Times-promoter., 1908-10-23
NIGHT RIDERS MURDER
TWO PROMINENT CITIZENS
GOVERNOR PATTERSON OFFERS $4,000 REWARD
Governor Cancels Speaking Engagements and Goes
to Scene of Trouble to Take Charge of
Situation-Posse Pursues

NSHe PioPSity oWHeis anu immaculate
ly made regulations of their own con
cerning fishing privileges in tie water,
: of the lake.
The lake separates Obion and Lake
counties, in the extreme northwestern
corner of Tennessee.
: Numbers of the residents in that neigh.
borhood have made their living for some
time by fishing in the lake, and they be-
came indignant when what they claimed
as their rights" were DISTURBED. They
made demands of the land company.
These were followed by threats.
Legislative Act.
Col. Taylor desired the protection, in
some form, of the State, and he secured
the passage in the legislature Of an act
regulating fishing on Reelfoot Lake This
act made it misdemeanor to fish in
the lake without first paying a heavy
penalty or fee.
This only served to more thoroughly
aiouse llle IlSnermen.
Six months ago Judge Harris of Union
City, one of the stockholders of the West
Tennessee Land Company, received
threatening notices. These were followed
by an attack by night riders on the man
in charge of the huts of the land COM
pany along Reelfoot Lake. At the point
of guns this man was forced by the night
riders to set fire to all of the company's
buildings at that place, burning each of
them to the ground.
The stockholders of the company. how
ever, were determined. While they con-
sidered the threats to some extent and |
tried to appease the feeling of the indig-
nant men, they did not accede to their
demands concerning fishing privileges.
Col. Taylor and Capt. Rankin, who
were the incorportaors of the company,
have been also representing it in the ca
pacity of attorneys. Letter after letter
has been received by them, threatening
violence if they did not relax their posi-
tion concerning the rights" of the lake
community people
Thought Things Quiet.
Fearing trouble, Capt. Rankin and Col.
Taylor have remained from the vicinity
Of the lake for some time. Recently,
however, they heard that the feeling
against them had somewhat subsidized
There were some legal papers at Wal
lutlog which needed attention and the
attorneys went there to see about them. !
Their presence was soon made known
0 all of the fishermen, and band Of
nen was quickly ofrmed.
They lost no time, but proceeded to
he hotel, after the guests had retired
or the night, and quietly accomplished
heir purpose.
When Sheriff Eastwood of Obion coln-
y learned of the murder of Capt. Ran !
in and the supposed murder of COL
'aylor he Immediately telephoned to
heriff Haynes of Lake county, notify.
lg him of the crime. Sheriff Haynes
repaired at once to leave Tiptonville
nth posse. q
Sheriff Eastwood lost no time in coll 6
'cting posse and with about twenty
rmed men, hurried to the scene of the .
illing. The posse is reported growing Z
J it moves through the country toward :,
falnutlog and it will be formidable !,
tile army which lines up to fight the
ght riders, if the latter can be corr S,
cred. ir
Treacherous Place. W
The vicinity of Reelfoot Lake is b
eacherous People unaccustomed to the m
may easily get lost, and it d'
oul1 be an easy matter, it is said, for
Q night riders to hide in places known - -
them and shoot down members of Il,
e posse, before they themselves could &C
detected.
Men who have been night riding along tu
,elfoot Lake have always shown them re
YES to be of the most determined sort, ca
d it is believed they will stand by = =
ch other in the present trouble. If =, ns
ey do, further bloodshed is expected.
Night riders have been running wild be
Lake and Obion counties for some In
ne, in the neighborhood of Reelfoot an
Ike. m.
Col. Taylor and Capt. Rankin are gu
,bably the two best known men in
5 section of the State. Col Taylor, y
long ago, ran for chancellor of this, ~ -,
Fifth judicial, district against Judge ~