The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-06
MRS. RANKIN IN COURT ROOM Hears Arguments of
 Lawyers. WIDOW BREAKS INTO TEARS Trial of Night Riders Eears The
 End. Juror Rossin, who Has Measles, Takes Place In Jury Box--Eioauens
 Tribute To Dead
 Man. f
WIDOW BREAKS INTO TEARS

Union City. Tenn. Jan. 5.--For the first time during the trial of the night riders. Mrs. Quentin Rankin was ln court today when the arguments be- gan. Accompanied by score or more of women friends. Mrs. Rankin was escorted to . seat within the bar She was clad in deep mourning.
 Major Hal Holmes opened for the State. As the little attorney In an eloquent way pictured Captain Rankin as one of the cleanest,. purest men in Tennessee and described his fear- ful end. Mrs. Rankin broke down. leaning her heavily yelled head upon the shoulder of her sister, the little widow sobbed piteously She sat only few feet from the defendants.
 Two of the accused men gazed closely at her, their faces working in- voluntarily. They were Tid Burton man who, according to at least two witnesses, fired the shot that pierced Quentin Rankin's heart as he was slowly strangling to death from tho forked tree at Walnut Log.
 Mrs. Rankin raised her head a mo- ment. caught sight of the two ieerinw faces fixed in fascination upon her biack-clad figure. shiversd convufsive- ly and turned her tear-stained fea- lures from the men who are charged With her husbands murder. The de- fendants settled back into their seats and did not look again at Mrs. Ram kin.
 Juror Rossin was able to come into court again this morning. The mea- sies have fully developed and the 4u- TOT evidently Is suffering considera- ply. Noticing his condition and after consultation with the physicians in charge. Judge Jones announced that nine hours for argument would be al. lotted each eide.
 Major Holmes in his argument. an eloquent one, traced the history of tlaa night riders from the time they or ganized until. an hour after the raur. der of Captain Rankin when, accord ing to witnesses. Garrett Johnson one of the. accused, assembled the riders and said: "Burn your masks and keen q still tongue about this night,s bust ness because there is going to be hen about it."
 Major Holmes closed a brilliant ad- dress of two hours with a fervent appeal for the vindication of the nasne not only of obion county, but of fhe state as we'll. He was followed by Judge Moore,l who devoted most of his address to the legal points in- volved, especially those concerning tna responsibilities of conspirators
 The arguments on behalf Of the de. fense will begin forty minutes after court opens tomorrow when Judge Swiggart will have concluded his plea for the state. The case should ao to the jury about noon Thursday when Attorney General Caldwell has con. cluded the final argument for the prosecution.
 Jujge Moore was followed this after. noon by Judge ". c. Caldwell who for eighteen years was a justice of the Supreme Court of Tennessee and who ranks very high at the state bar. Judge Caldwell said he appeared for the state without fee and despite ill., health because he was born in Obion county. felt that 6 stigma had been placed upon his birthplace and because he knew and loved the young man who had been murdered. The judges arEu- ment was a masterly marshaling Of the testimony and he closed with a demand for the death penalty.