Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-01-12
EIGHT NIGHT RIDERS
ARE FOUND GUILTY
SIX OF DEFENDANTS WILL BE
SENTENCED TO DEATH ON
GALLONS OR GIVEN TERMS
FOR LIFE IN PRISON.

UNION CITY, Tenn, Jan. Six
night riders were last night found guilty
of murder In the first degree with miti-
eating circumstances. They are Garrett
johnson, Ted Burton, Boy Ransom, Fred
FTnfon, Arthur Cloar and Sam Apple
white.
Bud Morris and Bob Huffman, the other
defendants, were found guilty of muir
der in the second degree, and their pun
ishment fixed at twenty years in the
penitentiary.
The punishment of the six first named
defendants was left to the court and may
be death or life Imprisonment
For the first time in six months Union
City and Obion county breathes freely.
The prompt conviction of the eight men
on trial for night riding and murder has
had reassuring effect upon the public
and more open denunciation of the men
and the crime is heard on the streets than
ever before. The men of the lake dis
trict, who were in court when the verdict
came in, left town quietly Immediately
after the jury was dismissed. and there
are none of them on the streets today
Juror Rosson was reported better to-
day. but he will not be well enough to
leave his room in the court house Tor
several days. The trials Of the other In
dicted men will not take place until the
May term OF court
The verdicts were returned at S:45
o'clock last night. The jury had been
out since p. M, but because of the ill-
ness of Juror Rosson had not been able
to consult until 6 D. m.
There was a difference of opinion
among the jurors as to the degrees of
guilt eff the defendants, but an agree
ment was reached quickly. ~ ~
Court was convened at 8 p. m and the
Jury sent word that It would be able
to report shortly. The room was crowd
ed, as II was during the arguments The
minutes passed and at S:45 p. M the
bailiff called for the county physician.
Juror Rosson was I'm a state Of collapse
and needed attention. 1t was half an
hour before Rosson was revived, the
jury filed in and six deputies were sum
moned to carry in the bed upon which
the sick Juror reclined.
Defense Called for Poll
The foreman announced the verdict, the
defense called for poll, which was made
and the Judge dismissed the jurors. Ros-
sons condition is such that 1t was deem
ed unadvisabie to move him last night.
The defense demanded until Monday 10
move for a new trial, but the state OPP
posed it, and the court fixed Saturday as
the day, intimating that the motion was
a mere form any way, which would be
overruled.
The defendants took the verdict with
calmness, as they had been expecting 1t
since the closing of the arguments. At
torney Pierce turned to them, when 1t
was announced, and said: I'VE will tear
this case to pieces in the supreme court"
State is Disappointed
The state expected a verdict of first
degree murder in all eight cases, and was
visibly disappointed. Bob Huffman, one
of the men to escape with twenty years,
is the man, who, according to the comics.
sion of Frank Fehringer, fired the shot
which killed Captain Rankin as he was
being drawn up by the rope! a-
When the jurys readiness to report
was Announced. the military quietly sur
rounded the court sheyisa. and O. detail OF
soldiers with revolver holsters open, was
deployed around 1.-THE walls of the court
room, but aside from a whispered buzz
Of conversation; there was no demonstra-
ton. The prisoners were quickly hand
cuffed and under military escort, taken
to prison The verdict is considered q
compromise one, and no trouble Is feared
by the authorities.
History o. light Rider Case
Thus is ended, in the lower court, ons
Of the most vigorously contested and mo-
table criminal trials ever heard in this
state, the outcome of a series of lawless-
ness. the eliminating act of which be-
ing that of which the men were found