The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-10-21
BRUTAL MURDER Of
Leading LAWYERS
''Nightriders" of Tennessee
Wreak Vengeance Upon Two
Prominent Attorneys.
TROUBLE OF LONG STANDING
OVER FISHERMEN'S RIGHTS
Body of One Victim Is Found
RiddIed With Bullets; Other
Yet Missing.

UNION CITY. Tenn, Oct 20-Col.
r. h. Taylor, aged GO years, and Capt.
Quintiu Rankin, prominent attorneys
of Trenton, Tenn, were taken from
Ward g hotel at Walnut Log. Tenn, fif-
teen miles from here, at midnight last
night by masked "nightriders" and
murdered.
Captain Rankin Is body was found
this morning riddled with bullets and
hanging from 4 tree one mile from the
hotel. Efforts to locate the body of
Colonel Taylor have been futile thus
far, but it is believed that he was also
killed.
The sheriffs Of obion and Lake
counties are on their way TO the scene
with posses.
Called to Their Death.
Mr., Ward, the manager of the Ward
hotel at Walnut Log, telephoned details
of the tragedy. He said that twenty
five masked Hnlghtriders came to lis
hotel at midnight last night. They
their revolvers and called to Colonel
Taylor and Captain Rankin The two
men did not suspect trouble and came
down Immediately. AS the attorneys
passed into the front yard the riders
covered them with their revolvers aud
before Rankin and Taylor had an Up
portunity TO retire they were surround
horses behind "nightriders and care
fully guarded. The ''nightriders" then
| quietly took up their march from the
hotel, turning down the road toward
| Reel Foot lake. Guests at the hotel iii
few minutes lost the sound of hoof
| beats and nothing more was heard of
the fate of the two men until this
morning.
| Riddled With Bullets.
Proceeding to the edge OF Reel Foot
lake, the '.nightriders pulled out Z
rope, with which taey had provided
themselves, and placed the moose about
| Captain Rankin s neck He was strung
up from limb on the bank of the lake,
for the fishing privileges OF which he
had contended with the 'nightriders, -
| The masked men then opened fire on
| the hanging body, rlddllng IL with bu'-
| lets.
Colonel Taylor evidently was alive at
this time and witnessed the murder of
| his law partner,
Leaving the corpse OF Rankin hang
ing, the riders took Taylor to another
spot. Search near Rankin IS body has
failed to reveal trace OF Taylor.
While it Is generally believed that
Taylor was murdered, as he had no OPP
portunitYf whatever TO escape, the
| theory has been advanced that perhaps
he was spared in order that the demands
of the masked men might be granted.
Trouble Over Fishing.
The trouble between inhabitants on
the banks of Reel Foot lake and Colonel
Taylor and Captain Rankin originated
several years ago, when the two latter
men incorporated and organized the
| West Tennessee Land company.
They bought Reel Foot lake from non
resident owners and Immediately made
regulations of their own concerning fish
ing privileges The lake separates
oblon and Lake counties, in the ex-
tremo northwest corner of Tennessee.
! Great numbers of the residents in that
neighborhood have made their living
for some tire by fishing in the lake,
and they became indignant when what
they claimed as their rights were
disturbed, They made demands of the
land company and followed these with
letters threatening Taylor and Rankin.
Colonel Taylor desired protection, in
some form, of the state and he secured
the passage in the legislature of an act
regulating fishing in Reel Foot lake,
THIS act made il misdemoanor 10 fish
in the lake without paying heavy fee.
Fishermen Revengeful.
This only served to more thoroughly
arouse the fishermen. Fearing trouble,
Captain Rankin and Colonel Taylor
havo remained away from the vicinity
of the lake FOR some time Recently
however. they heard that the feeling
against them had somewhat subsidized
There were some legal papers at Walnut
Log which needed attention and the
attorneys went there Yesterday to see
about them. Their presence was soon
made known to all of the fishermen,
but it is not known If the men were
from Obion county or from Lake
county.
Colonel TAYLOR was the father Of the
Vanderbilt football star. lIillman Tay-
lor. who was married TO Miss Katherine
Taylor. the daughter of Senator Robert
L, Taylor. last fall Captain Rankin
was prominent lawyer of Trenton He
commanded a company in the Spanish
American war and served in the Cuban
campaign.
Was Probably Drowned.
y dispatch from Reelfoot Lake tonight.
where a mob OF masked men early this
morning took Col, r. u, Taylor, aged 80.
and Capt. Qulnten Rankin. both OF Treu-
ton, and widely known lawyers. out OF
their hotel at that place and murdered
the latter, falls To report the finding Of
Colonel Taylors body or any trace of his
whereabouts.
a man named Powell. who hauls fish
from The Log TO Hickman. IS said TO
have been forced to accompany the mob
which numbered about eighty members
Powell had been stopping at the hotel
and when the riders called every one
out and compelled them TO line up. Powell: |
Colonel Taylor. Captain Rankin and the !
surveyor. whose name Is unknown, are said !
to have been taken away, the others !
being permitted 10 return 10 their beds. |
Powell states IL Is said, that after kill |
ing Rankin, a vote was taken regarding |
the disposition OF Taylor, During the !
dispute Taylor made q dash and jumped |