The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-01-15
SIX ARE FOUND GUILTY or MUIR
DER IN THE FIRST DEGREE
AT UNION CITY.
OTHERS ARE ALSO FOUND GUILTY
Two Will Serve Twenty Years In
Penitentiary, The Remainder
May Hang.

dict?"
I'VE the jury. find the defendants,
Garrett Johnson, Fred Pinion, Arthur
Cloar, Sam Applewhite, It'd Burton
and Roy SAMSON guilty Of murder in
the first degree with mitigating cir
cumstances and the defendants Bob
Huffman and Bud Morris guilty OF muir,
der IN the second degree, and we fix
their punishment at twenty years in
the penitentiary."
The trial OF the eight men charged
with the murder of Capt. Quentin Ran
kin at Walnut Log on Oct. 10 came to
an end at $3.50 tonight. Hanging or
life sentences for six and twenty years
in the penitentiary are the punish
ments prescribed for the other two.
1t has been expected that the death
sentence would be inflicted upon all
the eight men charged with the foulest
crime in the history of Obion county.
The jury's verdict was returned in a
courtroom packed TO suffocation, and
two of the prisoners were plainly graf
flied at the outcome of their trial.
The charge to the jury was deliv-
cred this afternoon. At $3.50 o'clock
the jurors were instructed to go to the
room of Juror Rosson, who Is so sick
he is unable to leave his bed, and con-
fer with him. They remained in that
room until o'clock without any re-
suit. The judge had announced that
he would open court again at 1880
tonight Long before he arrived the
courtroom was packed. At $3.50
o'clock Deputy Sheriff Peeler an
that the jury would report in
a few minutes. When the jury entered
the room. Juror Rosson accompanied |
them, being carried in a huge arm
chair. The verdict was delivered in a
stiffness so intense the voices of the
Judge and foreman were the only
despite the fact that hundreds
Of people iammed the aisles of the
court room and craned their necks to
see from outside the doors. At the
conclusion of the verdict the hands
If Morris and Huffman were grasped
by dozens of their sympathizers, but
he other six defendants were plainly
affected. Sentence will probably be
passed upon them tomorrow, death or
ife Imprisonment being expected.
Hundreds of men from the hills
we're intown today. They filed the
courtroom from the time court opened
his morning, and remained near the
court house and jail every minutes of
he day.
Tonight they are gathered in groups
On the street corners, and extra pre-
cautions have been taken to guard the
prisoners from escape. The verdict
sets definitely at rest the imputation
hat in Obion county twelve compe-
.ent jurors could not be found to con-
Wet the guilty; and is regarded as
great victory for law and order
AT 2 O'Clock this afternoon the case
Of the State of Tennessee VS.. Garrett
ohnson ct al.-the eight accused night
elders, was given to the jury.
The condition of the sick juror, ]. ].
Rosson, had become so much worse
hat he was unable to leave his bed
his morning, and today's session OF
court was held in a small witness
DOM, where the eight defendants,
Judge Jones and the attorneys and the
,ther members of the jury crowded,
eaving an eager crowd Of 100 or more
,eople struggling for an advantageous
position at the open door. The court
Dom was crowded almost to suffoca-
ion, the throng remaining until the
,harge of the jury had been read.
without leaving for lunch.
At the conclusion Of the charge,
Rev. A. G. Sellers, OF the Methodist
.hurch. in an eloquent address COM
nenting and congratulating the Of
icials on the stand they had taken
or law and order, presented Judge
roseph e. Jones with handsome
,ane from the members OF the grand
ury Of the October special term. At
orney-General d. J. Caldwell was also
with cane from his admir-.
RS.
r.. A. Pierce, who closed the argu-
nent for the defense, resumed his adj
Iress this morning. dwelling at length
IN the necessity OF the testimony Of
Frank Fehringer and Warren Morris
md Hirscher Hogg being corroborated
,efore the Jury could return a oonvic-
ion. He insisted that this evidence
lad not been corroborated ard quoted
great deal Of law on the subject.