Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1910-01-11
Sought in Suit TO Be
Brought in Few Days in
Federal Court.
UNDER SHERMAN LAW.
Several Hundred Witnesses
to Testify in the Case,
Say Officials.

Cincinnati, o., Jan. S.-United
States Secret Service men, who have
been investigating the Burley To.
bacco Society, asserted today that
suit for the dissolution of the so
ciety, on the ground that it operates
in violation of the Sherman law, will
be begun in the United States Dis.
trict Court here in a few day.
The Secret service men have been
operating from this city under the
direction of w. H. Hoagland since
October.
The government agents declare
that several hundred witnesses will
be brought from Kentucky to testify
regarding the operations of the So
ciety in the hurley districts. Wit
nesses, who claim that they were
compelled to flee from Kentucky,
will be summoned from Missouri.
HOW HoAGLAND WORKS.
Mr.. Hoagland has his headquarters
at the Havalin Hotel, but takes a
run over to Kentucky every day or
two. He has with him fourteen
special agents from the office of
United States Attorney General
Wickersham, six Of whom are form.
er newspaper men. Mr.. Hoagland
himself was assistant city editor of
the Philadelphia Inquirer, and was
at one time war correspondent for
the London Standard, and after that
did great deal of work for the
New York Herald.
In addition to the civil suit, the
United States grand jury at Coving-
ton will make an investigation of
the criminal end Of the night riders
since whenthey prevent the Kentucky
grower from shipping his crop to
Ohio they interfere with interstate
commerce because a large per cent.
of the tobacco grown both in Ken.
tucky and Ohio is shipped out of
those States.
LoNGNECKER AFTER VENGEANCE.
1t is the hope of interested parties
that the investigation of the night
riders work will reveal the names
of the leaders and members of the
mob that shot up the house of Ben
jamin Longnecker at Maysville, and
if this is brought about pressure will
be brought on the authorities of
Mason county to punish them under
the State law, and the government
will also attempt to punish them
under the Federal statute on the
theory that when they shot up Long
necker's house they intimidated him
so that he could not engage in inter-
state commerce with his tobacco.
VIGOROUSLY PUSHING PROCEEDING.
One of the men who is vigorously
pushing the criminal proceeding is
George Longnecker, of Maysville.
His wife was in the battle at the
Longnecker home between the night
riders and the family and bullet
passed through her dress. Long
necker goes heavily armed, his right
hand constantly on a heavy auto.
matte revolver, while in his left
pocket rests a 45 caliber Savage
pistol that can give mule his death
wound at 500 yards.
KNOWN MURDERER OF HEDGE.
The special Investigators in gather
ing evidence make the claim that
they have discovered the murderer
of Hiram Hedges, who was killed by
a band Of night riders in Nicholas
county. Hedges was called to his
deor at night and, though he promis.
ed to tear up his tobacco beds ano
raise no crop, some one in the crowc
fred a shotgun loaded with slugs
killed him.
The government agents say theN
: know the name of the man wht
fired the gun. He is. they say, il
the regular army. and the War De
partment has been asked to locat,
him. If found. the intention is t,
demand of the Nicholas count,
authorities that they proceed agains
him for murder.
PREPARING FOR TROUBLE
The Secret Service men expec
trouble before the government get
l.L-u...k onI kh..u a.. .owon.-~J a