The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-12-20

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Union city, Tenn, Dec 19.-Following
his caution 10 the press yesterday, not to
print the testimony IN the night rider
cases Judge Jones today cautioned the
ministers OF the local churches not to re-
fer to the cases in their sermons Sun
day, since a juror might be present.
The first witness today was Colonel r.
T. Taylor. the companion of Captain
quentin Rankin on the night of the MUIR
der Colonel Taylor is old. confederate
veteran and a wealthy man. Colonel
Taylor and Captain Rankin went to Reel
foot lake TO lease some lands. They drove
over the property and returned to the
hotel, left orders for horses for the day
following. Then they retired.
Taken From Their Beds.
Colonel Taylor was awakened by Ward s
call and the same instant rear window
OF his room was raised Two hump guns
were thrust in. followed by two black
masked heads. Not a word was spoken
until the leader of the band entered the
room by the door. The night riders sepa-
rated Taylor from Rankin and Taylor
did not see Rankin from the time they
left their room until he saw Rankin muir
6ered.
They told Taylor they proposed to kill
him
When the night riders reached the
they halted Taylor and marched Rankin
20 the foot OF the tree. The rope. was
adjusted and thrown over the fork. then
some night rider said: Give him time
Il have attended TO that was Rankins
quiet reply.
MercI. Murderers.
Some one Of the masked band seized the
rope and drew Rarkin up. The tree was
inclined trifle and they raised the body
until the toes scarcely touched the
ground. From the liDs of the S~aying
figure came the muffied appeal:
You are choking me. gentlemen ]
pray YOU let me down"
Then one of the riders fired a shoS into
the body Of Rankin. even as he pleaded
for life. Instantly fusillade came, most
81 the riders. however. shooting into the
air.
Taylor turned to mis- -4ptors and said:
II am tired geneltmen. let me sit down =
Escape of Taylor.
He crouched t. his knees. ready to
spring, waited until the guns were empty.
then when the firing stopped he jumped
into the waters Of the slough. Instantly
the firing was resumed TAYLOR dived, but
heard the bullets striking the water. He
swan under water to big log He did
not know whether il was fast or not He
knew II IL were loose that when he
grasped IL for support II would splash and
MS life would be forfeited. But he was
fAhduSleu ana IdlnInE ana ndd 10 take
the risk. From the bank came cries, yells
and shots. Silently he swan to the log
reached for II and it was fast in the
slough. He was safe. The bullets struck
the log like hail in storm. but gradually
they ceased. For two hours this aged
veteran of many battles lay I'm the water
grasping the log and when all sounds had
ceased he swan 10 the opposite side and
took to the woods. He wandered ali day
following a course marked by the moss.
Which he knew was heaviest ON the north
side Of the trees. His eyesight began to
fail and he suffered fearfully from thirst
Then he imagined that he saw masked
men in every thicket.
Found by Friends.
Taylor realized that he was suffering
rom decisions. but his experiences had
been so frightful that he could not con-
uol himself or dispeI the Authorizations
lie hid in the cane brake all day until
thirst drove him out and into the arms of
his friends
just before the night riders killed Ran
KIN, Taylor said:
Gentlemen. / am an old man. I can
not expect to live many years more. BY
killing me You will not be cheating me of
much But Captain Rankin is a young
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