Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-12-22
Straps and fatt5,

of cotton classification This measure
provides that standards be fixed by the
secretary of agriculture. Once fixed.
the official standards must be used by
all exchanges. Cotton exchanges must
have the same rule for receiving. de-
livering and rendering grades of cot
ton on contract. and the differences
between grades must remain the same
at all places where exchange business
is done. One obviously beneficial eff
feet of this procedure would be, Of
course, to secure uniformity in prices
and quotations throughout the coun-
try and thereby do away with great
deal of annoyance, loss and inconNen-
ience. Another effect would be to
sweep some of the New York Cotton
EXCHANGES worst abuses out of exist
cnce mstanter Rational arguments
can be made against Representative
Wiley's bill as we'll as for 1t, but at
all events it Is worthy Of the cotton
worlds thoughtful consideration.
-Lemans. France. December 10:
night after another remarkable per-
formance with his aeroplane. declared
that he expected to continue his flights
whenever the weather permitted until
December 81. in order not only to be
sure of winning the Micheln prize
for the longest flight during the year,
but to contribute still further to make
1908 the great historic starting point
in practical air navigation. IF we show
the world" he said, what we have been
enabled to accomplish within the year
we shall receive all sorts Of necessary
ncouragements to go on. could
have kept on indefinitely yesterday he
added, but l really grew real hungry.
| mad calculated to remain up two
hours and half but in reality II was
less than two hours. An insignificant
accident TO the gasoline feed tap also
suggested that l descend. l had in
tended to do 120 miles instead OF 80,
but l will do so whenever 1t is neces-
sary to increase my distance record.
The spectators Shuddered several times
during the flight, for at the highest
point reached, il seemed that violent
wind was blowing, as the machlne was
tossing like a frightened bird. Wright
was seen to change the position or ms
body several times, but he appeared 10
be managing the aeroplane with per-
feet ease and unconcern and finally he
came down dramatically with great
circular swoop just outside the shed.
The spectators went wild with enthu-
siasm. Among them was the society
poet Countess DeNoatlles.
Union City, Tenn, December 10:
When court adjourned this afternoon
until Monday the state had nearly COM
pleted it's case against the eight alleged
night riders now on trial for the mur-
der of Capt. Quentin Rankin. on Mon
day it will put Frank Fehringer on the
stand. He says he was present when
the murder was committed, and knows
the name of every man who was pres
ent. After that the state will merely
fill in with cOrrOborative testimony
The defense will depend solely upon
alibis. and for that purpose has sum-
moned nearly a hundred citizens OF the
Reelfoot Lake district to testify as 10
the whereabouts of the indicted men on
the night of October 19. The state
through evidence presented thus Tar,
has introduced only three Of the eight
as present the night of the murder.
Garrett Johnson, It'd Burton and Roy
Ransom. 1t depends upon Fehringer
to identify the others. tehrlnger
probably will be on the stand all day
Monday, and he is expected to reveal
the oaths, signs, passwords and the
ritual of the riders. Unusual precau-
tions will be taken in the court house
while he is testifying to make sure that
there is no demonstration against him.
Following his caution to the press yes
terday not to print the testimony in the
night rider cases, Judge Jones TO-DAY
cautioned the ministers of the local
churches not TO refer TO the case In
their sermons sunday, as some of the
jurors might be present. He took no
further action regarding the press, al
though he conferred personally with
the correspondents Of several Tennes-
see papers, impreSSing upon them the
necessity of following out the courts
orders The first witness today was
Col. r. L. Taylor, who was the COM
panion Of Capt. Quentin Rankin on the
night of the murder Of Rankin. Tay-
lOr Is 63 years old, a veteran OF the
Confederate army and wealthy man.
He is tall, erect and sOldierly, wears a
gray beard, neatly trimmed and does
not show his age. Col Taylor was
awakened at the hotel the night of the
murder by Wards calling and the same
instant a rear window of his room was
raised Two guns were thrust in, fol-
lowed by two black masked heads. The
night riders separated Taylor from
Rankin and Taylor did not see Ran
Kin from the time they left their room
until he saw him murdered. They told
TAYLOR they proposed to Kill him.
When che night riders reached fork
cd tree in the bank of the slough they
halted Taylor and marched Rankin to.
the foot Of the tree. The rope was ad-
iuSted and thrown over the fork, then
some night rider said, Give him time
to pray" Il attended to that" was
Rankins quiet reply. Some OF the
masked band seized the rope and drew
Rankin up. The tree was inclined a
trife and they raised the body until the
toes scarcely touched the ground. From
the lips of the swaying figure came the
muffled appeal. You are choking me,
gentlemen; l pray you to let me down
Then one of the riders fred a shot into
the body of Rankin even as he pleaded
for his life. Instantly a fuSilade came,
most of the riders, however, shooting
into the air. Taylor turned to his cap
tors and said: ~ am tired, gentlemen,
let me sit down." He crouched to his
knees, ready to spring. He waited un-
til the guns We're empty, then when the
firing stopped he jumped into the wa
was renewed. Taylor dived, but heard
the bullets striking the water. He
swan under the water to big log.
The bullets struck the log like hail. but
gradually they ceased. For two hours
he lay in the water grasping the log.
and when all sounds had ceased he
swan to the opposite side and took to
the woods He hid in the canebreak
until Wednesday, when thirst drove
him out and into the arms of friends.
Just before the night riders killed Ran
kin, Taylor said: "Gentlemen. | am an
old man. l cannot expect TO live many
years more. BY killing me YOU will not
be cheating me of much. But Captain
Rankin is a young man. with many
years before him. Do not Kill him.
The leader curtly replied; Shut up.
Col Taylor was asked only one ques-
ton on cross -eXaminatiOn-did he rec
ognize any Cf the riders positively on
the night of the crime? He did not.
Another dispatch of yesterday brought
the information that the states case
was practically completed during the
day. Mrs Emma Thurman Johnson,
one of the two women VINO had been
whipped by the night riders, was the
first witness. She had married a man
thirty wears older than herself, and