The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1909-07-10
Condemned NIGHT RIDERS
Hear Their Sentence Reversed
by Supreme Court.
THE DECISION RECEIVED APPLAUSE
Grounds for Reversal We're That the
Indictments We're Not Properly
Found and Defendants We're
Denied Challenges.

eight night riders, six of whom were
under the death sentence, charged
with the murder Of Capt. Quentin
Rankin, at Walnut Log, on Reelfoot
Lake, Oct 10 last, were reversed by
the supreme court Saturday and were
remanded for new trial.
The six men who were under the
death sentence, are Garrett Johnson,
alleged leader of the night riders or
ganization in Obion county, Arthur
Cloar, Fred Pinion, Sam Applewhite,
It'd Burton and Roy Ransom. The
other two, Bud Morris and Bob Huff
man, were convicted of murder in the
second degree.
The opinion in the case was deliv-
ed by Special Justice Henry A. Craft,
of Memphis, appointed in the stead of
Justice M. NJ Neill.
In reversing the case he assigned
two principal reasons:
The first was that the grand jury
which found the indictments against
the alleged night riders was not Sc
lected in a proper manner. The grand
jury was selected out of panel nam
ed by Judge ]. E. Jones, the trial
judge, whereas the law provides that
the panel must be chosen by at least
three members of the county court.
The second error on which the re-
versal was based, was that the state
did not allow the defendants a suf11-
cient number of challenges. The eight
were tried on joint Indictment and
the trial court upheld the states con-
tention that the eight defendants
were only entitled to the legal num-
ber of challenges, twenty-four, which
would apply If one man was on trial.
When ustice Craft concluded his
opinion, storm of applause broke
out in the court room, but was quick
ly stilled by Marshal Deeming and his
deputies. The prisoners will be taken
back to Union City and an effort will
be made to secure their release on
bail, pending a second trial of their
cases.
On the night Of October ] 81, 1908,
Capt. Quentin RANKIN and Coll r. II. | |
Taylor were taken from the hotel at |
Walnut Log on the bank Of ReeIfoot
Lake by the night riders The former
was hanged and then shot to death,
and the latter escaped by almost a
miracle.
The crime itself and the subse-
quent events of the campaign against
tn night ridrs of Obion county by the
state troops, the sensational trial,
which resulted in six of the defend
ants receiving the death sentence and
the other two, twenty years in the
penitentiary, form chapter in the
criminal history of the state never be-
fore equalled. 1t attracted attention
the entire country and it's
details are still we'll remembered.
Diverse conditions prevailed in
Obion county, the scene Of the night
rider depredations, as result Of the
decision of the supreme court at
Jackson of the appeal of those con-
7icted as leaders of the clan. In Union
City, among the residents sympathy
has largely been with the prosecution
and as a matter of course the decis-
on caused no elation. Among those
II Reelfoot Lake, the home of the
it was different. From
he countryside friends of the accused
men came to Union City by the scores ,
md learned of the reversa! of the /
over court with cheer. {
Those most active in the prosecu- ;
ion consider the situation now such ,
u may again assume serious phase. g
That 1t will be difficult, probably i'm g
to secure a jury to again {
lear the cases is conceded, and as /
'et no decision has been reached by
he representatives of the state as to :
he future plans. An Immediate trial 6
Il other cases of similar nature
'ending, however, is not looked for.