Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-12-22
NIGHT RIDERS SECRETS OUT
Witness, Protected by Armed Guards,
Tells Them in Court.
TENSE SCENE AT TRIAL OF MEN
Oath Divulged and Methods of Ten-
neasersee Bands Revealed by
One of Members in Dra-
matte Recital.

rounded by a detail Of six soldiers with
loaded rifles and revolver holsters open
Frank F. Fehringer. a member OF the
night riders who has turned states evi-
dence was brought into court this morning
to testify against his former associates OF
the mask. At the court room door the
soldiers with rifles halted -Four other
soldiers armed only with revolvers took
him in charge. -Four armed deputy sherins
cleared a way through the crowd into the
aisles and Fehringer was led to the stand.
The soldiers sat down inside the railing,
facing the throng. and heavily armed
deputies scattered quietly through the
room. IT was a tense moment The wit
mesa. a diminutive man, seemed composed,
but pale. He crossed his legs nonchsl-
antly and tossed his broad brimmed hat
on the toe OF his boot
The crowd surFed up closed. but q stern
order from the judge, forced them back into
their seats. There was no occasion for
crowding. however. for Fehringer spoke
in a clear, distict voice. audible all over the
room.
Tells of the Oath.
Fehringer was one Of the first members
Of the band. He went on the first ride OF
the band and visited Marsns store, when
Upton county and those Of obion county.
They feared a raid Of Upton county men.
The oath. which he said he took. was:
Il solemnly swear that ] wish to join the
Society OF Night Riders and that ] viii
never write, tell or talk about anything
that happens upon the rides. or in confer
ence."
This is the shorted form Of the oath. A
longer one was administered to others and
this will be recited by another witness.
Fehring knew all the defendents and had
accompanied them on many rides prior TO
the killing Captain Rankin. The night
riders gzrb consisted of long black coats,
black masks trimmed in white and some
had false boards attached TO the bottom
On one occasion Deputy Sheriff Mays,
since resigned. one OF the night riders came
to a meeting unmasked- At this meeting
Garrett johnson was chosen chief and
other captains were named for different
localities and authorized TO order raids
whenever the riders Of q certain locality
thought they had something to regulate.
AT times members failed TO appear for
rides and on those occasions the riders
went after the missing men and forced
them to go on the rides
Law Unto Themselves.
The witness said that often the riders
whipped men and women without knowing
why, except that the captain ordered IL
Once when the jury was in session and sew
eral men who had been whipped had been
summoned Garrett johnson sent out gen
eral order to hang one of the men who tes-
titled. They caught witness named John
Shaw on his way to court near Sleepy Hol-
low. whipped him savagely ana sent him
home He did not testify.
Several prospective witnesses were SINH
larIy treated but few Of them would tell
Of II even now. so great is their terror.
The riders went TO the home OF John
Thurman one night 10 tell Thurman's
daughter, Mrs Joe Johnson, TO withdraw
her suit for divorce. They whipped Thur
man because he would not urge his daugh-
ter 10 live with her husband again.
on the night of the ride Joe johnson, hus-
band OF the woman. was with them. few
nights later Mrs. Johnson. who is young
and pretty, but who married an old man.
was taken from her fathers home to the
woods near by and fearfuIly whipped She
was stripped TO the waist, the witness said.
and beaten with a buggy trace, the end Of
which had been split into five strips Feb
ringer was not on this ride. When a night
rider approached a place OF meeting he
gave two long and one short whistles The
sentry replied with the same whistle, and
then called. who comes thereT' The reply
was. The seven wonders" Then the sen
try replied. I wonder" and admitted the
member.
On October 10 the riders learned that
Rankin and Judge Taylor were al the
Walnut Log hotel in the heart of the rider
country
Band Summoned for Murder.
It'd Burton. one Of the defendants. told
Fehringer TO notify the band IN meet that
night to attend 10 Rankin and Taylor. Feb
ringer got one Of Garrett Johnson's horses
snd rode all day, sumnoning the band.
The riders met near Johnsoh's that night
and Il included the eight defendants. name
by name. They proceeded 10 the hotel after
Garrett johnson had forced Ed Powell 10
take the riders there Garrett johnson
was the spokesman. wore the spur and whip
and gave the orders 10 R-ankin and
Taylor 10 dress
Of the slough where Rankin was slain.
johnson did all the talking. the others,
about fifty in number. including the de-
PENDANTS. following silently. AS they put
he rope on Rankin's neck Fehrlnger said
10 the victim: DO you want TO say any
thing 20 the Lords II you do. say It now"
Rankin replied; Il have attended TO that"
Just as they pulled the rope Bob Hoff-
man shot him and sam Appleton then said:
Il know he Is dead. for / put q load OF
bicycle ball bearings into him" Jesse
Carter one Of the defendants and a man
yet to be tried, put the rope around Ran
kin's neck
Pardon Promised Witness.
when Colonel Taylor jumped into the
slough Carter shot into the water. Mean
time the men holding the rope let il 30
and Rankin's body erumpled and dropped
70 the ground
Just before the body fer a rider not on
trial emptied six sS-oalibsr bullets into the
hanging man. The riders then went 10
where their horses were hitched and where
four mea had been left on guard. Garrett
johnson addressed them before they dis
psrsed-
Burn your masks" he said ''and say
nothing about this nights work
Fehringer WAS arrested by the militia
ana taken before Governor Patterson. who
Was personally IN command
Tell the truth" said Governor Patterson
IF you DO ] win give you an Absoluts
pardon"