The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1908-08-12
STRONG LANGUAGE
BY GOV. WILSON
Serves Notice on Bracken
County Officials.
RENTS FINE TO THE STATE
And Advises Men HOunded
By Night Riders to Pro-
feet Themselves.

idhhiON, N.Y. AUS o. NAh6hiS
out the county judge and the coun-
ty attorney of Bracken county, Gov
ernorWillson in statement made pub
lie to-day, accused them of the most
shameful disregard for their oaths to
perform their duty TO the people. In
a statement the Governor explains his
remission of the States part of fine
asse ssed against Wainwright Lee for
breach of the peace In Bracken coun-
ty. The Governor depicts the condi-
tions which prevail in THAT county as
direful in the extreme, owing to what
he says is the open sympathy Of these
officials with might riders and their
failure to protect the lives and liber-
ties of the people as they are re-
quired under the law to do He
promises immunity from punishment
to every one who may resist any at
tack or attempt at Intimidation by
the lawless element. The Governors
statement in part follows:
81 have carefully considered the APP
plicatfon of Wainwright Lee, to remit
tho States portion assessed against
him by the county court of Bracken
county and inquired into the facts
brought by disinterested parties. Lee
was arrested on warrant for
breach of peace in striking Dimett
Griffith. It appears Griffith had been
denouncing Lee and proclaiming he
was a hired detective, seeking to find
out and report who the night riders
who were destroying property in
the county and that as matter OF
fact, Lse was not a detective and had
no.hing to do with the business which
Griffith charged upon him.
"The Governor knows positively thai
he YVES not detective in THE employ
of the State government.
cit appears Lee had not pooled his
S19OT tobacco, and owing TO troubles
i'm Rracken county, which had been
no orlous and distressing, he could get
no Jury that was not under the influ-
ence of the lawlesS element, operating
as night riders in that county, and
had to waive trial by jury and take
chances before the judge Of the Brack-
en- county court, whose sympathy with
tho night riding disturbances has been
so marked that 1t has attracted tine
attention OF the State government and
has caused the withdrawal Of all con-
,fidence Of the State government In
this county judge in any matters con-
nected with night rider disturbances.
",ro make long Story short, this
county attorney and the county judge
have done nothing in four months OF
fragrant disorder to restore peace or
preserve order or to protect the rights
or liberties Of the people OF their
county; they were clicked by the peo-
Die anu are lilG law OAiASNAS gAAN 49,
county attorneys own brother, white
man and of respectable standing, was
| ubrubally whipped by night riders and
nothing has been done about that, and
to-day there is not worse fear-11d-
den community than Bracken county,
Tho only safety and protection is
patrol of State Guards, strangers, and
whose powers necessarily are limited.
"The Governor RENTS the States
part of the fine OF Wainwright Lee,
and If he had The power, would remit
the whole fine, and If the applica-
1 tion had been made before judgment,
would have pardoned him on the
charge and saved any fine. The State
government will maintain force in
Bracken county as long as any dan
ger to the liberties Of its people re-
mains and until This disorder is abso-
iutely put down. The Governor of
the State will protect every citizen
who defends his liberties against these
lawless attacks of bands seeking to
terrify and intimidate. and while the
NJ greatest care must be taken to guard
Against hurting any innocent man, the
State government will do all its
power to encourage men tp defend
their homes. their lives and their lib
critics. Disorders in Bracken county