Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-12-22
SOLDIERS ORDERED 20 81
PROTECT WiTkESS|
Continued from FRS, Pagc).
armed soldiers. Feh!inEer was
brought into corrt.
Soldiers Stand Guard.

! soldiers armed with riirs halted.
I Four other soldiers arm"d only with
rrvolvrrs took FehrinR"r in charg'.
Four armed deputy sherihH cleared a
| wav through the crowd IN the aisies
and Frhringtr was led TO n" stand.
= The soldiers sat down iuNli" 'hr rail-
, ing facing the throng. Deputies. arm
ed heavily took position in various
parts OF the room. 1t was a tense
moment TIL. witness II dilninutiv"
man seemed to be- compo d but pal"
He crossed his legs aud tossed his
broad brimmed hat on III" .oe o; MS
boot
Many in the crowL surgcl mp clos
cr bu, IA stern order from the iude"
forced them back into heir seats
Describe. the ResaI'a.
Frhringer said he wa on" of tn"
first members OF the band. He knew
all the defendants and had accom-
panied them on many rides prior to
the killing OF Captain Rankin Tn"
night riders earh consisted of long
black coats. black mask trimmed In
white and some had falHt l''ard> at
tached 10 The bottom.
On one occasion Deputy Sheriff
Mays. since resigned and who was
one OF the riders, cam" to a meeting
unmasked At this meeting Care;
Johnson was chosen chief and other
captains were named for different 10
caltips and authorized 10 order raids
Whenovrr the riders Of 4 certain 10.
calitv though, something needed reg,
ulating
Some times members failed to ap-
pear for rides and on those occasions
the riders went after the missing men
and forced them 10 go on The raids.
The Night Rider oath.
The night rider oath IN full was:
You do sOlemnlv swear in the pres
enc" Of Almighty God and thes" vii,
nesSts. that you desire 20 become q
night rider that Won vii! not write.
talk or tell 10 anyone OF The secrets
Of this order of night riler:: that.
if YOU DO talk, write or tell to any
person any of tn" secrets Of the or
der. we ar. permitted TO do with you
as We see ft. You know death. he'll
and destruction will b" your portion
and thai your body will not be buried
in grave ward Do YOU willingly
and freely submit to all this. so help
Won GOd?'
Fehringer frankly admitted thai h"
had sold liquor lie gally. had been in
dicted. tried and convicted for this
'offense 10th in Tennessee and Ken
lucky However. he never denied his
guilt and never perjured himself to
escape punishment.
Tartar Under Characterization.
The witness was tartar under
cross-eXaminatiOn Once when asked
about date. he replied that he did
not keep "a dairy" meaning q diary.
When the defendants attorney at
tempted to quiz him about milk. the
witness said: II used it when | was
small I'm told. but have not since.
He said his home had been under
his hat for wears and that he did not
care much where he stopped.
Asked where he got his money he
said to Attorney Pierce: Il got il
like you got that ten dollars from me
for defending me when you dill not
do it,
On October 70 The riders learned
that Rankin and Colonel Taylor were
a the Wainut Log Hotel in the heart
Of the riders country" It'd Bur
ton. one of the defendants, told Feb
ringer to notify the band TO meet that
night to attend 20 Rankin and TAYLOR.
Fehringer got ore of Garret John
sons horses and rode all day SIM
moning the band The riders met
near .Iohnson's that night The band
included the eight defendants
The: proceeded 10 the hotel after
Carrot Johnson had forced Ed
Powell 10 take the riders there. Wit
ness said that Garrett johnson was
the spokesman ard gave the orders
to Rankin and Taylor to dress.
Execution Of Rankin.
On the march TO the dens4 ~ wood
ed bank of The slough where Rankin
was slain. witness said. Johnson did
all the talking the others. about 80
in numirr including the defendants.
following silently as the rope was put
around Rankin's neck Fehringcr said
10 the victim: DO you want 30 say
anything to the Lord" II yOa do. say
Il now"
Rankin replied: 7 have attended
TO that"
Just as they pulled the rope. vii
ness said Bob Hoffman shot Rankin
and Sam AppIewhitc then said: Il
know h. is dead for / put load of
bicycl" ball bearings in him.
Witness declared that jess Garter.
ono of tho defendants and a man Y"
10 be tried. pu, the rope around Rank.
ms neck
Everybod.r Fired 1T Taylor.
-
tho slough ever body shot into tn"
water and FchrinGcr beat around in il
with a pole. Meantime the mon hold
ing the rop~ lot il go and Rankin 5
fody cr,mpIed ~ and dropped 10 IN"
ground. His stiff hat fell beneath his
head. holding il OF the ground. his