The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-08-19
Would Quickly Desert and
Take Side of Law and Order
II They Dared.
Executive Clemency Would
Win Their Allegiance.
REGRET LAwLEss CONDUCT

Eddyville. Aug 10. Especial -
Let bygones be bygones. and Cover
nor Wilson can rest assured that no
more lawlessness will be reported
from Lyon county or from a number
OF the night-rider infested counties,
rs an authentic hint that has wide
circulation here.
Law and order viii be maintained.
" rs stated. by those citizens mem
bers Of the original night rider on.
gsnizstion, who deprecate the turn
affairs have taken. and would gladly
take steps TO put down outlawry. n
they were assured that the past
would be wiped out against them.
Give us another chance to prove
that we Will not tolerate lawlezs,
ness" one prominent citizen SAID.
and ! can vouch for the truth Of the
assertion that members OF the orig
Inal night nider organization them.
selves. will sternly suppress the more
violent members. hut they would
have 10 know that their connection
with the movement viii not be re-
membered legally against them.
Il will relate briefly the history Of
this situation" he continued. "and u
will be teen why such an assertion =
true. when the question Of an or
ganization. designed on the Ku Klux
Khan lines was FIRST preached. u
found ready acceptance among a ma
iority OF the people. but It's object
was TO be limited strictly 10 Inducing
farmers TO join the association. by
boyooiting him socially and In a
business way. The mos that would
be done was TO visit him and allow
the demonstration TO effect a change
In his attitude toward pooling his
tobacco.
"But YOU know how things termln-
ated Within the n.ehi rider organ
ization were naturally a number Of
hot-headcd members whose cnthu-
siasm led them TO extreme measures.
The first barn burning that occurred.
aud the first whipping. Instantly
alienatcd the greater number OF the
WfNA NtAANfAF NUN AA' W hAAAEAAANh
And as the outrsges continued, they
dropped out until today the outrages
that do occur are perpetrated by a
residue OF members. who are the
poorest and most reckless citizenship
Of The district.
However. you understand that by
Joining the original organization. all
these better ciass OF citizens are le-
gally responsible for all the subse-
quent Rcts OF the night riders For
that reason they have remained quiet
when grand juries are In session. and
for that reason they have not openly
undertaken 10 suppress the disorders.
A majority OF the members Of the
night rider Organization. never took
actual part In a raid. but that Goes
not legally free them from guilt and
they know IT, So saw that II their
connection with the start OF the
movement. should not initiate
against them, and II they were as-
cured of that fact, there would be an
uprising In twelve hours against the
nlght riders that would settle II for
ever.
II believe that many county OFF,
GERS sympathize with the original
night rider organization, and II Is pos.
sible that some were members, but
do not believe that any counselled
violence or took part in raids. These
too. would like TO feel that they ooum
proceed against further troubles
without involving them In past per
formances OF over-zealous night MD
ers.
III is a dificult situation. On the
one hand, the best citizens are seek
Ing the country wrecked by opera.
lions they do not indorse. while on
the other hand, for them to proceed
20 remedy the situation means prob
ably that they would be prosecuted
fer their original completely, followed
by innumerable damage suits"