Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-12-29
FOUNDATION IS LAID
FOR COMPLETE Au|b|
Two Of Eight Alleged Night Riders
Testify They Were Elsewhere
When Rankin Was Murdered.
ALL Of THEM WILL 60 on STAND
Two Accused Men Heard Yesterday
Denied All Connection With Bano
TELL Of whereabouts on EVendu'
Njoht-Ean,ilIes viii Corroborate
Evidence OF Prisoners.

UNION CITY, lenn.. lee. 90 INV
Sudden illness OF Arthur Claar. one
Ct the eight alleged night riders on
,'al for the murdc, OF Captain Ran
kin caused q ST. s.M r,on OF the triai
ina afternoon.
he state had completed rs testi-
lntry and had re' ed.
The defense put Bud Morris ana
Sam Applewhite 10th de- ndants on
re sand.
Vic h men dent Il ;nE connection
with the night riders and gave a cir
crin .t6ntial scona: Of their wher \
abouts on the night of the murder OF
IoI an Rankin
Foundation I aid for Abb.
The defense laid the foundation
for complete alibi and purposes to
nut all the defe ndants on the stand
and cOrTohorate the testimony by
members OF their families.
When the defense called Arthur
Clear o the sta y 49, Announced
that he was ill: on the testimony of
a physician court adjourned until
morning.
The indisposit'on OF the witness
was pronounce temporary. and the
defense promised to be ready to re-
sumo in the morning. SIS 4 "a
Wayler Holt. fisherman from
rear Samburg, told today OF It'd Bur.
toms receiving letter from the
.,iel: riders. telling Burton to attend
a E"Cting that night. or they would
nang him.
The night riders paid Holt a visit
IN the night of May %.
Hcl: said he recognized Garret
Johnson as the leader.
Prosecutions Witness corroborated.
viii Togers. from near Clayton.
WAS introduced to corroborate the
story lid by Fehringer. detailing the
cute taken by him In assembling
the banI Tor the Walnut Log raid.
He IA sed Fehringer in the road
going in the direction OF Frederick
PincCn's home about Ave o'clock In
he .fteThoon before the murder
Field Burton. Of Nartin. Tenn, was
r:.e last witness in reduced by the
s,ae lie was at Walnut Log the
night Of the murde:. and was told by
tn! r:eh: riders to stay in bed. A.
ter they had gone he went with Ed
Powell and P. c. Ward. to the scene
Of the crime and stated the rest OF
, the night.
Court Will Rule Later.
The defense recommended that the
! court withdraw all testimony from
the jury pertaining 10 other raids
than the killing OF Rankin. asserting
that such evidence was incompetent
! because they were separate and dis
tinct offenses
Attorney General Caldwell. after, a
lengthy argumen; insisted that the
evidence was competent.
Judge Jones expressed his doubt
on the matter and stated that he
, would render his decision later.
The defense began its attempts 10
prove an alibi for the eight men on
, trial by the introduction Of Bud Nor
ris. one Of the accused men.
Morris Makes Sweeping Denial.
Morris. as stated by Fehringer.
was the captain Of the Samburg
branch Of the night riders and had
been identified or other raids by sew
erai witnesses. He stated that he
had never been q member and knew
nothing Of the night rider society or
band. also denied having any CONVEX
sation with Tom Cloar on the sub
ject
On the nigh, Of the murder Of Cap
tain Rankin he claimed he was at
home after s o'clock with the excer-
ton Of a few minutes when he was
feeding his mules.
He sIep; that night with his Uncle
Will Waister and was seen by sew
eraI neiehtors who came TO his
home for various reasons.
The rext morning he went 10 Troy
10 sell cotton. leaving home at about
Z o'c.ock.