The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-22
WITNESSLAYS BARE NIGHTRIDER SECRETS
scens.nsss lrem P.ss oa..l


 
 uuietiy through the room. It was a tense moment. The witness, dinnin- utive man. seemed composed. but pale. He crossed his legs nonchalantiy and tossed his Droadbrimmed hat on the toe of his boot. The crowd surged up closer, but a stern order from the judge forced then back Into their seats. There wS.s 50 occasion for crowding, however, for rehringer spoke in a clear distinct voice. audi ble all over the room.
 Fehringer was one of the first mem bere of the band. He went on the first ride of the band and visited Mare lis store. when there was feud be- tween the riders of Tipton county and those of Obion county. They feared a raid of Tipton county men The oath he took was: T coiemnly swear that I wish to join the society of night riders and that I will never write. tell or talk about anything that happens upon the rides or in cca- feteEce-'
 Bares Secrets of Band.
 This Is the shorter form of the oath. A large and more blood eurdiing one was administered to others and this will be recited by another witness.
 Fehringer knew all the defendants and had accompanied them on many rides. prior to the killing of Captain Ranken. The night rider garb com sisted of long black coats, black masks trimmed in white and some had false boards, attached to the bots tof. On one occasion. Deputy sheriff Mays. since resigned. one of the ride CTS. came to a meeting unfnasked. At this meeting Garrett Johnson was chosen chief and other captains were named for different localities and au- thorfzedi to order raids whenever the riders of a certain locality thought something needed regulating.
 Sometimes nsmhars failed to appear for rides and on pEfese occasions the riders went after the missing men and forced them to go on the raids
 On one ride while the riders were in a victinTs house rider named Pier son had it and his companions had to remove his mask to revive him. Often the riders whipped men and women without knowing why, except that the captain ordered it.
 Once when the grand jury was in session and several men who had been whipped had been summoned, Garrett Johnson sent out a general order to hang any of the men who testined They caught a witness named John Shaw on his way to court near Sleepy Hollow, whipped him savagely and q Several prospective witnesses were similarly treated but few of them will tell of it even now 50 great is their terror.
 Old man Bogus fho other name knownl, testifed as to the burning of flsh docks by the riders. The out laws met a few nights later and got into q row as to whether to hang Bogus or only whip him, but Bogus al atA asa called.
 The riders went to the home of John Thurman one night. to tell Thur. mans daughter, Moe. Joe Johnson, to withdraw her suit for divorce. They whipped Thurman because he would not allow his daughter to live with her husband again.
 On the night of the ride. Joe John. son, husband of the woman. was with them. Afew nights later Mrs. John son. who is young and prettys but who married an old man., was taken from her fathers home to the woods nearby and fearfuiiy whipped. She was stripped tie ekoungaist and beaten with . buggy trace, the end of which had been split into i've strips Feh- Finger was not on this ride.
 whistle and Password.
 When a night rider approached a place of meeting he gave two long and one short whistles. The sentry replied with the same whistle then .calied out: ''Who comes there7" the reply was .aThe seyen wonders." Then the sen- frv replied. 'I wonder" and admitted ahe member. The whistle is a peculiar sybIllant piercing note. The defend- ants smiled and looked at each other as the whistle and pass wordsSwere re- peated in court.
 Just before the murder of Captain Rankin the riders decided to make q raid on TiptonwiIle and Kill Judge Har- ris, Tiptonville heard of 1t and pre-. pared to repei 1t and the riders aban- doned their plan.
 On october 1s the riders learned that Rankin and Colonel Taylor were at walnut Log Hotel, in the heart of the elders country. Tod Burton. She of Che defendants, told Fehringer to noti- 4y the band to meet that night to att tend to Rankin and Taylor. FehrihKer got one Of Garrett Johnson's horses and rode all day sunmonlng the band. The riders met near JohnHon's that night and 1t included the eight defend- ants. name by name. They proceeded fo the hotel after Garrett Johnson had forced Ed Powell to take the riders oath.
 Garrett Johnson was the spokesman, wore the rope and whip and gave the orders to Rankin and Taylor to dress. On the march to the dsnsely wooded bank of the slough Where Rankin was slain Johnson did all the talking, the others. about fifty, In number, includ- ing the defendants following silently. as they put the rope on Rankin's neck. FehrInger said to the victim: DO you want to say anything to the Lord7 If you do say 1t now" Rankin replied: q have attended to that" Just as they pulled the ropPG TOA., Hoffman shot him and sam Apple A IrSrsaid. T know he Is dead, for I put a lssSd Of bicycle ball bearings in him"
 Jesse Carter, one of the defendants. and a man yet to he tried, put the rope around Rankln,s neck.