Times-promoter., 1908-10-23

at IL o'clock Monday night by maske
night riders.
Capt. Rankin's body was found Tue
day morning, riddled with bullets an
hanging from tree one mile from th
hotel.
| Efforts to locate the body of Col Tay
lor have been futile, and it is reporte,
that he was also killed.
Sheriff Eastwood of Obion county an,
a posse of armed men left Union Cit,
tuesday morning for the scene of th
murders. These men are determined
and if they meet any of the night rider.
1T is expected that pitched battle viii
be fought. Sheriff Haynes of Lake coun
ty is also on his way to the scene with
posse from Tiptonville.
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 reg
ulating fishing in Reelfoot Lake, a short
distance from Walnutog.
Night rider disturbances over the same
matter occurred about year ago.
Ever since then Col. Taylor and Capt.
Rankin have been in constant receipt of
threatening letters, to which they paid
little heed.
The first news of the murder was re.
ceived at $ o'clock Tuesday morning.
Mr.. Ward, manager of Wards Hotel.
at Walnutlog, telephoned Sid Waddell,
stockholder in the West Tennessee Land
Company, stating that about twenty-five
masked night riders came to his hotel at
IL o'clock at night.
Wards Story.
According to this report, the night
riders lined up outside the hotel, pulled
out their revolvers. and called Col. Tay-
lor and Capt. Rankin. The two men
did not suspect trouble and came down
AS the attorneys passed into the front
yard of the hotel, the night riders cov-
cred them with their revolvers. Before !
Capt. Rankin and Col. Taylor had an OPP |
to retreat, they were surround
ID and seized. They were put on horses
behind night riders and carefully
guarded. I
The night riders then quietly took up
heir march from the hotel, turning down
he road toward Reelfoot Lake Guests at
he hotel in a few minutes lost the
ound of the hoof beats and nothing
nore was learned of the fate of Capt.
,ankin and Col. Taylor until Tuesday
lorning.
Proceeding to the edge of Reelfoot
AXE, the night riders pulled out a rope,
18th which they had provided them
elves, and placed the moose about Capt.
ankin's neck.
Examination of the scene of the mur-
er failed to reveal evidence of any
,ruggle
Capt. Rankin Hanged.
Capt. Rankin was strung up from q |
NIB on the bank of the lake, for the 4,
shing privileges of which he had con-
nded with the night riders. The |
asked men then stepped back and q
'ened fire on the swinging body, rid /
ing it with bullets. a
Col. Taylor was evidently alive at this y
me and witnessed the killing of his law Ii
rtner. n
Leaving the corpse of Capt. Rankin n
nging on the bank of Reelfoot Lake,
e night riders took Col. Taylor to an
her spot. Search near Capt. Rankin's u
dy has failed to reveal trace of Col. g
ylor. No sign of hat or piece of "
thing can be discovered. u
Various reports are out concerning e
|. Taylor's fate. u
While it is generally believed that Col. b'
ylor was murdered, as he had no OPP
rtunity whatever to escape from the \
nds of such determined band of men, Sc
, theory has been advanced that per- al
os Col. Taylor was spared by the night Ga
ers in order that the demands of the th
sked men might be granted
According to this theory, Capt. Ran IN
was hanged only as an example to tn
/. Taylor and to frighten him into ac- La
ing to the demands of the night rid
If this is true and Col. Taylor pr
nts the demands, it is said the night Tn
RS will turn him up later. no
he trouble between the inhabitants w w