Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-24
VICTIM OF BAND
TELLS HIS STORY
MAN FORCED TO FURNISH OIL
FOR INCENDIARY PURPOSES
AND WHO WAS WHIPPED FOR
GRAND JURY APPEARANCE

into court today hsndcuffed III
pairs, and with a detail of two
soldiers for each pair. The sol
diers With rifles halted at the
court room door Other soldiers
armed with revolyers, met the
prisoner, at the Threshold and
escorted them TO the bar. Judge
Shaw was the first witness. He
is the proprietor Of q stock farm
near Reelfoot Lake, lie testified
the riders forced him to give them
oil to pour on tho fish docks
when they burned the latter, and
whipped him when ne tried 10 go
| before the grand jury.
Union City, Tenn, Dec. %. rne
state practically completed its case
last night against the eight alleged
nieht riders on trial for the murder
Of Captain Rankin. when it drew from
Frank Fehringer, member OF the
hand. d&tailed statement not only
of the murder itself and those who
| committed it, but of a, score or more
of other outrages. And then, just to
add the finishing touches, it called to
the stand Mrs. Emma Thurman John
son, one of the two women known to
have been whipped by the band, and
had her tell her story. It was a dra'
matte close TO a day of sensational
Developments
It was dusk when Mrs. Johnson
was called. The startling testimony Of
the confession made by Frank Fehr.
niger involving the men on trial as
actual participants in the murder al
CAPTAIN Rankin. given with an exacti-
tude of detail that was amazing. had
whetted the appetites of the throng
of people that packed the court room
The fetid atmosphere of the room did
not affect them, and as Mrs. John
sons name was called, & murmur Of
satisfaction was heard. No one knew
she had been whipped, but except the
grand jury and the prosecuting attor.
ney. no one had heard her story. \
tall, slender young woman attired in
black and heavily yelled, walked rap
idly to the stand. She removed the
veil reluctantly on the judges in
structions that she might be heard BY
4 the jury.
Tells Her Story,
Mrs. Johnson had married Joe John
son. man thirty years her senior
She lived with him four years, and d
child was horn. Last August she suet
him for divorces, charging cruelty and
asking that maintenance be provided
for. Early in September the riders
visited her fathers home, and left
, word that size must withdraw the suit
She failed to do So and on a second
visit her father was whipped.
fN,,
sisters house. The riders seemed *
, have realized this, for ON Sept. 80
about II O'Clock at night. they Wen
to the sisters house. Mrs. johnson
awoke from sound sleep beside he>
babe, to find her bedroom filled witt
armed and masked men. Fred Pinio1
was recognized, defendant He wa:
standing so close that she coult
touch him.
1--WE have come to tell you for tn:
last time that you must dismiss tina
, divorce suit" said Pinion. whom sk,
, had known for years, and who livet
scarcely mile away.
Il will not withdraw it, she re
piled.
: "You will before we get through
with YOU replied Pinion.
: IF you dismiss it now we will SCI
that he supports the child. but yo'
: must not touch his property"
Her Spirit Broken.
:. Mrs. Johnson obstinately insiste.
D that she would prosecute the case
Then the neutrality-suspicious.
: Then the band led out into the var
to consult A few minutes later The
. returned. Plnion stepped over to tn
young woman's bed and said
:, Come with me- Two others OF tn
band seized the young woman, dras
/ ged her roughly from the bed in he
: night clothes and out into the nigh
Il They hurried her about 20 yard
( away. They then threw her on 10
g in the woods and one OF them bes
0 her across the shoulders with
s strap After the first beating the
S asked her If she would dismiss tn
s suit She said no. Then she was agai
/ whipped. This time her ghting spir