The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-28
DELIBERATE PLOT ID
 KILL PROMINENT MEN
More Than Half of Those Named By the Man Who Helped SIay Rankin Are In Jail and the Others
 Will Be Caught.

 1 Burton, self confessed night rider, told remarkable story today of night 1 depredations in the vicinity of Reel l foot lake, confessing to the part he played in the outrages which reached | continuation in the putting to death of Capt. Quentin Rankin, a prominent attorney of Trenton, Tenn, on the l banks of the lake a week ago tonight, and duplicating men prominent in this 1 section. Of the number he declares had part in the killing of Captain Rankin more than half are in custody at Camp Memo, the military base near Samburg. The confession was made at the sail here to sherfn Haines of this county, Judge Harris. owner of a. large tract of land in the Reelfoot lake district who had suffered much at the i hands of the raiders and Mayor C1eve- land Donelson of TiptonvilIe
 The confession was made freely and voluntarily with no offers of les sened punishment or threats. and ar- parently without qualm of conscience. he glibly unfolded his story.
 Burton Not Present. While Burton denies that he was present when Captain Rankin was put to death he admits that 1t was through information given by him that the band eongregated and secured the attorney while he slept at the hotel at 1 Walnut Log. According to Burton's | confession, Tom and Garrett Johnson, under arrest, and William Watson, un- der bond in connection with another raid, were the leaders of the raid of | the lake band.
 Burton declares that the first part he played as a member of the night rider band was when he aided in the burning of a fish dock at Samburg. and several weeks later was one of a party who ] crossed the county line from the Reel foot lake district into the adjoining county of Lake and whipped Justice of the Peace Vim, an aged man. Coming to the killing of Captain Ran 1 kin, Burton declared that on the night be- fore the lynching he went to Walnut l Log and there met James Carpenter the attorney of Union City, at whose solicita- | tion Rankin and Judge R. z. Taylor, his | assistant In the West Tennessee Land company, the owners of the land upon l which the lake is situated, came to the 1 lake. It was stated that the visit of the l two men was to arrange timber deal l with Carpenter After this conversation 1 Burton states he communicated with the night rider leaders and told them of the l intended visit os the representatives of the land company.
 1 On the following night he saw two men at supper at the hotel, but declares that l he left Walnut Log early in the night and went out into the lake to fish. He states that he fishing when he heard the shots which ended the life of Captain | Rankin, but did not return to the shore for some time.
 Forty Names Given.
 In the course of his conversation Burton l gave the names of no less than 40 men- 1 bers of the night riders.
 l Carpenter is under arrest, as is also a majority of those whom Burton impli- cates. but as to their identity Sheriff Hsns would not say further, fearing that 1 to do so would cause additional excite ment and provoke outbreak on the 1 part of their friends Posses will start l from Camp Memo at once to gather in those not under guard All of the sus- poets under arrest up to the present have emphatically denied connection with the night rider organization.
 Burton was arrested at Ssmburg Tues l day, the day the first troops arrived from 1 Nashville. He was seen at the camp by ] Sheriff Haines who had state warrant i for his arrest He submitted to arrest 1 quietly and was immediately brought to i jail here. While en route Burton admitted l to the deputies having him in custody l being a member of the band, but when 1 asked the following day to repeat his 1 confession, denied that he had confessed or that he knew anything of the killing of Captain Rankin. After a few days in 1 jail however, his mood changed and it was at his request that Haines and others 1 to whom he confessed came to the jail 1 today. l Burton will not be admitted to bond, but 1 1t is probable that he will be removed from the local jail to Nashville for safe keeping.