The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-04-03
(By Perry Mcioan.)


Murray, Ky, April 3.-Thigty-one
mounted lnfantIymen. under Captain
Divers, of Mlddlesboro, the mountain
soldier, who led the detail that cap
tured Frank Bal, the.roted desperate
3fter his escape from the Mlddlesboro
Jail, are guarding Murray today,
and beginning tonight. will scout the
|ccunty. The arrival of the soldiers
was a coup on the part of the county
authorities, who now have complete
control of the situation, and expect
20 indict and convict the leaders of
the night riders in circuit court, which
convenes April 10.
The soldiers rode into Murray,
great, strapping six-foot mountain
BOYS from Whitesburg and Middles-
boro, armed with Krag-Jorgensen and
big army Colts. They were expected
by train. and when the cavalcade gal
loped into town the terrorized cltl-
zens, before they noticed the uni
orms. thought It was the night riders
keeping their promise. and the town
was thrown into confusion for a few
minutes.
The soldiers were exhausted with
their trip and slept last night in a
residence near the tobacco ware
houses, while citizens stood guard
he second consecutive night. The
soldiers lost their way in the very
heart of the night rider district and
wandered for 22 hours after leaving
Hopkinsville. with scarcely anything
to eat. They ferried both the Cum
oerland and Tennessee rivers, and the
word probably was spread abroad
among the night riders that the sol.
diers were coming
II is said that one county paper
viii denounce the county authorities
for asking for troops, but there is al
Indercurrent of sentiment in favor of
the restoration of law and order. and
when the populace have been Gained
and the outlaws thoroughly cowed. the
acton of County Judge A. J. G.
Wells and Sheriff j. A. Edwards. two
brave officials, with the other citi-
zens, who advised the course, will be
popularly and openly approved.
The Warming.
Although night rider visitations
ave become so common the last two
months that II is asserted that every
Independent tobacco planter in Gallo.
way county has received notice to
Join the association or quit selling
o5acco to Independent buyers, the
lecis!on to call for troops came when
)pen threat was made to attack Muir
ray.
1t was the psychological moment
for the authorities to act, for they
have the Overwhelming sentiment Of
he county seat with them as a
pucleus OF public sentiment, and It Is
believed they did not act any toe
lllcklyJ In fact, they telephones
Thursday morning for the soldiers to
bury up, Citizens had stood guard
II the night before.
The first direct warning came
Wednesday whom Al Perry, residing
southeast of Murray, rode into town
and said he had been whipped by
hight riders just before daybreak and
commanded to come to Murray and
ell Mike Griffin that If he put up ter
pounds more tobacco he would be
whipped and his warehouse burned.
Grimm tod him to report to tn,
hight riders that he was right her,
and for them to come on at once, a
he intended to put up all the tobacco
re had bought.
Citizens feared the warning wa
sincere, and when on Thursday morn
ing ID. NJ. Hendrick, well know
independent planter, came to tow
and bore like message, a hurry cal
for soldiers was put In.
Hendrlek wasn't whipped, becaus
he was on guard against an attack
He had been warned not to deliye
his tobacco, but he did anyway. Earl