The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-12-21
COL Taylor Tells Of Death Of
Capt. Rankin
THE STATES FIRST WITNESS
In Tennessee Trial Describes Visit Of
Masked Men and Of Escape After
Companion Was Killed-Names
Garrett Johnson.

Union City, Tenn, Dec. 2i.-col. R.
z. Taylor, who was with Capt. Quentin
Rankin when the latter was murdered
at Reelfoot Lake by night riders, was
the first witness called by the stats
when court convened Saturday for the
trial of the aight men jointly indicted
on the hcarge Of having assassinated
Capt. Rankin.
Col. Taylor, who is GO years old and
one Of the oldest and best known mem
bers of the bar in West Tennessee, re-
lated at length the story of the Reel
foot Lake tragedy and his own terrible
experience on that eeentful night in
the woods ON the bank Of the lake.
The recital was listened TO with
greatest interest by the crowd which
llled the court room. Col. Taylor
said that after Capt. Rankin and him
self had retired on the night of October
10 masked men came TO their room at
Wards hotel and, presenting guns and
pistols. ordered both to dress. Other
masked men stood guard at the win
dews A satchei containing private
papers was opened by one Of the night
riders and the papers were examined.
The two men were then taken from
.he hotel and conducted through fields
to the woods on the lake shore The
night riders stopped several times and
finally upon reaching the scene of the
murder began questioning Col. Taylor
and Can't. Rankin regarding the title
ut the West Tennessee Land company
TO the lake property. information was
given that the company had purchased
the land grants, whereupon some Of
the night riders became very abusive
and one Of them struck Col. Taylor
twice.
One OF the night riders was told to
bring a rope, and this was tied around
Capt. Rankin's neck. Some one said
let him pray and to this Capt. Ram
kin replied, Il have already attended
to that matter" Presently Col Tay-
lor heard the rope being adjusted
through the fork Of The tree, and then
he heard Capt. Rankin say Gentlemen
don't do this, you are choking me"
After the victim had been drawn up
second time there was a shot, follow
ed Immediately by another, and sue
ceeded by volley. Realizing that
Capt. Rankin was dead and that he
himself would meet similar fnte, as
he had already been told that he would |
lie killed Taylor waited until he be
lieved all the weapons had been dis
charged and then jumped into Bayou |
Dn CHEN, just q few steps away, TAX |
Inc A desperate chance and hoping to-
escape in the darkness from the death |
which seemingly awaited him.
Col. Taylor in nnrrating what oc-
CURED prior to and Immediately after /
the killing Of Capt. Eankin was over
come by emotion, End tears freely flow
Ell down his checks as he spoke Upon |
recovering himself Col. Toyior proceed |
ed with the story Of his remarkable cs-
cape
He told how, after plilnging into the
water he came to the surface Just be- /
hind log, where hc remained until the
departure Of the men, WHO fired many /
shots into the bayou, but none of
them struck him He made his way to
the shore and striking through muddy
swamps. tall grass and briars he reach
ed ground covered with hti.vy
growth of grass and remained there all /
day. fearing to let himself be seen by
rfpht riders. On the night after the
murder OF Capt. RANKIN Col. Taylor
guided by the north star, walked
through dense woods, and at dayhreak,
seeing house and having gone with
out food and water for more than
thirty-six hours, he determined, al he
said, I'd 40 to the house and eget
drink oF water or die" He reached
the house and was taken care Of and
from there proceeded to Tiptonyille,
where his family and friends We're noti
dPd of his safety.
The witness, being asked whether he
any 0f the men present on
did not know any one, but that the
n,an who assaulted and threatened him
wore whiskers ar mask that looked /
like whiskArs. He was then asked If
he had since seen ony one whom he
thought he recognized as one Of the
men. He replied that since that time
Tho had since ceen any one whom be
of the one who assaulted and
threatened him. When asked by coun
sci for the state, who the man was
Col. Tovlor replied: Garrett Johnson
The defendants IN the case now on
trial are Garrett johnson, Sam Apple
white. Bob Huffman, Arthur cior,
Fred Pinion, It'd burton, Bud Norris
and Roy Ransom The prisoners under
guard of deputy sherifFs entered the
court room before court had been call
cd to order and took their seats quiet
III. but manifesting more interest than
they have shown at any time since
they were first arraigned to answer to
the indictment Of murder in the first
degree and to which the pleaded not
guilty.