The sun., 1908-10-28
NIGHT RIDERS CONFESSION
ADMITS HE rs A MEMBER AND
GIVES LEADERS NAMES.

Tells Sheriff of Tennessee Lawlessness
but Denies That He Participated in
the Murder OF Col. Rankin-MOst OF
the Men Implicated Are Under Arrest.
UNION CITY Tenn. Oct PA COM
plete confession OF the assassination
OF Capt. Quentin Rankin on October 10
by night riders at Walnut Log was made
to-day by Tid Burton, q member of the
bsnd who is in Jail at Tiptonville.
Burton told the names Of the leaders
Of the party which took Rankin from
Ward Hotel, and hanged and shot him,
and also told Of his connection with the
night riders, but denied that he took any
part in the killing Of Capt, Rankin.
Burton was one OF the first men ar
rested end Is the only ono sent to jeil,
all the others being held at the military
camp.
To-day Burton told one of the jail
attendants that he wanted to see Sheriff
Haynes and to tell him all he knew about
night riders. Sheriff Haynes was at
Camp Memo, seven miles across the lake,
and launch made a dash across to the
camp for him and back to Tiptonville.
The Sheriff was accompanied by Judge
Harris, and Mayor Donaldson joined them
on their arrival. The three proceeded to
the jail. where Burton told his story.
He admitted that since the beginning
be had been a member OF the night riders
and told much concerning the burning
of Burdick' g docks and other lawlessness.
Burton said he was at the hotel at Wal
nut Log the day before the murder OF
Capt. Rankin and that he was told by
j. F. Carpenter. one OF the men under
arrest. that Capt. Rankin and b. u. Taylor
were there.
8. Burton says that he at once com.
municated with the leaders Of the band
and on the next day, while at the hotel
where he had gone for the purpose OF
getting lunch to take with him out on
the lake while fishing, he saw Rankin end
Taylor sitting at the supper table. soon
and while fishing he heard the shots, but
did not return to learn what had happened
and did not know about the murder until
the following day.
He named Tom johnson and Garrett
Johnson and Will Watson as the leaders
Of the night riders, and gave Sheriff.
Haynes the names Of about forty other
men, Of whom twenty are now under
arrest at the camp. 1t IL believed the
others, or most Of them, will soon be In
custody
Burton was emphatic in his denial that he
was present or took any part in the killing
of Capt. Rankin. Tom johnson and Gar
rett johnson, the men named by Burton,
were arrested some days ago and Will
Watson was taken in charge to-day, being
captured by soldiers under the command
of Capt Bellamy and Lieut.. Dempsey.
All deny that they were night riders.
Watson recently gave bond OF IS 600 to
answer the charge OF having taken part
in the whipping OF Squire George Wynn
in Lake county.
The evidence already taken by the
Grand Jury In the night rider cases Is
sufficiently strong to justify indictments,
il is said. While there can be at present
no definite information as TO the number
OF witnesses to be examined, there will
be more than one hundred. Ten were
examined to-day, and this was the first
session OF the jury.
A question having been raised as 70
the legality of the present, proceedings
OF the Grand Jury il is understood that
the body will disband and the investiga-
tion win rest for thirty days The Ten
uessoe statutes specifically provide that
when a special session Of the Grand Jury
is to be called TO make any kind OF in
vestigation 1t is necessary 10 give thirty
days notice by publication in q news
paper published In the county in which
the special session Is to he held. The
thirty days notice was not given here,
and Il is rumored that attorneys engaged
to defend men row under arrest have
intimatei their intention to raise this
The matter will be finally settled this
week after a conference OF the Governor
and the court officials