The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-04-23
NIGHT RIDERS ABROAD
lNTlMi DATING LAND OWNERS IN
SOUTHERN INDIANA.
WISH THE RENTAL RATES CUT
Reign OF Terror In Pike County
Through Anonymous Threats Of
Fire and Powder.

Petersburg. Ind. Special: With the
burning OF Albert Capehart's barn last
week. terror among the landlords own
ing land in the White River bottoms.
near Ira. Pike county, is increasing,
and there is fear OF bloodshed. If the
depredations now being committed by
alleged night riders DO not cease.
The trouble among the landlords
and a few tenants has been brewing
for some time. Early this spring
nearly all the big land owners in thu
White River bottoms near Ira both
In Pike and Dayiess counties, were
warned that secret committee had
been appointed TO see that all lands
let TO renters in the White River bot
tom this season were to be tended so
that the renter would receive two
thirds OF the crop and the owner one
third
Heretofore the same land was let
for three-hfihs and two-fflhs.
Some persons are holding the
Farmers Cooperative and Education
al Society responsible for the depre-
dations but the officers OF that Socie-
~ in Pike county disclaim ali knowl-
edge OF them and volunteer their ser
vices in seeking out the guilty per
sons
That tenants are being frightened
of farms is shown by the statements
OF NJ J. Carnahan and William Schro-
lucke. the first having lost six and the
other thirteen tenants within the last
few months. the tenants fearing their
lives would be in danger ii they re
NAMED 10 put In the season 5 crop.
Sometime ago a proposition was made
10 Schrolucke by two well-known mem
bers OF the Farmers Union, asking
| him 10 rent ZOO acres OF his farm in
the name of the local society. 20 be
/ titled by its members at the Onethird
rental figure. but the offer was reject.
| ed. Some Of the land owners are try.
\ ing TO connect the society with the
/ trouble, but can get no evidence what
/ ever 20 show that their suspicious are
correct.
Thomas Traylor. of Otwell, who
! owns over one thousand acres in Pike
county. received an anonymous pack
/ age that had been mailed in Missouri
! The package contained a box of match
es and a small amount Of powder, with
a note of warning TO the effect that IT
| Traylor did not reduce his land rent
! ais vengeance would be meted out e
him by fire and powder The only
reason Traylor can give for receiving
the package from Missouri is tha
friends OF the Night Riders who live
in Missouri, at the dictaion of some
persons here. mailed him the package
The Capehart fire is thought to b.
! the beginning OF the reign of fire
! There is no clew 10 who started tn,
fire, but the Night Riders are beinl
held responsible for it. whether guilt!
or not The land owners are arminl
their tenants. and there is no doub
that the movement now has reache,
a dangerous stage. People fear e
travel the night-ridden district for fea
they will meet with band and come
to harm.
II was stated here tina. a strange
had endeayored TO buy a large humble
Of whips at a country store north O
this city. and IL Is now feared tina
whitecapping Is 10 be added 10 thu
| other deprelations Il has been owe
twenty years since there has been an!
whitecapping in Pike county. Th'
grand jury will be called on TO maxi
an investigation and every possible
means will be taken 10 bring the Nigh
Riders 20 Justice Bloodhounds are 4
be used in trailing and nothing lef
undone until the Night Riders disban'
]