Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-20
CAUTIONS PRESS,
ALSO PREACHERS
JUDGE IN NIGHT RIDERS TRIAL
WARNS OUTSIDERS
DRAMATIC TALE OF MURDER
TOLD BY WITNESS
Evidence Shows Rankin Met Death
with Unusual 5raVery-col Taylor
Describes Terrible Details
Of Fatal Night

UNION CITY, Tenn, Dec. 1s.-Wnen
court adjourned this afternoon until
Monday the state had nearly COM
pleted its case against the night riders
now on trial.
Next Monday it viii put Frank Fer
himger on the stand. He is one or the
riders said to have made complete
confession. He says he was present
when the murder was committed ana
knows the names of every man there.
After that the state will merely MI
in with corroborative evidence.
The defense will depend solely upon
alibis, and for that purpose has sum-
moned nearly 100 citizens of the Reel
foot lake district to testify as TO the
Whereabouts of the indicted men.
Following his caution to the press
yesterday not to print the testimony
Judge Jones cautioned the ministers
of the local churches not to refer TO
the cases in their sermons Sunday,
since a juror might be present.
The first witness today was Col. r.
z. Taylor, the companion of Capt
Quentin Rankin on the night of the
murder Col Taylor is IS years old
and a Confederate veteran and
wealthy man.
Went to Lease Land
Col Taylor and Capt. Rankin went
to Reelfoot lake to lease some land.
They drove over the property and re-
turning to the hotel left orders for
horses the day following. Then they
retired.
Col Taylor was awakened by Wards
call and the same instant rear win
dow of his room was raised. Two
pump guns were thrust In, followed
by two black masked heads.
rH~r,a 4 /. Tra 4 AZ
of the band entered the room by the
door. The night riders separated Tay-
Tor from Rankin, and Taylor did not
see Rankin from the time they left
their room until he saw him murdered.
They told Taylor they proposed to
kill him. When the night riders
reached the forked ash tree on the
bank of the slough they halted Taylor
and marched Rankin to the foot of the
tree. The rope was adjusted and
thrown over the fork, then some night
rider said:
"Gime him time to pray"
81 have attended to that" was Ran
kin S quiet reply.
Some one of the masked band seized
the rope and drew Rankin up. The tree
was inclined a trile, and they raised
the body until the toes scarcely
touched the ground. From the lips of
the swaying figure came the muffied
appeal:
you are choking me- gentlemen.
pray you to let me down"
Then one of the riders fired a shot
into the body of Rankin, even as he
pleaded for life Instantly a fusillade
came most of the riders, however,
shooting into the air.
Asks to Sit Down
Taylor turned to his captors and said:
II am tired, gentlemen; let me sit
down."
He crouched to his knees, ready to
spring, waited until the guns were
empty. then, when the firing stopped,
he jumped into the water of the slough.
Instantly tie firing was resumed.
Taylor dived, but heard the bullets
striking the water. He swan under
water to a big log. He did not know
whether it was fast or not. He knew
If it were loose that, when he grasped
/, it for support, it would splash and
( his life would be forfeited. But he was
exhausted and fainting, and had to
take the risk. From the bank came
cries. yells and shouts.
Silently he swan to the log, reached
it, and 1t was fast in the slough. He
! was safe. The bullets struck the log
like hail in a storm, but Tradually they
( ceased and for two hours this aged
veteran of many battles lay in the wa
ter. grasping the log, and when all
J sounds had ceased he swan to the OPP
/ posite side and took to the woods.
Wanders All Day
He wandered all day following a
course marked by the moss, which he
knew was heafiest on the north side of
the trees. His eyesight began to fail
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