Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-01-14

inent men Of the northwestern section
Of Tennessee, had come to the lake re-
gion to conclude deal a. to the sale of
some timber lands, the property Of the
company.
Inc night riders, composed largely of
the fisherfolk Of Reel Foot Lake, which
is owned by the land company, were es-
pecially aggrieved against the land COM
pany because Of the refusal to allow the
fishermen TO ply their vocation at will in
the waters of the lake. This they
charged largely to Captain Rankin and
Colonel Taylor. According to the evil
dence during the trial, when it was
learned that the two men were to spend
the night in the lake region, the band
was told to meet at designated point.
and toward midnight they donned their
fantastic garbs of long cloaks and
masks and marched to the Walnut Log
Hotel, where Captain Rankin and Colo
mel Taylor had quarters. Forcing them
to hastily don their clothes, it is related
they marched them to a secluded spot
among the wooded recesses of the lake.
Here short parley ensued, and, not
reaching a satisfactory termination to
the riders, the rope by which Rankin
was led from the hotel was thrown over
a forked limb of a tree and the man
drawn into the air. A volley Of shots
followed, and within a few seconds Ran
kin was dead.
In the meantime Taylor had pleaded
for the release of Rankin and his sub
sttution. When he saw the men were
determined to kill both, he made dash
for liberty, swimming the bayou, on the
banks Of which the lynching occurred,
and though several volleys from a score
of rifles followed him, he succeeded in
escaping, reaching a place of safety
after thirty-six hours spent in the
marshes
Two days later, Governor Patterson
and two companies of State troops ar
rived and the work of hunting down the
perpetrators began. Arrests by the
wholesale were made, and the county
was placed under military rule. A mill
tary post was established at Reel Foot
Lake, and those who were arrested we're
held practically excommunicado. Sew
eral of those arrested confessed and
gradually those who were deemed not
guilty were weeded out and allowed to
return to their homes.
The ten men held most responsible for
the raids of the band were taken to
Nashville for safekeeping, and in the
Jail there two of them died.
The other eight sought release under
writs of habeas corpus, and were order
ed set at liberty on the charges on
which they were held, other than that
of the killing of Captain Rankin. When
they were returned to Union City, to be
released, however, indictments chalg-
ing murder had been returned, and they
were Immediately re-arrested.
Their trials began a month ago, and
the court was under the protection of
the military. During the session armed
soldiers were constantly on guard and
during the night the men were under
the care of the military, as were others
held to await trial. During the trials
several of the alleged members of the
band told of the working of the clan
and of the raids, describing the murder
of Captain Rankin, showing it to have
been most brutal. These will be grant
ed dpardons.
Inc defendants We're represented by
Rice A. Pierce and other prominent at
torneys, who exerted every legal effort
In the aid of their clients and as a de-
Tense sought to establish alibis.
The case of the State was cared for
by Attorney-G General Caldwell and other
attorneys.
The present term of court is the sec
ond special term called to consider the |
night rider cases. The first term was
called Immediately on the arrival of the
troops, and its legality, because of a
failure to announce the fact of its con-
vening IN advance, was questioned.
This was remedied at the present
term, the trials being deferred until the
present term began.
The other alleged members of the
band were more than a score in number
and are held in the county Jail here
awaiting trial on charges of murder,
violation of the Ku-Klux act and other
crimes resulting from the raids of the
band. Their trials, it is probable, will
follow Immediately.