The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1908-12-22
EXPOSES NIGHT
Rider SECRETS
Member Of Gang on Stand
in Tennessee Trial.
TROOPS GUARD WITNESS

Men Armed With Rifles Accompany
Him to Court, When He Is Turned
Over to Others Armed With Revol-
vers-TeIls Of Organization of So.
ciety and Gives Details Of the
Lynching of Captain Rankin.
Union City, Tenn, Dec. 22.-Sur-
rounded by a detail of six armed sol
diers Frank Fehringer, member of
the night riders who has turned
states evidence, was brought into
court to testify against his former as
sociates.
At the courtroom door the soldiers
with rifles halted. Four other sol
diers armed only with revolvers took
him in charge. Four armed deputy
sheriffs cleared passageway through
the crowd to the aisles and Fehringer
was led to the stand.
The soldiers sat down inside the
railing facing the throng Other dep
uties, armed, were scattered through
the room 1t was tense moment.
The witness, diminutive man,
seemed composed but pale. He
crossed his legs nonchalantly and
tossed his broad brimmed hat on the
toe of his boot.
Fehringer knew all the defendants
and had accompanied them on many
rides prior to the killing of Captain
Rankin.
When a night rider approached a
place of meeting he gave two long
and one short whistles. The sentry
replied with the same whistle and
| then called, who comes there?" The
reply was The seven wonders" Then
the sentry replied 81 wonder" and ad-
| mitted the member. The whistle Is a
peculiar, sybillant, piercing note. The
defendants smiled and looked at each
other as the whistle and password
| were repeated in court. Just before
| the murder of Captain Rankin the
riders decided to make a raid on Tip
tonville and kill Judge Harris. Tip
tonville heard of 1t and prepared to
repel 1t and the riders abandoned
their plan.
| Story OF Rankin's Death.
| On Oct. 10 the riders learned that
Rankin and Judge Taylor were at the
Walnut Log hotel in the heart of the
riders country. It'd Burton, one of
the defendants, told Fehringer to no.
tify the band to meet that night to
attend to Rankin and Taylor. Fehrin-
ger got one of Garrett Johnson's
horses and rode all day summoning
the band The riders met near John.
sons that night and 1t included the
eight defendants, name by name
They proceeded to the hotel after Gar
rett Johnson had forced Ed Powell to
take the rider there.
Garrett Johnson was the spokes
man, wore the rope and whip and
gave the orders to Rankin and Taylor
to dress.
On the march to the densely wood
ed bank of the slough where Rankin
was slain Johnson did all the talking
the others, about fifty in number, in
cluding the defendants, following
silently. AS they put the rope or
Rankin's neck Fehringer said to the
victim: "Do you want to say any
thing to the Lord? If you do, say II
now"
Rankin replied: II have attended
to that"
Just as they pulled the rope Bot
Hoffman shot him and Sam Apple
white then said: Il know he is dead
for put load of bicycle ball bear
ings in him" Jess Carter, one OF ttt
defendants and a man yet to be tried
put the rope around Rankin's neck.
i When Colonel Taylor jumped int
the slough everybody shot into thu
water and Fehringer beat around In |
with pole. Meantime the men hold
ing the rope let 1t go and Rankin
body crumpled up and dropped to tn
, ground.