The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-05-12
Agitation and Organization
Under Way Preparing For
Overrunning Purchase
Upset by Prosecutions In Gallo
way County.
WHERE NIGHT RIDERS MEET

That three lodges of night riders
have been installed In McCracken
county, and that II was planned TO at
tempt an attack on Paducah next fall.
throwing a sufficient number OF men
across the Tennessee river into Gallo
way county the day before the attack
10 make the invading forces over
whelming. was the startling informa-
ton given out by Sanford l.. Hall, the
Bpy on the night riders. who Joined
the organization TO secure informa-
ton Mayfield was 10 have been taken
when a sufficient force had been or
ranlzed In the vicinity to do the work
and protect the raiders from success
ful prosecution In the local courts.
The work OF organization and agita-
I ON In the Purchase. which resulted
In the Galloway county prosecutions
was the preliminary to overrunning
the Purchase as they have overrun
Caldwell. Trlgg. Christian. Crittenden
and Lyon counties. Now the author
tiles have the name of practically ey-
cry man In the night rider organiza-
ton and the founder and commander
In chief. a native u Caldwell county,
Is well known to the state authorities.
Authorities now are convinced that
within a year the night rider organ
izatlon will be broken up efectually.
when II was remarked that there
was no excuse for attacking Purchase
tobacco markets, because the buyers
had agreed not TO purchase any
pledg a tobacco. a Hopkinsville citizen
said that was exactly the state OF at
fairs that preceded the Hopklnsyille
raid. Time after time raids were d.
rccted toward Hopklnsvile. and final-
ly a public meeting was held by to-
bacoo growers at which Il was stated
all they asked was for buyers to agree
not to purchase pledged tobacco. A
committee waited on the buyers and
they agreed aud kept their agreement.
That queted suspicion and vigilance
was relaxed When the night riders
did 20 to Hopklnsville. no one was
on guard.
In Caldwell and Trigg and Lyon
counties Night Rider lodges met at
school houses. In Galloway county
they used the lodge rooms OF a GER
tain secret order. The night rider
lodges east Of the river are named for
the schools where they meet. Three
lodges compose Silent Brigade"
with colonel In command.
When raid is planned men are
sent into the town few days ahead,
aud II all Is well the night OF the raid
the spies meet the main body with a
white flag.
The force Is divided into as many
squads as there are points to be
guarded, according TO the plans of
the spies. and over each squad is n
leader. The white scarf Is worn over
the right shoulder and the leaders
wear them crossed In front.
Hall a spotter.
Halls particular work in the lodge
was to spot" men, who talk too
much. lie did his work well and
learned all there was TO know about
all the night riders in the course of
his occupation. Then he turned
them up" and there is little left for
the authorities to learn about night
riders.
Hall appeared before a grand jury
In a county east of the Tennessee
river TO tell about raid on a town
a "a fban "a ffpaH
of answering questions. he suggested
that the sheriff in charge of the
grand jury be put on the stand, as he
held the lantern whl1e the whipping
was going on. and the foreman also
was present. The other members
were all night riders.
Hall said people rode from Trigg
and Lyon counties across Trigg and
part OF Christian TO take part in the
Hopklnsviie raid He said they could
ride part of the way In daylight in
their Night Rider regalia as every
man. woman and child they would
pass would be night rider.
Hall a soldier?
While here Hall has been staying
with the soldiers. He Is not register
ed at the hotel. and when he talks
there are soldiers all around, apparent
" as interested in his recital as any
one else. and when he gets too frank
a sergeant coughs. A man from Cal
loway county said he recognized Hall
as one he saw In soldiers uniform
at Murray. Hall says he will not go
back to Lyon county to live and he
las work in sight, but neither he nor
ny OF the soldiers would admit that
-. ..,a.,,har 10 tha m N tiou.l on, rd