New-York tribune., 1908-01-04
MORE TOBACCO RAIDS.
Warehouses Burned and Three Men
.ShOt-GOrernOr to Act.

RusselIville Ky Jan. 3.-One hundred hieht
riders swooped down Russellvilie carry TINS
morning and dynamited and burned the ouiuiheS =.
tvo independent tobacco concerns IN the CITY anu
three other esta ablishments and rode away OUT 'he
Hopkinsville and Clarksville turnpike Inc oeie-
phone girl operators and the three pocenen OF the
town were held prisoners for nearly 'hee hou' :,
Captain w r. Bruce. the Chief of Ponce hasteheo
to the fire tower sound the ALARM put was over
powered
Two merchants. r. Mclean. grocer ana D
Henry Moseey. owner of drygoods store-uiu ho'
hurry into their homes as fast the nlght rloels
desired and were shot Dr. Roberts. OF EVansVllie'
Ind a guest at the Forest House thinking tiat
the raiders had departed. ran out to see "nat hau
happened He came face to face with group of
the departing mob and as he started 10 run was
shot. charge of buckshot entering ms heao anu
face He was the most seriously wounded
The raiders appeared well organized with com
manGer and lieutenants. All the men were Hiouli'-
ed and wore white capes false boards and masks.
Except for the firing at those who appeared on the
streets there was little shooting chief business
of the riders seeming TO be the destruction Of the
two tobacco houses.
This is the third raid by night riders in Western
Kentucky and comes in the face OF the announce
ment by the Governor that disorder must cease. A
grand jury summoned at HopkinsVille is llNes'l-
eating similar raid made recently in that city.
Augusta Ky Jan. 3-Three hundred night
riders called last night five tobacco rafsers IN
this neighborhood who all signed contract not to
raise tobacco crops this year and to hold their l95i
crops for six months. They next visited y. ".
Hedgcock wealthy tobacco dealer and farmer
Nj Hedgcock absent. and his wife, opening
the front door Of their home to look upon three
hundred mounted men, tainted.
The riders then called upon Nicholas J. Poddy-
cord who has large crop Of tobacco. Poddycord
refused sign. Returning Brooksvie, the
county seat, the riders dsbanded. meet in Ger
mentown January for advance into Mason
County.
Frankfort. Ky. Jan. 3.-Governor Wilson in
statement issued to-day regarding the Russellvillt
raid blames the tobacco association for breaking
a promise to keep order. The Governor offers $50
for any conviction obtained through advance in
formation Of intended raid He says the in
formant will be protected and the secret guarded
Governor Wilson says in part:
Every power of the law will be invoked instantly
TO suppress disorder and to discover and lmprlSoT
the towards who secretly conspired intimdat'
| the people into obeying mob rule
All these so-called peaceful armies, whether nigh
riders day riders simply taking into the
own hands the rule of people by mob law, anC
chief criminals. and all alike will be found out
punished. The state government viii not hesitate
relent. Mob rule cannot stay in Kentucky, ever
though il strikes, cowardlike. in the dark and runs
and hides Presently the forces of the state vii
| catch the night riders and the day riders in th'
| of the men whose plots have brought these thing
] to pass.