The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-10-23
LAWYER MURDERED
BY NIGHT RIDERS
A FOUL CRIME-ANOTHE AT,
TORNEY MISSING.
Two Prominent Jitizens of Trenton,
Tenn, Ts,Aen From Hotel by
Masked Ruffians.

Masked Ruffians.
Union City, Tenn, October %
kCol r. u. Taylor, aged 60 years, and
Capt Quimen Rankin, both promn-
|ent attorneys Of Trenton. Tenn.,
were taken from Wards Hotel at
Walnut Log. Tenn, fifteen miles
From here, hast night by masked
,nlght riders and murdered. Capt.
&ankin' 5 body was found this morn
VI riudlcd with bullets and hanging
m tree one mile from the hotel.
ifforts TO locate the body Of Col.
Ion have been futile thus far. but
believed that he was also killed.
riff Eastwood and q posse Of arm
men left Union City this morning
the scene Of the MURDER IF they
any Of the night riders it is cx-
@'SHted that a pitched battle will be
fought. Sheriff Haynes, Of Lake
county, is also on the way to the
&scene with Il posse from Tiptonvillc.
! The trouble which resulted in the
death Of Capt. Rankin and the prnba-
7. bic murder of Col. Taylor WAS caused
\. by the passage of AN Act by the leg.
lSlaturc regulating fishing in Reel
Foot Take short distance from WAL
nut Log.
a night rider disturbance ovcr the
same matter occurred over a year ago.
Ever since then COL Taylor and Can't.
Rankin have been in constant receipt
Of threatening letters. to which they
paid little heed
Mr.. Ward, the manager of the
Ward Hotel, at Walnut Log, tele-
phoned Sid Waddcll, stockholder
in the West Tennessee Land COM
pany, stating that about % masked
night riders came to his hotel mt mid
''night last night.
According to this report the night
riders lined mp outside the hotel,
pulled out their revolvers and called
Col. Taylor and Capt. Rankin. The
two men did not suspect trouble and
came down Immediately. As the at
torleys passed into The front yard Of
the hotel the night riders covered
them with rcvolvcrs. Before Capt.
Rankin and Col. Taylor had an OPP
poMunity to retire they were sur
rounded and seized. They were put
Ion horses behind MI ght riders and
carefully guarded.
The night riders then quickly took
up their march from the hotel. turn
ing down The road toward Reel Foot
Lake. Proceeding TO the edge of
Reel Foot Lake the night riders pull
ed out il rope and placed the moose
about Capt. Rankin : neck
Capt. Rankin was strung up from
Il limb on he tank Of the lake for the
fishing privileges OF which he had
contcndcd with the night riders The
. masked men then stepped back and
yopcncd fire on the swinging body,
riddling it with bullets Leaving the
eorpse of Capt. Ranliin hanging ON
Athc bank Of Reel Foot Lake. the niyt!t
fGiders took Col. Taylor TO another
kpot. Search near C"pt. Rrnkin ;;
Rdy has failed to rcre'l trace Of
te murdercrs. while it is believed
lat Col Taylor WIS murdered the
cory hnS hccn "hvanccd that per
bps Col. Taylor VIZ spared in order
tllat the demands Of the masked men
Knight be granted.
$SBR. y. Taylor was tie father Of t,,e
Vanderbilt foot ball star, Hi!lsmnn
A'l'ayl0r, who was married to Miss
RKatherinc Tavlor, the daughter nf
eSenator Robert l.. Taylor last fall.
Capt. Rankin was IA prominent law
ger of Trenton. rIe was captain of
HiFitary company in the Spanish
american war and served in the Gu
Nm campaign.
The trouble between inhabitants on
banks Of Reel Foot Lake and Col.
-. ior and Capt. Rankin originated
ffeal years ago, when the two lat
(r Men organized the West Tcnnes-
ea Lapd company, bought Reel Lake
from npn-rcsidcm property owners
'|and made regulations of their own
concerning fishing privileges.