Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-24

Tiptonville, Tenn.-Unharmed, save
numerous scratches received In 30
hour trip through unfamiliar woods
and the fatigue incident to the trip
without food and the mental strain,
Judge r. Zachary Taylor reached
here after a miraculous escape from
night riders at Reel Foot lake, where
his partner Capt. Quentin Rankin,
was murdered night before last.
Judge Taylor's escape is due to a
daring dash for liberty while the
night riders were dsputing among
themselves the best way to kill him.
In the heat of the discussion, at a
moment when the guards attention
was diverted, Col. Taylor broke for
freedom. Dashing few yards to the
bank of shallow inlet of Reel Foot
lake. he plunged in. A fusillade of
bullets followed the fugitive, whose
figure was dimly discernlble in the
growing dawn of approaching day
light.
Wading and swimming, the aged at
torney pushed forward, Bullets and
small shot fell on every side, but none
struck him. Near the bank opposite
the firing night riders, Judge Taylor
threw up his hands and pitched for
ward heavily over log and lay in
ert. Hundreds of shots were fired in
to the log by the night riders, hut not
one penetrated far enough to injure
| Col. Taylor,
Satisfied that their victim had met
death and fearing that the repeated
sounds of shots would arouse too
many residents in the neighborhood,
the night riders did not attempt to
cross the slough to examine the
body, but left the scene after about
300 shots had been fired.
Col. Taylor, however, lay for hours
in the mud and water, fearing that
some one had been left to watch. At
dawn, cautiously looking up and see
ing that his ruse had been success
full, Col Taylor arose and plunged in
to the underbrush to fight his way to
a friendly community.
to some unfriendly clearing, Col Tay-
lor pushed his way slowly through
the dense woods. For hours he trav-
eled in this manner, the sun his only
guide When night came Col Taylor,
still afraid to approach house, made
his couch on a bed of leaves and
slept until early morning. About s
o'clock Col Taylor, deciding that it
would then be safe for him to make
inquiry at farmhouse, followed a
path which shortly led into rough
road.
Within a few minutes the fleeing
man came upon the house of Luther
Rankin, overseer for the extensive
Harris interests and where the fugi
tive was given breakfast Mr.. Rankin
then rode to the nearest telephone
and sent a message into Tiptonville
with the news that Col. Taylor was
safe. Soon after Col. Taylor and Mr.
Rankin arrived here, being met few
miles from town by posse of citi
zens.
4
statement of his experiences:
Monday night last, Capt Rankin
and | went to Reel Foot lake in re
sponse to letter from Mr. Car
penter of Union City, who wanted t
lease some timber lands. On our ar
rival at the lake we went to thu
Ward hotel and early after suppe
retired.
Some time during the night WI
were aroused by some one knocking
, at our door, and on opening the doc
, a mob Of masked men were fount
, standing in the hall. We were OF
: dered to dress, and as the leader o
the mob said he wanted to talk t
us, we put on our clothes and az
/. companied the men to the back O
!. the lake some distance from the hC
Z tel.
1 "The leader of the mob told us W
; were associating too much with Judg
3 Harris and were taking entirely to
: much interest in the lake. He sal
4 that the course of Harris and tn
y West Tennessee land company in pre-
: hibiting free fishing was causing tn
/. starvation of women and children an
8 that something had to be done.
t 81 never dreamed that the mob il
Q tended us any harm, but Just the
Q they threw rope around Capt. RAJ
kin's neck and swung him to liml
He protested and said: 'Gentlemel
do not kill me, and the reply of tn
4 mob was a volley of so shots"