Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-22
STORIES TOLD OF CRIMES
Chain of Evidence Drawn Tighter
Around Prisoners.
BURNING OF FISH DOCKS
Man Forced to Assist Incendiaries
Gives Names-Whipped on His
Way to Testify.
Special Dispatch TO The Star.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
UNION CITY. Tenn. December D.
Handcuffed and under guard of deputy
sheriffs and eight soldiers, the eight. al
legged night riders Indicted on the charge
Of numbering Capt. Quentin Rankin at
Reelfoot lake were brought into the cir
cult court room this morning.
The Handwriting of the accused and the
addition of the soldiers to the number OF
guards were due to the receipt Of informa-
ton by the authorities that two of the
prisoners had been overheard making
plans to escape by breaking away from
the deputy sheriffs going to or returning
from the courthouse. The names of the
two prisoners have not been made pub
lic
John Shaw, aged fifty years, and en-
gagged in the general merchandise busi-
ness in Samburg, on Reelfoot lake.
was the first witness called today. He
described the loca iion of the fish locks
in Samburg, and the burning by night
riders of ]. c. Burdick & Co.'S docks
April II last.
Forced to Admit Incendiaries.
Shaw said that on the night of the de-
struction of the docks he was visited by
twenty-five or thirty men, all of whom
were disguised and carried guns and who
forced him to fill a two-gallon jug with
oil and go to the docks. where, under or
ders. he called to Walter Pleasant and
Fred Burdick. the former being partner
and the latter sen of j. c. Burdick, the
personal proprietor OF the docks, to come
out. Pleasant and Burdick came to the
door of their building with revolvers and
were ordered to leave the lake. The wit
ness then tod how the oil was poured on
the docks and ignited. The docks were
destroyed with much fishing material.
The night riders also started to burn
some dwelling houses owned by Rurdck
& Co.. but finally concluded not to do SO
They returned five days later, however
after giving the occupants notice tt
leave. and applied the torch TO those
dwellings. Shaw was warned TO leave
because he was connected with the West
Tennessee Land Company. and told thai
If he did not do SO he would De killed
This was in September last.
Whipped on His Way to Testify.
While en- route from his home to Unior
City to go before the grand jury in re-
sponse to summons from that body he
was waylaid by night riders and tolo
that he would be hanged or whipped. and
he could take his choice. He replied tha,
he would rather be whipped. and was
held by two men. He was then givel
about twenty blows The night riders
told him that he must return home ano
not testify before the grand jury. 4
masked man then asked him: Can you
rum?
We'll" the witness was asked by At
torney General Caldwell. did you rum
The answer came promptly: You ought
to have seen me-.
The ton was brief.
Fred Burdick was the next witness
He gave testimony as to the destruction
of the docks and identified sam Apple
white. one of the defendants, as having
been present Oh that occasion.
Objection Is Overruled
Counsel for the defense objected Ia
much of the testimony given by the wit
nesses today on the ground that it was
incompetent and irrelevant because il
referred to an offense separate and dis
tinct from the murder of Capt Ran
kim
Judge Jones overruled these objec-
tions and allowed the evidence to go
to the jury.
Bob Edwards, twenty-three years
old. next took the witness stand He
testified that he was present in Il meet
ing OF night riders and was given Il
mask and told to get gun. He was
afterward ordered to go on a raid, but
he with one or two others refused and,
laying down their masks, went home.
Edwards gave the names oc Il number
Of men who attended The meeting.
among them being Arthur Clear, one o,
the defendants.
Wanted Only Nervy Men.
Robert Green testified that he was no
tilted once to meet the night riders in i
field at night. He wsnt to the place in
dictated and there saw Arthur Cloar and
others. The object of the meeting was
the statement that it was for the purpose
OF giving orders to two men.
Witness was given a mask and after
re remaining half an hour talking together
the party dispersed. Edwards was told
that only those who We're ''ncrvy' were
wanted in the organization.
The next witness was Wylie Johnson
He said that the day Capt. Rankin
was killed he saw It'd Burton and Boy
Ransom. two Of the defendants. I'm q
store where he also saw Capt. Rankin
and Col. Taylor.
That night he heard three shots. after
being awakened by his wife. who had
heard other shots. He was later calleG
upon by Mr.. Ward to accompany him 10
the scene OF the tragedy, where he saw
Capt. Rankin body. He did not see any
of the night riders but heard them as
they passed his house on their way home.
ONE-THIRD OF CANAL DUG.
Secretary Bishop sSays Waterway