The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-05
NEW MOVE MAY SHED LIGHT ON
 2 DNAP|NGS
Score Of Warehouse Persons Face Charges At Important Trials Which Will Begin
 At Bastrop On Monday
CAPTAIN SKlPWITH AND SON MUST FACE JUDGE
Attorney General Coco Will Ask For Change Of Venue If He Finds Justice Impossible In Warehouse Parish

BAsTROP, La, Nov. 4-There was every indication that the trial of misdemeanor cases in connection with the operation of hooded bands in Warehouse parish last year, and scehduled to begin here tomorrow before Judge Fred M. Odom of the Sixth judicial district is an impoc- tant step in the states effort to de- termine responsibility for the kid naping and alleged murder of Watt Daniel and T. F. Richard of Mer Rouge.
 The grand jury in March, after more than 100 witnesses who appear ed at the open hearing in January failed to return indictments and Attorney General A. V. Coco filed bills of information against nearly score of citizens of the parish, most of whom are admitted to be mem bers of the ku Klu Klan. They were charged with having committed misdemeanors and felonies, largely as a result of the activities of a so- called vigilance" committee which witnesses at the open hearing charged with flogging, deportations and other lawless acts.
 Only the misdemeanor cases are scheduled for trial at this time and only one of them relates to the Dan iel-Richard case. There were indica- tions that it was included in the list by the state in the hope that some thing might develop that would war K. Skipwith. exalted cyclops of tn Morehouse Ku Klux Kan, his soG, Oliver, and Newt Gray, T. Jeff BuI- nett and Smith Stevenson are charged with "conspiring to compel pers5u to leave an automobile"
 Story Of Kidnapping.
 The Kidnapping of Daniel and Rich- ard occurred August 24, 1922, on tha outskirts of Bastrop. A barbecue and baseball game had drawn persons from all parts of the parish ail those who returned home via the Mer Rouge highway encountered a rgs party Of hooded men short dis nee from town. Every wagon and Stto- mobile was stopped and searches $ gl the band of men and when DEaieis Richard, Tot" Davenport, W. c. &I.- drews and J. L. Daniel, father of Watt. appeared they were made prisoners, bound, blindfolded, plset 1 in small motor truck and whisksd away. J. l.. Daniel, Davenport ana Andrews were released shortly sfter nightfall after two of them had besn flogged. Watt Daniel and Richard never were seen again but two mutt lated bodies found in Lake Lafourche four months later were identified ss theirs.
 Persons stopped on the highway by the masked band testified at tAa open hearing that they recognize Burnett and Gray IS members of the hooded hold-up party. Others testi- fled the truck apparently belonged to Stevenson and that Oliver Skip with was recognized as one of the masked men riding in it with the five prisoners. Captain Skipwith was involved through the testimony of Harry Prophitt, business man oi Monroe, who had come to Bastrop for the barbecue. Prophitt said that on his return home just at dusk he saw Captain Skipwith, unmasked, conversing with man whom he took to be a negro, at the fork of the Monroe -Collinston road. On his arrival at Monroe, Prophitt heard of the Kidnapping and said he imme- diately arrived at the conclusion that
 (COptiDued on F,axe Fourfeeul