Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1908-01-10
WRECK new TOWN
IN TOBACCO WAR
NIGHT RIDERS SWOOP DOWN ON
RUSSELLVILLE, KY, AND BURN
WAREHOUSES;.
MASKED MEN SHOOT THREE.
Well Organized Mob, Masked and White
CAPPED, Terrorizes Village and
Then Disappears.
THIS IS THE THIRD SERIOUS RAID.

RUSSELLVILLE, Ky, Jan. 3.-One
hundred night riders swooped down on
this village early today, and after over
powering three policemen and providing
against the giving of an alarm, dyna-
mited and burned the two independent
tobacco concerns in the city and several
other establishments and rode away out
on the Hopkinsville and CIarkeville pike.
Three men were wounded and the
telephone girls and police held prisoners
for nearly three hours.
Property Loss Is Serious
The following buildings were de-
strOyed:
Frank G. Work, tobacco warehouse; build
ing and contents; loss $4,000.
American Snuff company, factory and CON
tents; loss $4,000.
Roberts & Brown, planning mill; loss SD
| 600.
Alfred Underwood, grocery; loss $1,000.
King & Proctor, stable.
Joshua Knowles, cottage.
Three Men Wounded.
DR.. Charles NJ. Roberts of Evansville.
Ind, j. Il. Mclean of Russellvile. and
j. I'll; Moseley of Russellville were
wounded.
Capt. w. r. Bruce the chief of police.
as soon as he heard the report of the
dynamite explosions FASTENED to the fire
tower, where he attempted to sound the
alarm, but was oyerpOWered by four OF
the masked night riders.
Mclean, who is proprietor of Il gro
Gerry store, and MOSeIey. owner of a
dry goods store, were shot because they
did not hurry into their homes as fast
as the night riders desired.
DIR. Roberts, guest at the Forest
house, heard the confusion, and thinking
that the raiders had departed ran out
to see what had happened. He came
face to face with a group Of the depart
ing mob and as he started to run, was
shot and seriously injured.
Mob Is Well Organized.
1t was said that the mob came to Rus
sellville from the direction of Cave
Springs, near where the members are
said to have had their rendezvous. The
mob seemed to be we'll organized All
were mounted and wore white capes, false
boards and masks. Their chief purpose
seemed to be the destruction of the two
tobacco houses.
This is the third raid which has been
made by night riders in western Ken
lucky and followed closely the announce
ment by the governor that disorder must
! cease. A court at Hopkinsville is inves-
tigating a similar raid made on that city
several weeks ago. Troops are now on
guard in Hopkinsvile.
What Trouble Is About
The night riders are attempting to
influence or intimidate certain tobacco
growers into holding their crops for
higher prices or not to sell to the Amer
lean Tobacco company. The situation
is particularly acute ut this time as
of tho orr howe two
crop on hand Warehouse men have
been notified from time to time to re-
frain from buying any tobacco, and
many of them who defed the notice have
had their houses destroyed by fire. Near
ly all the tobacco growers are members
of the Tobacco Growers Protective asso-
citation, but this organization discoun-
tenanCeS such acts as have been credited
to the night riders and claims that it is
the work Of a. lawless element
Farmers Forced by Arms.
AUGUSTA, Ky, Jan. 3.-Charles X.
Blates general merchant of Powersville,
was the recipient of a call from the
peaceful army last night and promptly
signed the agreement prepared in adj
vance. Isaac MunsOn, Edwin Ware.
William T. Downward and Martin Hol-
eran all signed the contract not to raise
crop and hold their 1907 crops for
six months
A. W. Hedgcook, a wealthy tobacco
dealer and farmer was next Wis
tied. Mr. Hedgcook was absent, and
his wife opening the door of their home
to look upon 300 mounted men promptly
tainted. Her husband says his wife is
in a state of total collapse.
From Hedgcook's the army called on
Nicholas ]. PoddycOrd. who has a large
crop of tobacco. Poddycord refused to
sign. The army then returned to Brooks
vile, the county seat, and there dis
banded to meet in Germantown, January
6, for the advance into Mason county.