Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-09-11
Hop Riot"

n been called TO an article published IN tn
k Green Mountain Express, "a few num-
l." bers Of which are sent to this place,
e pretending to give an account of what
1t terms Hop Riot" in Irasburg. il
T. which are some statements entirely er
a roneous, and also an omission of many
S circumstances calculated to mislead the
S public 10 relation to the transaction be
e tween Mr. Hill, the other parties ant
+ myself As the article bad no signature
? affixed, it must be considered editorial
b but it smells too strong of the partie:
: engaged to admit any doubt of its origin
: Concerning the propriety of making use
] Of Newspaper to publish controversies
arising on business transactions Of an en-
tirely private nature, aud which will
doubtless be settled by judicial investiga.
ton, for the purpose of prejudcing the
public mind, there can be but one opin-
ion; but since the matter is brought be-
fore a portion of community through that
medium, resort TO the same, in justice
to myself in order to correct any false
impressions the public may have received
from the article herein mentioned. |
purpose to give some of the principal
and leading facts of the case, although It
is not my design TO publish all the evil
dence and facts upon which ! rely in
bringing my case to legal inve stigation.
Most if not all, my statements are well
known to be facts in the neighborhood
Of Hill and of the other parties. First,
Hill gave me lease Of the place in or
der to secure me for necessaries for his
family, for team, seed grain, and farming
tools which l had furnished him, and
agreed to furnish, all of which were nee
essary to him for carrying on the place
This was done at bis earnest solicitation,
subsequent to. his efforts, and failure, to
obtain them from other sources, as be
represented to me. Sometime previous
to my taking possession Of the place to
secure the crops, detected Hills treach-
cry in his attempt to defraud me, and
secure the crop to the other parties CON
necte with this transaction. the said
parties being well aware that the crops
were sold to me, and that Hill had re-
ceiyed payment for the same. l make
these statements merely that the public
may judge who had The most equitable
right to the crops. | went TO the farm
with no gang" but only a sufficient
number of workmen and hop pckers to
pick the hops, and harvest some grain. !
Hill then, and there, assumed a belliger-
ent tone, and objected to my taking the
hops, although until the day previous he
had always expressed to me a willing
ness that | should have them. Again
the statement in the Express, that was
the "aggressor," in the affray that took
place, is false, as is well known to the !
parties present. The first beligerent
demonstration was from Hill, who raised
an iron bar and attempted to oppose the
entrance of my workmen into the Hop
field. He subsequently assaulted me, by
grasping my collar, with both hands,
which attack commenced cur collision.
| requested him, several times to desist
and "let co." He did not. This state
ment of the facts think shows him the
aggressor. What followed neither of us
have any occasion TO be proud of. The
next day | went to the farm with my
help, and there met what is usually
termed mob, drawn up to resist the en-
trance of my workmen upon the prem
lSt-, Sttll hlou plolCooHu " bt oCllt lutiG
by, and acting under John II. Kellam,
his son being one of the number, armed
with big stake and looking somewhat
ferocious. | was somewhat surprised at
this, supposing Mr., Kellam was, or ought
to be, law abiding citizen, and if he
had legal right to the hops, his recourse
was to the law. Another circumstance
connected with this l will mention, leav-
ing the public to judge. What hops my
help had picked were taken to Mr.. Kid
der's hop house to dry, soon after an at
tempt was made to burn his hop house,
which came very near succeeding. The
can be ascertaned from Mr..
Kidder.
Mr.. Editor you will oblige me by Civ
ing the above place in the columns of
he Standard,
D. P. WALwoRrH.
Coventry, Sept s, 1868.
ANNUAL FAIR.-The Eighth Annual