Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-20
VICTIMS OF NIGHT RIDERS
TWO TENNESSEEANS TAKEN
FROM HOTEL AND MURDERED.
One Body Found Hanging From
Tree Riddled With Bullets.
Companion Missing.

UNION CITY. Col, October 20.-R. a.
Taylor aged sixty years. and Capt. Quin-
ten Rankin. both prominent attorneys OF
Trenton, Tenn, were taken from Ward S
Hotel at Walnut Log, Tenn, fifteen miles
from here. last night by masked might
riders' and murdered. Capt Rankin S
body was found this morning riddled with
bullets and hanging from a tree one mile
from the hotel.
Efforts to locate the body of Col. Taylor
have been futile thus far, but it is be-
Iieved that he was also killed
Sheriff Eastwood and a posse of armed
men left Union City this morning for the
scene of the murder If they meet any
pitched battle will be fought. Sheriff
HAYNES of Lake county is also on the way
to the scene with a posse from Upton
VILE The trouble which resulted In the
death of Capt. Rankin and the probable
murder of Col. Taylor was caused by the
passage Of an act by the legislature regu.
lating fishing in Reel Foot lake, a short
distance from Walnut Log.
A might rider disturbance over the
same matter occurred over a year ago
Ever since then Col. Taylor and Capt
Rankin have been in constant receipt
of threatening letters, to which they paid
little heed.
Arrived at Midnight.
Mr.. Ward. the manager of the Ware
Hotel at Walnut Log, telephoned Sid
WaI CT in, ha To-
nessee Land Company, stating that about
twenty-five masked night riders came to
his hotel at midnight last night.
According to this report the night riders
lined up outside the hotel, pulled out
their revolvers and called Col. Taylor
anu Capt. Rankin. The two men did not
suspect trouble and came down imme-
diately.
AS the attorneys passed into the front
yard of the hotel the night riders COW
cred them with their revolvers. Before
Capt. Rankin and Col. Taylor had an op-
portunity to retire they were surrounded
and seized. They were put on horses be-
hind night riders and carefully guarded
The night riders then quietly took up
their march from the hotel, turning down
toward the g, Reel Foot lake. Guests, at
the hotel In a few minutes, lost the sound
of crunchng hoof beats and nothing
more was learned of the fate Of Capt.
Rankin and Col. Taylor until this mOrns
ing.
Proceeding to the edge of Reel Foo,
lake the night riders pulled out a rope
with which they had provided themselves
and placed the moose about Capt. Ran
! kin's neck.
No Evidence Of Struggle.
Examination of the scene of the murder
failed to reveal evidence of any struggle
Capt Rankin was strung up from q
limb on the bank OF the lake for the fish
ing privileges of which he had contended
with the night riders. The masked men
then stepped back and opened fire or
the swinging body. riddling it with bull
lets.
Col. Taylor was evidently alive at this
time and witnessed the murder of his Law
partner.
Leaving the corpae of Capt. Rankin
hanging on the bank OF Reel Foot lake
the night riders took Col. Taylor to en-
other spot. Search near Capt. Rankin
body has failed to reveal 4 trace of the
murderers While it is believed that Col
Taylor was murdered, as he had no oppor-
tunity whatever to escape. the theory has
/ been advanced that perna ps Col Taylor
was spared in order that the demands OF
the masked men might be granted.