The sun., 1908-12-23
WOMEN, AIGHH RIDERS PREY
THEY WBRE DRAGGED OUT
or BED AND LASHED. I"

Other Deings Of Tennessee Gangs Take
nay 70 Tell 20 the Jury in the Case
.ef tho Murder Of Capt. RanIIin-LAw-
less Acts OF Reckless Violence.
UNIoN CTTY, Tenn. Dec. 23.-For six
hours to-day the Jury In the cases Of the
eight men charged with the murder Of
Cept. Quentin Rankin at Reelsfoot Lake
llatened to accounts Of night. visits made
to the homes of residents Of the lake
section Of 0bion county. Of threats Of
death In the event the orders Of the band
were not observed. Of whippings admin
istered Nnder the direction Of the captain
OF the gang, Of women being dragged
from their beds and lashed and Of notes
for the rent Of lands being seized and
burned.
Notwithstanding the objection OF
counsel for the defence this testimony
was held to be admissible az tending to
show that the night riders were organized
to carry out q conspiracy for certain
purposes. that part Of this conspiracy
was against the West Tennessee Land
Company. the corporation which obtained
an injunction to prevent certain men
from hshing in Reelfoots Lake for profit.
and that the work OF the night riders
eliminated In the assassination Of Capt.
Rankin.
Beginning at $50 o'clock In the morn
ing and after recess of an hour adjourn
ing for the day at $50 o'clock the Court
heard nineteen witnesses, three being
women. There was no direct testimony
relative TO the murder Of Capt. Rankin,
the State reserving this evidence for to-
morrow. when it is said some exceed
ingly important proof will be introduced.
As the evidence OF the State pro-
crosses the prisoners manifest moro
interest. the comparative Indifference
they showed in the early stages Of the
prosecution having vanished They have
made no complaint regarding their being
handcuffed while going to or returning
from the Court House in accordance
with the order made by Judge Jones
yesterday.
Mrs. Anna jackson, who formerly lived
near Reelsfoot Lake but who has since
moved to near Tiptonville. Lake county.
twenty-three miles southwest of Union
City. was the most interesting witness OF
the day. She not only gave the time and
place OF several visits made by night
riders but also mentioned the names Of
dozen or more men who she declared
took part in the raids and whippings
that followed.
She said Garrett johnson, Roy Ransom.
Sam Applewhite and Bob HUFFMAN. four
Of the defendants were there. and said
she believed Tid Burton and Fred Pinion
also were present. When the eight men
were instructed by the Court to stand up
and the witness was asked to pick them out
she could identify only johnson. Apple
white, Huffman and Ransom.
Mrs. jackson said last spring sixteen
night riders, all in disguise and carrying
guns, came to her house and told her that
she must get -shet Of them dogs and
that there must be peace in future in
six or seven night riders appeared at her
homo and woke the family up. They
ordered her and her daughter TO dress
and took them 10 the residence Of her
father, old man Baugus, where Baugus
and his daughter. Mrs Jackson's sister.
were whipped.
ard heard her sisters screams.
The reason given by the night riders.
she said. was that they had talked too
much. .s
lord knows 1 haven't talked none. :
added Mrs. jackson.
The witness said she herself had not
been whipped. The night riders made o
| third visit to her home in June and told
her that little orphan girl living with
her had quarrelled with another little girl
| Ia the neighborhood, and that II had to DO
stopped. They ordered her father to move
within three days, and the house was
afterward burned.
In September night riders again visited
apd all made q search for her father.
who they said they intended to hang
because he appeared before the Grand
Jury in regard to the burning Of his home
! One man made her fourteen-year-old
! boy take a lamp and lead the way to the
garret in search OF her father while the
night riders covered the lad with re-
volver. Mrs. Jackson's husband. Charles
jackson, was away from home at the
time and she was with her son and the
orphan girl. The night riders did not
find her father. as be left home the day
after he had been whipped and never re-
turned to that locality, She named about
fifteen men who she declared she knew,
and said all wore masks. Mrs. Jacksons
testimony was corroborated by that
OF her daughter. Dora jackson. who also
identified some men who she asserted
took part in raids.
Win Russell. who admitted that he
became a member OF the night riders
and had worn disguise when with fellow
members on various trips. also gave some
important evidence.
e. NJ. Brown and II. s. Sutton both gave
evidence as 10 the night riders coming
10 their homes and compelling them to
surrender notes for the rent OF lands
and which were the property of Judge
Harris, president Of the West Tennessee
Land Company and owner OF Reelfoot
Lake. They not only burned the notes
but notified Brown and Sutton not to act
longer as agents for Judge Harris.
John Shaw, who had general merchan-
disc store at Samburg, near the lake, gave
evidence as to the destruction OF the fish
docks at that point by night riders who
burned them on the night of April IL last.
The band, wearing masks and armed,
went to Shaw's store and made him AL
a Jug with GOAL oil which they carried TO
the docks and set the structure on, fire
Some time later he was waylaid by night
riders while on the way to Union City to
testify before the Grand Jury about the
destruction Of the docks and was whipped,
twenty lashes being administered.
Fred Burdick. son OF j. c. Burdick Of
Union City, who has the lease Of the
fisheries on Reelfoot Lake. also testified
regarding the burning Of the docks.
Ras Owen and Pete Clack, who both
were whipped by night riders. told OF the
,,;.;ts - the OtttIow