The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-12-25

was. She lived with him four years
and a child was born. Last August
she sued him for divorce, charging
cruelty. and acking maintenance.
Early in September the riders Wis
tied her fathers home and left word
that she must withdraw the suit. She
failed to do so and on a second visit
her father was whipped. On both
occasions she was at her sisters
home.
The riders seem to have realized
this, for on Sept. 30, about IL o'clock
at night, they went to the sisters
house
Mrs. Johnson awoke from a sound
sleep to find her bedroom filled with
masked and armed men. A single
lamp, turned low, threw the gastly
figures into shadows here and there.
She knew the purport of the visit. A
man whom she claims to have recog-
nized as Fred Pinion, one of the de-
PENDANTS, was standing so close that
she could touch him.
I'VE have came to tell you for the
last time, that you must dismiss that
divorce suit" said Pinion, whom she
has known for years and who lived
scarcely mile away.
II will not withdraw it," she re
piled.
"You will, before we get through |
with YOU" replied Pinion. IF you
dismiss it we will see that he sup
ports the child but you must not touch
the property"
Mrs. Johnson obstinately insisted
that she would press the case. Then
the bandits filed oout into the yard to
consult. In a few moments they re-
turned. Pinion stepped over to the
young woman's bed and said: "Come
with us" Two others of the band
seized the girl, dragged her roughly
from the bed in her night clothes and
out into the night. They hurried her
about $50 yards away. They threw I
her on log in the woods and one of /
them beat her across the shoulders =
with the strap.
After the first beating they asked 1
her if she would dismiss the suit. She !
,aid mo"
Then she was whipped again. This
ime her fighting spirit was broken
nd she sobbingly said she would give
n to their demands D
Let's give her another" said one
the band"
NO replied Pinion. "She has had
nough"
IN nod with Tho ron o4ho ~, da
lie riders dragged her out into the Ut
rest in her night robe was her 2 ds
5ar-old baby. Mrs Johnson broke ~
OVID as she described how she was ia
rn from her baby by the masked Or
en-. CTS
She pressed her divorce case and al
1t
- ~ -, 49,. - ish
re court adjourned and said: 70
here are eight defendants here VI
arged with capital offense. They u
e not handcuffed and are under
ard of only two deputy sheriffs. /,
not think this safe. Therefore 'oi
der the Sheriff to handcuff these CO.
IN and ask the Sheriff to handcuff W
ese men and ask the military to de- pa
/ ten armed men to serve as W."
ards. 'ou
M defence oeoroa u,oorors chico. cen
n and the Attorney General de- iio
red that this objection proved to 'inl
n that the precaution was neces- lou
:, live
later Gen. Caldwell said "The or a.
: was made advisedly upon informa- i've
n which reached the officers Of the 'iie
lrt, which information was enough hdo
justify us in taking every possible plo'
legal precaution." wa
he night rider oath in full is here par
en- for the first time: you do cap
EMMY swear in the presence Of AL
,hty God and these witnesses that CT
desire to become a night rider; ~
t you will not write, talk or tell to
one any of the secrets of this or
of night riders; that If you do
(, write or tell to any person any
the secrets Of the order we are
mitted to do with you as we see fit; cure
know death, hell and destruction net
be your portion, and that your proo
Y will not be buried in a grave lars'
4; do you willingly and freely sub oelis
to all this, so help you God?" sura
n,r1MW