The Washington times., 1910-02-07
TOBACCO GROWER
TELLS CONDITIONS
Attempts to Connect Burley
Society With Night
Riders.


Riders. |
Under date OF February I, citizen or
Mason county. Ky. has written a letter /
10 The Washington Times with the re-
quest that it be published over his sig
ntture or over the assumed signature OF
A Mason County Tobacco Grower
in view OF the recent discussion OF the
Night Rider situation. the Burle. To-
baccq Society and the Society Of T. Iity, !
The 'ttrHes prints the letter as giving at
least one viewpoint in the- controversy /
out Of fairness 10 the writer. his sig
nature IS withheld Following is the lec-
ter:
AIaysvIlIe. Ky
To Che Editor o. The washington Times.
Having read the speeches OF J. Camp
bell I1nlrll, Representative from Ken I
lucky and. the state president or the
society Of Equity iu Kentucky, amt
hiram %. Bradley made before House
ana Senate. and the plea of Innocence !
on the part of the BurIey Tobacco So I
ciett. or connection with, or knowledge
OF the Night Riders. and the crimes
committed bE them since the Orgaulza-
ton OF this BuTley Tobacco trust, and In
view OF TINS plea OF innocence on the
part az Clarence lie Bus. president OF
The EurieE Tobacco Society and others, Z
7 take the liberty OF saying few words
regarding conditions iu Kentucky nov
L-l us look back 10 the latter part
Of - and TO the fcariy part and
through Tie spring Of 1906, until after
fue decree Of the Bgriey Iop3cco So
ciety Of NO Crop produced IN 1875.
was enforced. What do we see The
Night Riders armed with guns and
hi7cEsuake WhiDs- and provided win
coal OF and matches We hear the cry
u
the screams o. frightened women and
children
Flames Of Burning Barns.
We see the flames Of Burning 0arfis
o. tobacco. as they 20 into ashes. We
see published in tire Lexington Herald,
a letter from w b Hawkins in which
he promises three hundred and sixty
FIVE days Of hell 20 the man who at
tempts 20 grow a crop Of tobacco in. y
the year 1875 We see Hiram Hedges
shot 20 death In his oUn door, because
he sowed some plant beds. from which
70 plant 2 crop OF tobacco
watch the work of the solicitors
OF this BuTIey Tobacco Society iu
getting tobacco signed 20 H. At the
beginning OF the WORK Of these
AGENTS the people were SLOW in signing
their tobacco In some cases, the So
ECitOrs would call at man place sew
81
tie pooling or mis- crop as a means OF
security from the probable outrageS or
tie Night Riders
(0t long after the solicitors began
their work. bands Of men were seen rid
ing the roads fate iu the night These
men carried guns and IN some cases
fox morn. making preteuss OF ioN-
hunting Tn one case SUCH hand as
=cmbIed near mans house. and die
much shooting during tire night Tni5
man was q tenant, whose dependence
un
bscc0 crop shortly following this &C
cureuce. he made the statemeu. To his
landlord that he would rather sell MS
LonarCl Tor cents yer pound than Rave
bis Wisg and children live in agony on
account Of fear Of the Night Riders
Many Assigned Crops
II was not hard 10 recall 10 the minds
Of the people the crimes Of intimidation
against those who refused 10 sign their
tobacco to the BurIey Society in 1907.
attempted 10 Grow crop in 1903, and
uauy under he spell q fear thus
wrought oy the suggestive methods de-
scT1ne1 signed their tobacco TO the Bur
les Tobacco Society This method OF
suggestion, however, did not succeed IN
efeCriuE a spell OF fear over an Of the
tobacco growers sufficient 70 cause
them TO sign their tobacco 10 the BUley
. Society There were few left who
held their tobacco proposing 10 exercise
their right OF freedom uudCF the law IN
selling where and 20 who m they chose
in addition 20 the solicitor there was a
syndicate formed On Mason County Of
men VINO were members Of the Burley
Tobacco Society the business OF this
syndicate II appears. was principally TO
buy the UuUOOled tobacco and sign Il
10 the Burley Tobacco Society. While
the solicitors worked 20 secure pledges
10 the Society this syndicate sought 10
buy the tobacco Of those who refused 20
sign TO the solicitors
In some cases members Of = is syudi-
"a --rA %
whom they were trying 10 purchase,
that it would be safer for him 10 sell
his tobacco TO them. thus intimating
that harm might come 10 their property
T or person If they ATTEMPTED to sell their
tobacco on the opan market In some
cases men sold their tobacco TO this
pound less than they had been offered
by Independent buyers because they
were afraid not TO-
Members OF the Burley. Tobacco SOci-
ETY. Tn some cases went 10 their neigh
bOrs who were independents and advis-
ed them TO sell to this syndicate, there
by escaping danger OF harm to their
property OF person
After the raids on Chester Reese. Au-|
gust Eaier, and George E\rettz, in which
the Night Riders demanded Of them
/ that they sign their tobacco to the Bur
ley Tobacco society. they all signed
their tobacco 10 the said society. AMI
these contracts thus procured by in
timidation by Night Riders were accept
Yet this Burley Tobacco Society claims
I 10 have no connection with the Night
! F.ider, not even to know Of his exist
I enCe.
Il IS being asserted today by members
| Of the Ruriey Tobacco Society that
/ those who refuse 70 sign their acreage
! OF tobacco tO-Ihe Burley Tobacco So
/ ciety before It IS planted will not be
/ permitted to grow q crop OF tobacco
q in this year Of 1910
/ The Naysville Independent, under date
! Of January =, 1870, referring to the Ken
/ lucky Legislature. states Three meas
( ures have been introduced in the Isegis-
! IatUTe which are intended to strengthen
| the Rurley Society. one makes II
/ punishable offeuse 70 solicit or buy
/ pooled tobacco. Another makes it legal
/ 10 pool crop before il Is set out This
[ would make efTeotive a two years peel
/ AuOtEer IegsIizes the cutting out Of
I any crop
Oppressive Methods Denied.
/ Yet the officials Of this BUriey To-
] bacco Society say. that they do not use
I oppressive methods The editor of the
/ Lexington Herald announces that he
! knows Of no Outrages committed by the
/ Night Riders in Kentucky for over
]