MER ROUGE MURDERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18380, 21 April 1923, Page 9

MER ROUGE MURDERS.

TWENTY MEN ACCUSED. KU KLUX KLAN MEMBERS. A. and N.Z. NEW YORK, April 19. The State attorneys at Bastrop, Louisiana, have filed bills of information against two men, Watt and Daniels, for the murders at Mer Rouge. Warrants have been issued for the arrest of 18 others, including Shipworth, Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan, and McKein, a former mayor of Mer Rouge.

Fantastic titles are used by the Ku Klux Klan. The highest office is that of "Imperial Wizard, Emperor of the Invisible Empire," and other orders are Geneii, Grand Dragons, Hydras of Realms; Grand Goblins and Kleagles of Domains; Grand Titans and Furies of Provinces; Giants, Exalted Cyclops, and Terrors of Klantons. All citizens of the " Invisible Empire " are knights. The charges arise out of the murder of two men in Mer Rouge, whose bodies were found in the lake after a heavy explosion which occurred while the neighbouring area was being searched. It was alleged by the Governor that the Klan had the whole State under a reign of terror, and he asked for Federal assistance in putting an end to its operations. At the • inquest on the bodies a verdict acquitting the Klan of interference was returned, but it is stated that this was secured under the terrorism of the society.