The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-09-23
OfNight Riders Near Daw-
son Springs.
PREACHER WAS BADLY BEATEN
Also His Son and Another
Lash Laid On Till
Blood Ran.
ALL OUTLAWS WE'RE MASKED

nOpkinSNiiic, NY, cep'. ~ '"c
story of the whipping of three per-
sons by alleged night riders at Daw-
son Springs early Sunday morning
has revealed a seemingly brutal and
tiendish act The victims were w.
ID. Handy, sixty-six years old. re-
tired farmer; Henry Jordan,
Baptist preacher, forty-eight years
old, who preached on the streets at
times and worked at any trade open
to him in the meantime, and Har-
rison Jordan. twenty years old, son
of the preacher and farm laborer.
All three were charged by the night
riders with having talked too
much"
Hamby's offense, to which the
night riders took exception, evident
ly dates back to the night rider
reign incident to the tobacco trou-
bles of. four or five years ago. Then
he was living on his S00-acre farm
near Macedonia, in Christian county,
and he defed the night riders,
though he was often threatened,
and despite dire warning he brought
his tobacco to Hopkinsville under
ruard and sold it, Since then he
has leased his farm to his three
sons, bought home in Dawson and
moved there But he always had
I'm hi
of lawlessnes. and so expressed him.
self when section foreman was
whipped a few weeks ago. Among
the people of Dawson his reputation
is without stain.
The Rev. Mr.. Jordan says he
never did or said anything to call
down wrath upon his head. The
boy had been working for farmer
near Dawson and short time ago
about $500 which the farmer claim
ed TO have hidden in the smoke
house was stolen. The boy told his
father a few nights afterward he
was taken out by three men, who
also forced his employer and his son
to accompany them, and that he was
strung up by the neck and given
two minutes in which to admit he
had taken the money. He stoutly
asserted his innocence and was
finally released. Since then, 1t is
said, he had claimed to have recog-
nized the three men and threatened
to indict them. When he was beat
en-, it is said. he was told IL he per-
sisted in his threat he would be
hung before the courthouse door;
that the night riders were eighty
thousand strong and feared no
army.
The night riders entered Dawson
on foot and operated so silently that
very few persons knew of their visit
until next morning. Handy says
there were thirty or thirty-fve of
them and Jordan says seventy-fve,
both merely estimating. Handy
was first captured. His door was
not locked and before he knew what
was happening an electric flashlight
was thrown in his face and he was
covered by guns and made to ac-
company his captors. The party
went to the Jordan home. where the
door was forced and father and son
taken. None of the prisoners was
allowed to dress or even put on
shoes.
They were taken nearly mile to
the baseball park across Tradewater
river in Caldwell county. where the
whippings We're administered. A
heavy leather strap was used on all
three and besides bad bruises, the
blood was brought After being
whipped they were released and
allowed to get home as best they
could. Mr.. Handy says that he beg
ged them to shoot him instead of
whipping, and that they did take a
vote ON whether or not they should
hang him, but the hanging lost by
one vote. All three still bear the
Bruises and the Rev. Mr.. Jordan
was in bed to-day. Mr.. Handy was
notified to leave Dawson and return
to his farm and when he expostulat-
ed that there was no residence avail
able he was told to live in the stable.
He says he will return to the farm
in few days. The night riders
were all heavily masked ond all
three victims say they could not
recognize anybody. The horses Of
the party had evidently been left
kitched just outside the town.
Sunday night notice was posted
on negro dance hall next door to
the Dawson City courtroom, advis-
ing the negroes that they must quit
tangoing. II is also said that nine
other citizens received warnings the