The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-18
To ESTABLISH.
.|DEN THY Of
MOBMEMBERS
Coco Announces State viii
Make New Move in Hearing
at Sessions Today--M
Koin Received Threats
Witness Declares
BY Associated Press

! WV oldIS dLtOfHSy SetiCldl, an
nounced tonight he would begin to-
morrow the task of establishing the
identity of members of the black
hooded band responsible for the kid
naping Of Watt Daniel and Thomas
Richards, whose decapitated and
mutilated bodies were found on the
surface of Lake LaFourche three
weeks ago
Mr. Coco made this announce
inent after the conclusion of today's
session of the open hearing inquiry
undertaken to ferret out the slayers
of Daniel and Richards and perpe-
traitors of other masked band de-
predations in Morehouse parish.
Threats Received
Threatening letters and the state
ment of William Higgenbotham,
/ farmer. that DR.. B. NJ. McKoin, for
mer mayor of Mer Rouge, had
learned of an alleged plot to kill him
formed the basis of today's testimony
at the open hearing today.
Higgenb otham, explaining the
presence of Newt" Gray at his home
the night Daniel and Richards were
taken prisoner by black hooded
mob, declared he was at the Higgen-
botham farm in the role of protector
because of a letter received earlier
In the day warning Higgenbotham to
"tend to your business"
.sNot Your Friend
The letter signed "Not Your
Friend" was placed in the record.
- ~ taa nTa n.
ing of the days session, but was tenn
porarily excused to consult with his
attorneys when the question was
j raised as TO whether he could be
forced 10 testify in view of a news
paper publication which his counsel
interpreted to indicate he would be
made defendant in criminal proceed
iings.
The letter signed Not Your
Friend" was placed in the record. II
read:
"Why don't you tend to your own
business? 1t is no matter to you
about our negro women or making
whisky. We intend to do as we
please and your bunch can't stop us.
We know you and we are going to
stop you Take this for what it is
worth and get close together. You
~ guess the rest
"Who did you have in mind as to
the writer of the letter." Higgen-
botham was asked.
Names Suspects
~ think it was those fellows
around Mer Rouge. Watt Daniel and
VIII Braddock had the reputation OF
being whisky makers and sellers.
And also James Noteworthy, but
Noteworthy had said he had quit
making it
/ The witness could give no further
Information as to any further sus-
picion he might have.
DR.. McKoin, Higgenbotham SAID,
told him he had heard Leon Daniel
brother of Watt, had said the latter
had planned to kill him. An attempt
to assassinate McKoin, now charged
in affidavit with murder. is al
legged to have been made during the
I disappearance of Daniel an"
| Richards
Higgenbotham declared himself a
member of the Parish branch of the
Ku Klux Khan and brought out II
was his understanding that black
p, hoods and robes were part or the
( Khan regalia. He asserted. however
that he did not have the black dis
guise.
scription. coming to the time of the
| hold-up on the Mer Rouge Bastrop
bigbway. when the two men were
kidnapped August "a.
Higgenbotham, like other witness
es could not, however, name any of
the black hooded men who took part
"Who did you see in the road?"
was asked,
pig Jim Noteworthy, with his hat
! in his hand and his hair standing
| strai ght.'
For the second time since the
| hearing began 10 days ago, defense
| connsel interrupted proceedings to-
| dav nv Directing to the testimony
| OF the witness Gray. 6. w. Bar
1 nett as counsel for Gray, in the
course of his argument asserted that
! the questioning in some instances
/ had taken the form of third de-
gree" and that further Interrogation
~ the witness would be violation
of the constitution OF Louisiana.
| Attorneys for the state vigorous
~ denied any third degree tao
| tics were being employed. Gray re-
ouested the court to allow him to
consult further with his counsel and
he was permitted to leave the stand.
rbroughout the day Gray remained
| in the corridor outside the court
| room door
Fred Ii. Carpenter. Morehouse par
! ;sh sheriff. was recalled to the stand
a, the reconvening of court today,
| Two questions were asked relative
70 the raid on Alonzo Braddock' $
home in which Braddock, on the
stand. named Capt. j. X. Skipwith as