Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1908-01-22


nation
Existing as it does, without the pale Of the law, in ope
defiance OF the commands of governors, the orders
Judges the warnings OF newspapers the admontion Of tn
society to which its members alleged to belong an
the adverse public sentiment in the section where
hourishes, this clan has continued its desprepatons
work OF destruction unharmed undaunted and practc all
unmoested. Coming whence knows doing it
work with martial precision and dispatch it leaves n
cew, open yelled, for the vigilant and vaorou
officers TO find whether vent when it will strike agai
or where
Not since the days Of the reconstruction period ha
such an organization existed rvang in every feature
often surprising, the terrible work ct the Ku KIux Kar
with its membership hundredfold more desperate. A
unexpected, mysterious mythical force strikes swift
under the OF darkness and away leaving only tn
presence of burned and ,charred ruin Of once prou
tobacco factories and warehouses to its presence
Human life is not worth feathers weight where rockies
persons venture from their residences during raid an
refuse to Immediately obey command of unquestonabl
meaning to return
That this clan is under the directions of clever AM
shrewd men there be doubt to those who hav
watched its wake Of destruction. Their every oubrea
has been marked with military execution and planning
after another appears perfect replica of the proceed
ing The Night Riders have been unusually active il
the kentucky portion Of their dominion Of Iae
hat to-the-deah compact exists between its members
there is every reason to believe Men suspected Of hav
ing than casual knowledge Of the order summoned
before courts have displayed wonderfully elusive tact OF
certain ignorance OF the enr subject before them
Deducng from the range covered the membership mus
reach beyond the thousands
The Night Riders, from the published and spoken ac
counts Of their attacks rabid and boodthrst,
mob OF maddened men seeking to wreak summary ven
geance for some rea. fancied wrong inflicted upon
them. On the contrary, their work shows careful fore.
thought and miraculous daring.
Rider and horse are both uniformed and dco,ised the
former wearing in every instance far reported dis
tnguishng white badge his right breast in the shape
Of triangle fashioned from some fabric They are
heavily armed in all instances and from past work appeal
wholly capable and willing to dexterousy and deadly
their argument or beast that block their path
The first indication of the existence Of this order came
to light in the fall Of 1905 when negro tenants made com
plant to their employers that masked and mounted men,
numbering generally than twenty-five had visited
them in their homes near midnight with warning that
their tobacco must be signed tor in pool Of farmers be-
ing formed to hold the weed for better prices than they
were then receiving. Needless to say the negroes
signed
Next came reports from farmers who we're outside the
pool that their tobacco plant beds had been scraped dur
ing the night with hoes similar instrument and by
parties leaving trace Of their presence other than the
scraped BEDS Switches, notes OF warning threats shot
we're all at various times found attached to the doors and
gates OF farmers unfriendy to the pool Miniature nqnds
representing were found mysterousy thrown up in
he yards OF planters outside the society Of growers hold
ing their product for higher prices the society in question
declaring and proving it party to the ntmida-
ton Of those who declined to join it. commonly known in
that section as "fiill-bllies"
This was only forerunner Of an awful storm yet to
break in its destructive fury
Following the scraping Of plant beds come the news Of
one two, and maybe more wheat thrashers being
blown up with dynamite The machines belonging to the
EliEbilles Following closely on the heels Of this in
the latter part Of 1906 large warehouse containing to-
bacco belonging to the socaled tobacco trust was de-
moished At Fredonia, little town in Kentucky Dyna-
mite was the agent used. Again at EddyvlIe Ky, a
similar warehouse belonging to the same interests was
rendered into vertble kindng wood between the hours
oi sunset and dawn with charge Of dynamite skfuly
placed.
Up to and including this last destruction Of property the
form OF the desroyers unknown their movements be-
ling silent and unseen until in the same year, on the
might Of November 30 an armed body Of an estimated
humber approximately 200 masked and disguised men
rode into Princeton Ky one Of the sronehods Of the
trust took possession Of the place. drove the population Of
something 5000 back into their homes and laid in
ruins three Of the largest trust warehouses in the state
Filed % their capacity with tobacco belonging to the al
|efs tropoly and escaped without casually, so far
as kis sNn. The FIRE marshal Of Kentucky Mott Ayes
careful and conscientious Official FASTENED to the scene
investigate the outrage but he was poweress to act
he evidence was insufficient.