Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1908-10-08
NIGHT RIDERS CLOSE
 I2 COTTON GINS

, most of the night riding operations. l it is thought that their presence here together is significant. Although they refused to tel! their mission here, each gave brief statements as to the night riding situation.
 Sheriff Logan said; Tine reports are absolutely unfounded. have heard of some warnings received ill Craig head county but there is nothing se- l rious to be considered"
 There are no night riders n 0uY county" said the Greene county off cer. "A few notes have been recejv- l ed, but they were sent out by iokers While they are rather serious jokes, 1 the writers meant nothine and no l harm will result"
 Sheriff Copland of Clay county said :; There is not q night rider closer than Kentucky.
 l IL was rImored last night that spe- cial officers will be installed in every 1 Township and voting precinct in the county ill the event of an uprising So far as is known no attempts l have been made to find the persons who set fire to the dwellings and ten ements of Andy Schus and Will Stew art in the northeastern part of this
 county Sunday night. Mr. Stewart, one of the principals, was in Jones' boro today conferring with the sheriff, who refuses 10 give out a statement regarding it.
 l MT. Stewart believes the burning
 the work of night riders, as he had received notice only a few days be- l fore ordering him to construct q tene- ment to every forty acres of land he had ill cultivation. He owns and rents over 60o acres of farming land. Later he was called out of his house and accosted by band of several men on horseback and given the same orders. and also told not to sell any of his cot ion for less than F cents
 A Ldi iliSi iiN1liS d lSN hi''''' Hot 'ii of Jonesboro, who rents go acres of l land from a large land owner is in receipt of a. letter ordering him 10 1 pick only his portion of the cotton, and leave the rest for the landowner
 to gather, in payment for the land. Dividing the crops as pay y.nent for rent ;e, in,
 l. is also a custom for the renter to gather the landlords share of the crops.
 A Jonesboro man, Who for the past
 two months has been employed at Earle, Ark. little town south of here returned today and brings the and operated by negroes Were recently burned after receiving notices. order 1 ing them to close down until ordered
 to continue.
 The country surrounding Earle Is occupied mostly by negro farmers, anu
 many ignorant methods are being l uSou. OllN uiSlG iktICis .t iio'lNN "''s' conspicuously placed iii every cotton
 patch within a radius of several mics,
 ordering the farmer not to pick his cotton until the price had advanced 10
 12 cents. The warnings were signed
 The Union, as were the ones post ed on the burned gins. Two remain ling gins at Earle, although they have received warnings, are doing q record-
 breaking business, but night watcl.>
 men are on guard.
 The man Williams of Greene coun-
 ty, said to be d preacher, who has
 been going through the eastern part
 of Craighead county, and it is said making incendiary speeches, sayln2
 that the country is full of strange men" and forceful methods were apt
 to be used at any time, and also re- ouesting the farmers not to pick their cotton until the price had advanced, i has disappeared. The committee ap- pointed to wait on him at meeting | held at Lake City recently between the farmers and citizens of the cont munity, reports inability to discover
 his whereabouts. The citizens ot
 Lake City, Monette. Black Oka and other towns are very indignant over
 this incident
 No other violence has thus far be@A 1 rt