parish in statement
today by A. V. Coco. attorney gen
eral OF Louisiana. at tf4e conclusion
OF the open hearing into activities
OF masked bands, which eliminated
August "a in the kidnapping near
here oil Watt Daniel and T. +. Rich
ard, whose bodies were found id a
lake tw enty five miles from the
scene on December %. r.
Text of Statement.
The attorney general addressed
the ccuft Immediately before ad-
journment. The text of the state
ment follows in part:
1T Is my very painful and humil :
iating duty to refer to the deplorable
conditions in this parish, as reveal :
ed by the evidence. The proof is
convincing that since the advent of
the ku klux Khan into this parish
there has gradually arisen a condi-
ton of disorder and lawlessness
which has ripened into superces-
sion OF constituted authorities by
the Ku Klux Khan and the establish
ment ola government of its own,
from which reign of terror and
chaos have resulted and the parish
was on the brink of riot and blood
shed when the governor sent the
militia here and these proceedings
were initiated. r-
N while it may be conceded that
many klansmen, did not actually
participate or encourage these many
acts of lawiessness and crime, which
finally eliminated in the murder of
Watt Daniel and T. F. Richard. they
may nevertheless be deemed re-
sponsible therefor by reasons of
their silence and inaction. These Of
lenses and crimes were committed
in the name of order, under the
protection OF its regalia and in me
use OF its reEognfzed fffetif0ds and
practices, and Under the leadership
OF its officers, the principal of which
has. for the last six months al
least. brought about condition in
this perish which is blot on our
civilization, and brings into ques
ton the proud title OF American
citizenship. -
4 "The Jogging Of citizens, their ds-
portation and Punishment and other
kindred offenses, were but mere
pastimes and OF such frequent oc7
currance that they were accepted as
common place things, the protest
against which was itself sufficient
ground for deportation. T.
without going into detail, we
beg to say that the conclusion We
have reached with these many acts
of violence and crime, and 1t is the
purpose of the state to present this
evidence to the grand jury for its
consideration and action as soon as
we can get a transcript OF it. -.
! Surprise Witness Testifies
Laurence Leon Jones OF Moselle,
Miss. declared by the state to have
been the last person known to have
seen Watt Daniel and t: F. Richard
after they were kidnapped by masked
men near here. August "a, and whose
bodies were found in the waters OF
Lake EaEourche on December p,
took the stand today at the open
hearing into operations Of hooded
bands in Morehouse parish.
Last summer Jones was enroute
from Breckenridge, Texas, to his
home in Mississippi in an automobile
and because of bad roads come via
Monroe La and Bastrop. He was
moving. and his machine, powerful
touring car, was heavily loaded with
household effects and camping out
fit. On leaving Bastrop he ran.
through Mer Rouge and Oak Ridge.
What happened to your car dur
ing that day." he. was asked.
"A mule and wagon met me on the
road. The mule reared and turned
across the road. Il put on my en-
Urgency brake an stripped the hub.
The car was out of commission. Il
was about three quarters of mile
from the ferry at the lake. 1t was
obout noon" 4
Jones waited all day for the re.
pair part, which another tourist had
taken to nearby town to be welded.
The machine broke down in the cen
ter of the highway and remained in
THontinIiAd ~ pa0e ~