The San Francisco call., 1908-12-20
NIGHT RIDER FOR
STATES WITNESS
Member of Band Which Muir
dered Rankin Reported TO
Have Made Full Confession
Aged Colonel Who Escaped
From ASsassins Tells Story
of Terrible Night

UNION CITY. Tenn, Dee 19--W hen
court adjourned until this afternoon
until Monday the state had nearly com
pleted its case against the eight al
legged night riders. now on trial for. the
murder Of Captain Quentin Rsnken-
Monday it viii put Frank Ferhinger
on the stand He was one Of the
riders. IL is said. and has made a com
pJete confession he says he was pres
ent when the murder was committed
and knows the name Of every man
there After that. the state Will merely
III in with cOrroborariFe evidence The
defense win depend solely upon anbis,
and for that purpose has summoned
nearly 100 citizens OF the Reelfoot lake
district TO testify as TO the where
sbouts OF the indicted men on the night
Of October 19-
The first witness today was Colonel
r. z Taylor, the companion Of Captain
Quentin Rankin on the night of the
.Inurder- Colonel Taylor is 65 years old,
q confederate veteran and a wealthy
man Colonel Taylor and Captain Ran
kin went 70 ReelfOot lake TO lease
some lands They drove over the prop
CRY and returning TO the hotel left
orders for horses for the day follow
8ng- Then they retired
AWAKENED BY NIGHT RIDERS
Colonel Taylor was awakened by
Wards call and the same instant rear
window OF his room was raised Two
guns were thrust in, followed by two
black masked heads Not word was
said until the leader Of the band en-
tered the room by the door. The night
riders separated Taylor from Rankin
and Taylor did not see Rankin from the
time they left their room until he saw
Rankin murdered
They told Taylor they proposed to
Kill him
When the night riders reached the
forked ash tree on the bank Of the
slough they halted Taylor and marched
Rankin 10 the foot OF the tree The
rope was adjusted and thrown over the
fork, then some night rider said, Give
him time TO pray"
7 have attended TO that" was Ran
kin's reply.
Some one Of the masked men seized
the rope and drew Rankin up. The tree
was inclined trifle and they raised
the body until the toes scarcely touched
the ground From the lips Of the sway
ing figure came the mufied appeal.
You are choking me, gentlemen.
pray you to let me down"
Then one Of the riders fired a shot
into the body Of Rankin. even as he
pleaded for life. Instantly a fusillade
came. most Of the riders. however
shooting into the air.
Taylor turned to his captors and said:
Il am tired; let me sit down.
TAYLOR ESCAPES
He crouched to his knees. ready to
spring, waited until the guns were
empty. then, when the firing stopped,
he jumped into the waters of the
slough Instantly the firing was re-
sumed- Taylor dived, but heard the
bullets striking the water. He swan
under water to a big log. The bullets
struck the log like hail. but gradually
they ceased. For two hours this aged
veteran Of many battles lay in the
water, grasping the log. and when all
sounds had ceased he swan TO the op-
pOsite side and took to the woods. He
hid IN the cane brake until Wednesday,
when thirst drove him out and into the
arms Of his friends.
Just before the night riders killed
Rankin, Taylor said: Gentlemen, 1 am
an old man. can not expect to live
many years more. By killing me you
VIII not be cheating me Of much. But
Captain Rankin is a young man with
many years before him. Do not kiln
him"
The leader curtly replied: shut up