Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-22
VIRGINIA NIGHT RIDERS.
Brewers IN Piedmont Section Are
RscsIVIg Threatening Letters.
~
IQLG THAT CROP MUST Be POOLED
Notice. Posted on Dark, Rainy Night,
and Recipients Are Very Much Con.
csrncd-Assoclasion Putting Forth
All Efforts to Prevent Lnwlesaness.

cerned--Assoclation Putting Forth
Al Efforts to Prevent Lnwl esaness.
pANVlILE. VA, March 2l--A con-
dition OF affairs slmllar to the deeds
OF the night riders, which have ter.
4 rorizeu Kentucky. Is threatened In
pittsylvania and adjoining counties.
which constitute the heart of tho
nright tobacco,growing districts of
virginia and North Carolina, and
{ which Is known us the Piedmont sec.
ton. The farmers OF this section
nave been engaged for some time In
war against the tobacco trust. and
theiri grievances are practically the
same as tobacco growers In kentucky,
pnL so Tar they have restrained them
keievH from any act OF violence. and
the leaders have urged that the men,
apers OF the farmers associations to
wage their warfare according to the
laws OF the land. For tho past several
+ nays, however, reports have reached
re city OF numerous threats being
nade against the tobacco growers Of
ma county who have refused to nfn :
aiete with the Tobacco Growers As
Bociation, which Is In reality farm
ers' union.
Tho lettors received by the farm
ter5 who are outside OF the regular or
ganisation have carried with them
threa's and the people are anxious.
Sly waiting TO see II they will be exc
cuted.
Contain Dire Threats.
w. ID. Neal w. N. Terry H. T.
s Terry, u, w. Fitzgerald and ]. j. Mot.
ley, all large tobacco raiscrs. have
\ received letters threatening to dig up
3 their plant beds and deal with them
Z roughly unless they stored tobacco In
me dry prlzery. Tho notices wore
z placed on the barn OF Mr.. u. l.. Terry
! md on mail boxes OF the others. The
s letter to Mr.. Motley threatened to
burn Ills barn. and Mr. Motley made
some inquir!es az TO the writing of
z me notices. and was notified if he
3 made any attempt to locate the writ !.
SSr no would regret 1t. Tho notices
We're distributed on very dark and
rainy night and no trace OF tho mos.
snnger could be made.
The recipients OF the notices feel
somewhat concerned over them. but
hope nothing serious Will result. Tbesr
farmers live In the leading tobacco
section of tho country and have been
8 very succesaful Mt receiving good
prices for their entire crop. Most OF
them are inclined to the prlzory sys-
tenn and Will In all probability store
part OF their crop.
A Barn Is Burned.
The large packing barn, containinr
seve~al curlngs of tobacco. several
Vehicles and other valuable property
ON Belle Grove farm. In pittsylvania
county, was burned one night this
weelS. ehtailing loss OF several hun
dred dollars. How The fro originated
ia unknown, aud when discovered Il
was t'syond control and nothing OF
the contents condl be saved. Whether
any insurance was carried on the
building could not be learned.
Work of the Association.
Tho Bright Tobacco Growers Pro
fective Association, which was organ
ihed some years ago has been grow,
ing In strength, and has been waginn
a systematic fight against the tobac
CO trust. The association homes ia
accomplish the results aimed ut by
doing away with the method OF self
4 Ing tobacco at public auction on the
warehouse floors. claiming that the
American Tobacco Company Is prac.
ticnlly the only bidder. and Axes its
Z own prices by pooling its tobacco and
holding It until prices which they
Dean reasonable can bio secured u
w'ill be readily seen that IL tho largo
3 majority of farmers continue to sell
On the warehouse floors, It will have
3 tendency to hurt the plans of tho
Situation. A general meeting of tho
association was held In Danvllle Tues.
day. at which time funds were ralaed
Tor continuance OF the fight ami
To perfect better organization. Sew.
eral OF the speakers referred to the
deeds of the night rldrs in Kentucky,
4fahd while deploring the 'lawlessness,
Tho sentiment was that tho Bluegrass
farInsfss had been driven to violence
Nv conditions which had become In
tolerable:
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