The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-08
NIGHT RIDERS SET
FIRE TO- BUILDINGS
Town of Hopkinsville Is.
Terrorized and Ravag-
ed by the Outlaws.
TOBACCO WAR is
REVOL UTIONARY
Armed Mob Of Farmers Apply
Torch to Warehouses, Shoot
Up Office OF Courageous
Newspaper and Con-
troll City, Then Re-
tire Unframed.

HOPK1NSvILLE, KY. December o.
Five hundred might riders" masked
and heavily armed, marched into Hop
kinsville early to-day and destroyed
property valued at over 100000, while
citizens. in terror of their lives. feared
even TO open their windows.
The police. fire department, telephone
and telegraph Offices. and even the rail-
roao stations, were in possession OF a
wild mob, shooting right and left.
flames from burning buildings mean
while lighting UP the city and the.
surrounding country until 1t seemed
that the whole town was ablaze.
Windows in the front OF business
houses and banks on the main street
OF the city were shot out. and che
had been especially severe IN Its con-
demnation OF the raids OF the might
riders" and which was owned by the
Mayor OF the city, was demolished.
Only two men were injured one of
them beng Lindsay Mitchell. a tobacco
buyer, who was severely beaten with
switches and clubs, and the other a
brakeman, who was shot in the back
while trying to move his train from
the path OF the flames.
The raid OF the might riders" caught
the city unawares, as for some time the
depredations resulting from the to-
bacco war had been OF a minor nature,
and II was generally thought that in
the dark district" at least. the worst
was over.
Property Destroyed.
The property destroyed was as fol-
lows:
w. H. 'randy, independent tobacco
warehouse building. owned by ]. H.
Ia than,
b. NJ. Woodbridge, association ware
house.
Tandy and Fairleigl,. buyers ware
house. VI *
In addition. the entire. glass front of
the Hopkinsville Kentuckian, Mayor
Afeacham's paper was destroyed. while
windows in the front or the CONNER
cial Banking and Savings Company,
the First National the Planters Trust
Company and the Bank OF Hopkins
willie. we're plinctured with bullets "A
number Of other business houses and
residences bear the marks OF bullets,
and 1T is considered remarkable that
no one was killed.
The Insurance is believed TO be about
$50 900.
Pursued by POAAe.H
AS soon as the might riders" LETT
town, a posse of about fifteen. headed
by Major Bassett, OF the local militia.
and Deputy Sheriff Cravens, entered
buggies and followed the trail. Az
soon as the posse could get near
enough they opened fire on the fleeing
mob. and the pursued returned the
shots. 1t is believed none of the
might riders" was hit. *,
The members of the posse escaped
injury. They were soon outdistanced
by the mounted men. and, after1chas-
ing the marauders past Gracey. the
officers returned home.
News was later received from oil
parts OF the town indicating the spread
OF the raid OF the Elders" There was
hardly house in the business section
of the city which did not suffer.
Just why no damage was done by
tile might riders to the Imperial or
the American Snuff Company ware
houses Is not known. They probably
contained more stock than any other
houses. II
AT the intercession of the citizens,
who were being guarded ona street
corner. the invaders during the, raid
allowed the flre department to leave
their building to, save property ada
centsto the burning buildings. Had 1t
mot been that no wind was blowing
and that the 1remen and citizens
worked so we'll. the entire city might
have been destroyed.
The girls the telephone office were
forced by fifteen men to leave their
switchboards until the mob was ready
to depart from town.