The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-13
NO FEDERAL LAW
IS VIOLATED BY
NIGHT RIDERS
Night Riders May Not Have
Been Entirely Responsible.
Losses by Cotton Gin Burnings
Now Reach $1,25O,OOO.
GROWERS TO POOL PRODUCTS
Plan to Ship Direct to European
Consumers.
Hope to Avoid Low Market in
the United States.
Losses by Cotton Gin Burnings
Now Reach $1,25O,OOO.
GROWERS TO POOL PRODUCTS

With burning of cotton gins, COM
presses and warehouses continuing
thruout the new and old south, state
and federal authorities today were ap-
parcntly baffled in their attempt to
run down night riders alleged to have
fired the property to keep cotton off
the market until prices go up.
With the greatest loss in Texas,
night fires thruout the south were es-
timated to have caused destruction
of nearly S2,OOO,O0O since the cam
paign of inccndiarism started several
days ago.
Federal and state probes apparently
caused no check in posting of warn
ings that gins must close until a price
of 40 cents a hundred for cotton is
reached. New warnings appeared in
several states today. New gin fires
were reported at Pine Bluff and Fort
Smith. Ark.
Ginners and farmers at Lavaca,
Ark. were planning to take the law
into their own hands and organize Wig
lance committees. Similar steps were
reported from other communities.
Loss to the Bennett Cotton COM
pany's gin at Pine Bluff, Ark, was to-
day estimated at $4,000. Press dis
patches said loss at a Fort Smith gin
was small.
While federal authorities were in
vcstigating fires in most states, advices
indicated they were placing the bur-
den of the hunt as a rule on state Of
ficials.
Not Violating Federal Laws.
Washington, Oct. 13.-Department
of justice officials today expressed
doubt as to whether any federal action
can be taken against Might Riders
who are burning cotton gins in the
south as part of a campaign to prevent
their operation until cotton reaches 40
cents pound.
The department. however, has or
dered an investigation of the burnings
to determine what it might be able tC
do.
While justice officials believe the
Lever act. which prevents destruction
of necessaries. might cover the case Of
the might riders" they point out thai
the riders are committing arson
which is a crime under all state laws
and that proceedings should therefore
be conducted by state authorities.
Fear Terror Reign.
San Antonio, Tex, Oct. 13.-Statt
authorities in the south have JOINED
forces with federal officers in an eff
fort to round up the Might Riders
organizations. believed responsible fol
the reign of terror among cottoI
growers and gin owners by firing com
presses and gins. it was learned here.
State Fire Marshal williams ant
other state officers have been at Cam
eron. Tex, investigating the $1,000.
600 fire which destroyed several thou
sand bales of cotton. Federal agent
from here were also sent to Cameron
to try to learn the origin of the fire, /
was said.
Federal officers are working on tw'
theories of the fires. A possibility o
radical work behind the origin of tn
fires has caused agents to work ol
that assumption. Destruction of cot
ton also violates the federal food con
troll act.
Losses Now S1.25O,OOO.
Dallas, Tex, Oct. 13.-Value of cot
ton gins. warehouses. congresses an
cotton destroyed in Texas by fire o
mysterious origin" following nigh
riders warnings reached approximate
ly one and quarter million dollar
with reports of additional fires reach
ing here today.
Since Monday morning, five gin
have been destroyed or damaged
They included the Moore gin at Prius
ley. Tex, loss $4,000; the Gibson gi
near Cameron, loss $12, 900. and dam
age to the Weems gin at Branchvill
of $4,000.
Additional warnings were reporte
posted at Lavaca and Sebastia
county. Arkansas.
Warnings declared the gins mus
not be operated until cotton reache
40 cents a pound.
Abilene. Tex. Oct. 13.-VVest Texs
cotton planters will pool their To-
grade cotton and ship it to Europe I
avoid the low American market az
cording to a plan worked out by til
West Texas Chamber of Commerce.
The plan calls for concentration G
congresses where shipments will h
taken charge OF by an Abilene firm
cotton operators.
Pine Bluff. Oct. 13-The Benne
cotton company's cotton gin, ten mil,
east of here was burned early tn
morning, causing loss of $4,000.