The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-10-30
NIGHT RIDER Confessed
PART IN MURDER
TED" BURTON IMPLICATED
MANY PROMINENT MEN.
Denies That He Was Present When
Captain Rankin Was MurG cred
But Admits Having Hand
in Planning Outrage.

Tiptonville. Tenn, Oct. 2'.-'' led
Burton. the Self-confessed night rid
er. told a remarkable story today Of
night rider depredations near Reel
Foot Lake. confessing to the part b"
PLAYED in the outrageS which reached
a elimination in the putting TO death
Of Captain Quintin Rankin. an attor-
nev Of Trenton. Tenn, on the banks
of Reel Foot Lake a week ago. and
implicatinc men prominent IN this
part Of the State.
Of the persons who he charged had
a part in the killing Of Captain Ran
kin more than half are now in eusto-
dy at Camp Memo. the military post
near Samburg. The confession was
made at the Tiptonville jail to Sheriff
Hains, Judge Harris, and owners of
a large tract of land in the Reel
Foot Lake region who has suffered
much at the hands Of the riders, and
Mayor Cleveland Donelson, Of Tip
tonville.
The confession was made freely
and voluntarily and apparently with
out a qualm Of conscience he g'ibly
unfolded his story.
While Burton denies that he was
present when Captain Rankin was
put to death, he admits that it was
through him at the investigation that
: the band congregated and took the
attorney while he was staying at the
hotel at Walnut Log.
According to Burton's confession
Tom and Garret johnson. under ar
rest, and VIM. Watson, under bond
in connection with another raid, we're
the leaders Of the 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 fish wharf at Samphurg.
Several weeks later he was one of
several that crossed the county line
from the Reel Foot Lake region into
the adjoining county Of Lake, and
whipped Justice Of the Peace Vim,
an aged man.
Coming to the killing Of Captain
Rankin, Burton declared that on the
night before tthe lynching he went to
Walnut Log and there met Jas. F.
Carpenter, an attorney Of Union
City, at whose solicitation Rankin
and Judge R. z. Taylor, associated
in the West Tennessee company, own
ers of the land on which the lake is
situated, came to the lake. It was
stated that the visit Of the two attor-
news was to discuss timber deal
with Carpenter After this conversa-
ton Burton says he communicated
with night rider leaders and told OF
the intended visit Of the representa-
tives Of the land company.
On the following night be saw the
two attorneys at supper at the Wal
nut Log, but he declared he left Wal
nut Log early in the night and went
out on the lake to fish. He says that
he was fishing when he heard the
shots which ended the life Of Captain
Rankin, but he did not return to the
shore fer sometime.
In his confession Burton gives the
names of no fewer than 40 alleged
members Of the night riders.
Carpenter is under arrest, and as
result also more Of those whom
Burton implicated, but as to their
identity, Sheriff Hines would not say.
fearing that to do 30 would cause ad-
ditional violence and provoke an out
break on the part Of their friends
Posses will start from Camp Memo at
once to gather in those not now under
guard. All Of the suspects under ar
rest have emphatically denied con-
nection with night rider orgaEiza-
J tions.
Burton was arrested at Samburg
on Tuesday, the day the first troops
arrived from Nashville. He was i'm
mediately brought to jail. While en-
route, Burton admitted to the depu
ties that he was a member Of the
night rider band, but when asked the
following day to repeat his confess
sion he denied that he had con ;cSsed
or that he knew anything Of the kill
ing Of Captain Rankin. After a few
days in Jail, however, his mood chang
\ ed, and it was at his request that
Haines and others to whom he con-
fessed went to the jail today.
Burton will not be permitted bond.
ut it is probable that ne will be re-