The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1908-03-25
METHODS OF THE
NIGHT RIDERS
ExempIified in This Terri
bic Instance.
SHELBY COUNTY MAN VISITED
Narrowing Experience With
Masked Raiders Shortly
After Midnight.

The Shelbyville News gives the fol-
lowing graphic account of the visit
of night riders to a Shelby county
man:
Masked night riders made their first
appearance in Shelby county at an
early hour yesterday morning when
they set fire to the home of Henry
ELISA farmer living nine miles north
east of Shelbyville, and watched it
burn to the ground.
Mr.. Ellis, in giving the News an
account of the affair last night, said
he had been away from home all day
and returned about o'clock and went
to bed Immediately. He was alone in
the house with the exception of the
negro woman cook, who slept in the
kitchen. Mr.. Ellis wife is critically
i'll at the Kings Daughters Hospital
in this city, where she has been for
three weeks. About two o'clock In
the morning Mr.. Ellis was awakened
by someone calling his name. When
he raised up in bed he saw the window
in the room had been opened and sew
eral men crowded about. When he
asked what was wanted, the spokes-
man coolly asked him whether he pre-
ferred, ito be hung or burned up"
MIR. Ellis replied that he hoped they
would do neither They then told him
that they had come for little tobac-
co talk. They said: You have sold
two crops at big prices and now you
have burned your beds preparing to
raise another crop" Mr.. Ellis attempt
ed To argue the question by saying
that his tenant needed the work and
that many other people would raise
crop this year. The masked men
quickly told him that they did not
come to hear his argument, but that
there wasn't to be any tobacco raised
this year and they would make an ex-
ample of Linn" They told him that
he was the first of several that would
be visited and treated in a like man
ner il they persisted in attempting
to raise a crop this year. BE sure"
they said, 'to have this put in the
papers"
At this iuncture several Of the men
left the window and went to the end
of the porch and set fire to the build
ing, which was one and half-story
frame structure. while three men
with drawn reyolvers stood guard
over him. They held him Under guard
until the flames ate their way to the
roof, and when they saw the blaze
was beyond control they left the win
dow after cautioning him not to leave
the burning building until they were
out of sight or they would fill him
full of shot. AS soon as he dared Mr..
Ellis rushed to the kitchen and awak-
ened the sleeping colOred woman and
got her out of the burning house. He
next aroused a tenant on his place and
with his help succeeded in saving
few household effects and some cloth
ing. The fire was beyond all control
and he could do nothing but watch it
burn. Mr.. Ellis then made his way
to the home OF his father-in-law,
Mr.. John W.Reed, and gave the alarm.
Mr.. Ellis saw only seven men, but
he is of the opinion that several
stayed in the background. They were
all on foot, and after daylight came
he was unable to discover any hoof-
prints, their mounts evidently being
left on the roadway. The men wore
no hats and had white cloth masks
that reached to their waists.
No report was made by Mr.. Ellis
to the county authorities yesterday Of
the affair, and as a consequence no
steps have yet been taken to appre-
bend the guilty parties. The raid was
the sole topic of conversation on the
stress yesterday and great indigna-
ton was expressed at the dastardly
outrage.
The news is being kept from Mrs.
Ellis at the hospital under her physi-
clans orders as It is feared that in
her present condition it might result
seriously.
The building was insured for ST.
900 and the contents for $500 with To-
cal agencies.
No other places were visited by the