New-York tribune., 1907-05-12

largo amount Of tobacco had been rIoced In
hoEshcads and rolled To the hanks nr the Cum
hossheads suddenly disappeared and were later
found in the river. They fshed out the to-
hacco was hung up in the barn and dried
and again prepared for shipment Might
riders then appeared and destroyed the entire
Jet by tearing it from the sticks on which il
huuS ana crushing and grinding IL into dust
Nnt county IN the district has been missed
by the marauders
The story OF the destruction Of the warehouses
at Princeton. Ky. will serve to illustrate rho
careful organization Of the might riders" l.
was on the last night OF November when two
hundred masked men rode into that town Thev
came from many directions and met at the fair
grounds There they We're divided into ba ands
ana moved quietly into the little city. Ona
squad took possession Of the electric light pIant
another of the WaterWorks. another of the tnle-
graph station ard another of the telephone OK
change. All the wires We're disconnected The
Town marshal was captured and told TO give IN
his arms and be good. He obeyed
when everything was ready the band marched
TWO abreast through the streets to n warehouse
conducted by John G.. Orr who acted as nur
chasing agent for the Imperial Tobacco Com
pahF me trust. 1t was soon wrapped in flames
The band moved on to the warehouse owned nv,
}. a. Stegar. an agent of the GaIaher Limited
Company. an independent company lust why
they desired 10 burn II is not known Both we're
hlled with tobacco, and both were in ashes
within two hours. Every man who tried 10
leave his home and go 10 the scene of the fire
was ordered back at the muzzle of gun The
night riders watched the flames until they had
almost died down and then marched back TO tho
tar grounds, where they mounted their horses
riding through the town. some OF the wilder
spirits fired their guns. and the postoffice win
dows were shattered by the bullets. Most Of
the men carried shotguns. but some were armed
with revolvers and rifles No one was Injured
in the night. and by morning the masked mon
had all disa ppeared. ~
Three men have been indicted as being CON-
neCted with the Princeton mob OF two hundred
II is almost a foreSone conclusion that thew will
never be convicted, because of the lack of direct
evidence and the probability that a might rider'
will worm his way into the jury box The cases
may he transferred to another county hut tho
might riders are in the other counties q q ulaT
as that OF which Princeton is the county seat
Such q condition prevails all over the grant 1Ia
trlct ~
These depredations have had a woful eff~ct
on the business OF the dark tobacco district IN
surance companies are refusing TO insure either
trust or association tobacco. Because the mar
ket is being destroyed the lack o. ready money
Is already felt. and will become more serious IN
the future. The crop this year is likely to ha
structon of the plant beds The business ana
professional men and the farmers Themselves
decry the practices of the might riders hut tba
work goes unmolested. Most men do nnt
like to openly crticise the might riders" ha
cause the critic may he talking TO one of then,
or his words may be carried to a member OF the
band. 80
the association have been destroyed This ia
looked upon simply retaliation Tins n n
other serious complication is developed and the
end of all the trouble Is not vet in sight The
destruction OF plant beds alone will represent
millions of dollars In loss. Many men who hava
lived lives of usefulness in their communities .
are now left penniless.