Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-23
Governor of Kentucky Answers
County Officials.
NOT TO WITHDRAW TROOPS
Section Scene Of Many Night Rider
Depredations.
CHARGES SHOW OF HOSTILITY
Says Ordering Soldiers Away Would
Leave Trigg Section at Mercy
Of Night Riders.

FRANKFORT, Ky, August 22.-Gov.
Wilson today made public the text of a
scathing reply to a letter and resolutions
which had been forwarded him by Off
Gals of Trigg county. stating that the
presence of troops was not desired in
that county. and intimating that the SOL
ders had committed acts of lawlessness.
Trigg county, which is in the dark to-
baccO district, near the Tennessee line,
has been the scene of an unusually large
number of night rider depredations.
Gov. Wilson before proceeding to re-
ply quotes in full the letter and the reso-
lutions, which are dated August 10. and
forwarded from Cadiz, KY, and written
on the letter heads of the Planters Pro-
tective Association, the organization Of
the dark tobacco growers. The signatures
led off with the names of County Judge
G.. E. Bingham and Sheriff w. c. Broad
bent of Trigg county.
Letter and Resolutions.
The letter and resolutions recite that
at a mass meeting attended by 800 citi-
zens of Trigg county those present
pledged themselves to make every effort
to restore order and peace. Among other
statements the resolutions contain the fol-
lowing:
without reciting the various acts of
violence and without touching on any
acts of lawlessness on the part of the
soldiers, we desire to assure your excel
lency that we can do all or more than
soldiers can"
The resolutions state that the presence
of the soldiers is a hindrance to the eXecu-
ton of justice by the civil tribunals. and
declare that their withdrawal would be
in the interests of law and order.
In his reply Gov. Wilson commends the
spirit shown by the mass meeting and
expresses his belief that those present
can restore order in Trigg county If
they will do all they can to live up to
their pledge.
If such a pledge had been taken at the
outset of the depredations eighteen
months ago and carried out there would
Secret League Operates.
But" the governor says, during that
eighteen months hundreds Of people have
been intimidated by a secret oath-bound
league, brutal assaults and arson have
been committed and a long list of crimes
recorded. And during all this time not
one of you who offer this pledge has
caused the arrest of anybody, although
many of the crimes were so open and
shameless that many of you who sign
outrages, but knew where officers could
have laid their hands on the perpetra-
tors You have not made a single af-
fidavit, caused a single arrest or even
asked for a warrant.
THE people of your county were made to
feel that they could not rely for help on
either yourselves or the peace officers.
And while you did nothing yourselves, you
never asked aid of the state government.
but showed hostility to the state govern
ment's measures to protect life and prop
erty.''
Takes a Parting Shot.
In conclusion the governor takes a
parting shot at the signers of the resOlu-
lions for engrossing them on the station
cry of the Planters Protective Associa-
tion-a name which, he says, recalls the
raids on Princeton, Hopkinsville and a
number of other places.
On the ground that the lives of the few
brave men who have attempted to pros
ecute night riders and who have asked for
protection would be endangered and their
property put to further risk of destruc-
ton he refuses to withdraw the troops.
Such step, he says. would remove what
little protection has of late been afforded
and leave the district at the mercy Of the
riders,