The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-07-26

stroyeu ioV - tuouBu Couio Pos ny ~s~~
on the man that burned II. Thursday night
my son Was coming along IN front OF the post
Office and there was q crowd OF roughs there
talking about the burning OF my machine. +
He heard one Of them say, didn't - get OFT
OF that nice
Above we have given Mr.. Johnsons state
ment in his own language. The machine was
burned few minutes after midnight on Tues
day. neighboring woman heard her dog
barking about midnight and got up to call HIM
IN. She saw a man in his shir,sleeves walking
across the wheat-hsld in the direction OF the
machine. but thinking it was Mr.. Perkins or
some OF bis hired men, gave the matter no fur
Their attention. The Detroit and Milwaukee
Railway track runs close by the field and the
engineer OF the tram which goes through Pom
tao at II 30 saw the fire and blew several long
blasts with the whistle.
Notwithstanding the fact that strong fire
waa made with rails, sheaves OF wheat, etc, the
wood work of the mschne was not all destroy
ed. The fire seems to have been made on the
butt end OF the tongue and under the seat. The
tongue was burned of, the seat destroyed, and
the platform under the seat burned to ashes.
portion OF the dropper was burned, and then
to make the work Of destruction more complete,
tho incendary or incendisries took large
stone and broke the spokes out OF one Of the
wheels, and shattered the covering OF the pit
man. The machine was Buckeye Combined
Mower and Reaper, with . drooper, and Mr..
Johnson says it cost him $3.50 two years ago.
Mr. Johnson Is poor, hard working, honest
man. and bears that reputation throughout all
the region. He works farm belonging to Mr.
Perkins at White Lake, but beyond the reaper
and a span Of horses. has no earthly posses
sions He did whatever work he could get
with his mower and reaper, and expected to
make some money with it this summer.
johnson told the reporter that he had no
enemies that he knew of-none that could pos
sibly have burned the machine.
A number OF prominent citizens went up to
see the machine as it stood after the incen-
d!arys work. I" 1t made my blood boil" said
one OF them, to see the old man standing
there over the ruins OF the machine, which
brought HIM his bread and which had been
destroyed for pure devilishness, and for no
other reason than because it was labor saving
machine"
In the course OF Is explorations, the report
er s.rolled into respectable looking grocery
store ard engaged in conversation with the
proprietor, very gentlsmanly appearing man,
who surprised the reporter with his sentiments.
hy de afta hat, 20
mer near by has had his Reaper burned
Business Man" Well d-n EN-, they ought
to be burned. A farmer has no right to buy
such machinery when there are thousands Of
idle men who want work. There are honest
men among the tramps, men who want work
they can't get it, and they get desperate. You
can't blame a man for destroying piece Of
iron and wood that stands between him and
bread and butter. We have got to have a
change. and it looks as though we were going
to have 1t too. (This last referring to the
National party, and limiting at its possible sue
cess.) Here's -. one Of our richest far
mers; he's purchased one OF these self bind
ers now don't doubt but what they'll burn
that up some night OF course / do not uphold
anyone in destroying another mans property
bat what can you expect of men who are
hungry and desperate. lie could easily have
afforded the $50 or go extra it would have cost
him to have hired men to bind his wheat
But on being further questioned the grocery
man admitted that harvest hands we're very
scarce and that hardly enough men could be
found TO do the woek; 20 so per day has been
paid for work in the harvest field regularly, and
in one or two instances IS per day. The tramps
that happen along are, as rule unwilling to
work at even these wages.
Many farmers with whom the reporter con-
versed are much excited over the burning OF
Johnsons machine, and show a disposition to
make 1t hot for the perpetrators OF such out
RACES If they can be caught Certain it is. that
the burning OF this machine was no boy work.
The stone which broke the spokes out OF the
wheels would require stout man to even If.
it. Whoever set fire to the reaper showed, a.
least. an initiative spirit. and the remark that
was made, They burned all Of those ID
machines down in Ohio" indicates where the
incendiary, whoever he may be, got his idea.
The people OF Pontiac have made up a purse
for johnson, and his machine is to be repaired.