The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1909-06-04
SUPREME COURT
Takes Up Case Of Prisoners Sentenced
For Killing Rankin.

mouse, elgnG OF tueIu NISutliuclo, 10 VI
record of Madison County for to-day
Two men were being tried for thei
lives in the Circuit Court when Carrot
johnson, Sam Applewhite, Bob Huff
man, Roy Ransom, Arthur Cloar, But
Morris, Fred Pinion and It'd Burton
convicted of the murder of Capt. Quen
tin Rankin at Walnut Log, were brough
into the Supreme Court The room
was crowded long before the hour O
opening court arrived. Society women
drawn to the room to see the celebrated
prisoners and hear the argument o.
counsel, were present, and there, too,
were faded little women of the Reelfoot
district to see their husbands and give
them words of encouragement. One
mother, after adjournment, worked her
way through the curious crowd, with
her infant on her arm, to the prisoners
dock, and for the first time there was
evidence of feeling on the part of the
prisoners. The prisoners are not the
crude, vicious looking men some had
expected. All were neatly dressed,
with well-kemp countenances, and the
confinement has taken off the tan and
the evidence of the rough life which
they previously led.
Through all the argument the prison
ers gave respectful hearing and mani
tested no extraordinary interest.
At O'Clock Marshal Deming and
six special deputies brought the prison
ers into court. Already the room was
oyertaxed, and the doors fastened to
prevent others from crowding in. A
steady rain was falling, and there were
no morbid crowds without, but there
was no lack of interest within. Necks
were craned and the prisoners were
closely scrutinized, and even while the
attorneys spoke many contented them
selves in watching every movement OF
the men of the dock.
HAVE FAITH IN PIERCE.
The prisoners were not disconnected.
On the other hand they were apparently
oblivous of the presence of the crowd.
They are all young men, and there was
an air of remarkable seIf-control among
them, and they confidently look to Rice
Pierce tomorrow to bring out facts
which will send them back to Obion
County for a new hearing, where they
will ultimately get their freedom.
1t was shortly past $50 when the
judges assembled the bench, Hon. Hen
ry Craft, Of Memphis, sitting for Judge
Neil, who is incompetent, his wife be-
ing relative Of the murdered man,
Immediately after court opened At
torney Fry began argument for the de-
PENDANTS. He briefly recited the facts
that led up to the killing of Rankin.
He said ten men of the grand jury by
which they were indicted had served on
a similar jury within two years. He
quoted an interview of Governor Patter-
son, from which one of the jurymen
formed an opinion, but the juryman |
was pronounced competent by the trial
judge, thereby forcing the defense to
challenge him, Several other jurors
We're named who, he said, were incom-
petent on account of previous fixed opin-
ions.
The fact that the defense was not al
lowed all the challenges to which it was
entitled was argued at length. He ar
gued against the conspiracy charge. He
denied that the burning Of the dock at
Samburg showed conspiracy against
the West Tennessee Land Company
He said that Fehringer, who confessed |
said that he expected not
only pardon, but part Of the $4,000
offered for the conviction of the muir
1erers.
ALIBIs WE'RE PROVEN.
Morris, he said, had established an
abb beyond all question. Bob Huff
man and Sam Applewhite, he said,
we're partners in the fishing business on
he lake, and that at II O'Clock on the
hight Of the killing they were at Apple
whites home, having music. It'd Bur
on and Roy Ransom, he said, were not
connected with the Nightriders, except
IN the evidence of Hogg and another
witness, and they fshed all night on the
hight of the murder, and that the hotel
.lerk bought fish from them on the
lext morning.
As to Cloar being in the mob there
vas no evidence, except that one witness
estified that his name was called. Not