The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-12-08
TERROR STRICKEN
BY night RIDERS
CORES OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING
MANY WOMEN AND CHILDREN
HAVE BEEN BEATEN.
IN THREE KENTUCKY COUNTIES

Negro Miners Especially Are Attack
ed. Local Newspapers Do Not
Print Accounts of Outlawry For
Fear Plants Will Be Destroyed.
LEXINGTON, Ky.-Muhlenberg,
HOPKINS and Butler counties, in west
orn kentucky, are terror-stricken be-
oanse of outbreaks of night riders, or
..nossum hunters" as they have des-
,gnated themselves. Scores of peo-
nlo men, women and children, have
boen dragged from their homes and
beaten almost to death; scores of
houses have been riddled with bull
lets: one negro boy, who strayed too
.oIose to window during raid, has
been killed; numerous other people
have been wounded; three night rid
ora are believed to have been killed,
while others have been wounded, as
have several people who dared to OPP
.ooSe them.
The outlawry is directed especially
at negroes and those employed in
non-union coal mines. In this sec
ton of Kentucky there are a num-
her of mines which have refused to
allow their forces to become unioniz-
cd. and to do this they have employ
cd constantly increasing numbers OF
negroes. Chief of these concerns is
the big st. Bernard Coal Co., with
,ramber of lesser companies allied
with them, But negroes outside Of
the immediate mining districts have
also been victims of the "possum
hunters" and likewise a number of
white residents of the coal districts
and contiguous sections.
First Appearance.
{ The first appearance of the out
lawry was in Muh1enberg county,
where a number of persons were
maltreated, and even some mine
PROPERTY was destroyed and other
mines we're attacked. Since then the
raids have extended to other terri
tory. 49,
The mine owners, officers and citi-
zens in many places have taken steps
to give battle to the ''possum hunt
ers" should they again appear. At
Darlington, headquarters of the st.
Bernard Coal Company, not only are
the mines strongly guarded, but
citizens patrol has been organized, a
system of signals agreed upon and
arms distributed. Should the "pos-
sum hunters" tackle that place they
will be given a warm reception. AT
Carbondale a strong blockhouse mas
been erected large enough to hold
score of men. This stands on COM
manding position and is still further
strengthened by railroad ties stood
on end all way around it. From this
dozen men could stand off large
opposing force. A similar block
house has been erected at the King
ston mine, and possibly at other
places.
On the other hand, several of the
mines have shut down indefinitely,
and it Is supposed this means until
the trouble is over. At Carbondale
and perhaps other places it is said
that the negroes have practically all
moved away. But at other points the
negroes are being given every assur-
ance of protection and in such cases
there has been little or no diminu
ton of the forces in the mines.
Well Drilled.
The methods adopted by the pos
sum hunters" bear all the ear marks
Of the night riders who created such
a reign of terror seven or eight years
ago during the tobacco troubles. The
bands are evidently all well drilled;
they show by the precision with which
they work that every detail of a raid
is carefully planned before it is at
tempted, and every band is under
leader whose every command is i'm
plicitly obeyed.
The night providers always go
AINaBR uFn FRBFAgRA