The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-01-07
WIFE ADMITS PERJURY
SPOUSE OF ALLEGED NIGHT
RIDER CONFESSES.
Declares Her Husband Was Not at
Home on Night Of Murder.
Defense Rests Case.

OAlOA WIZ ASoA.1 oeAA. 49,
defense rested it's case in the night
rider trials this afternoon and the
State began its rebuttal, which will
be concluded Monday. The grand
jury likewise made it's return, includ-
ing several indictments, and was dis
charged.
When court adjourned until Mon
day Mrs. Bud Morris, whose sensa-
tional confession to the jury was a
star feature to the trial, accompanied
by her husband and baby, under the
protection of six soldiers, left for
Dresden, Weakley county, where she
will live In future. She was in such
terror of her life that she did not
even wait to get her other two chill
dren or her personal effects.
The State put but one witness on
the stand before adjournment, Bob
Curtin, driver Of the hack which
plies between Union City and Walnut
Log on the lake. Curtin drove some
of the defense's witnesses to Walnut
Log the night the fish docks were
burned and saw them leave his con-
veyance to join the night riders.
On cross-examination he said he
took two quarts of whiskey with him
on the d3ive and at the end Of it had
a little less than a quart left. Asked
if this had not made him "feel his
OATS" he grew indignant and replied:
"What, drunk on quart on an
hours drive? Why, I can prove by
Uncle Bill Gibbs that drink quart
before breakfast and never feel it.
Deliberate Perjury.
Asserting that on the witness
stand yesterday she had deliberately
perjured herself for the defense and,
conscience-stricken, desired to tell
the truth, Mrs. Morris, wife of one of
the eight alleged night riders, asked
to be recalled to-day. Wad Morris
swore he was present the night Capt.
Rankin was killed and recognized
some of the defendants. Mrs. Morris,
his wife, on the stand yesterday
swore that her husband was at home
that night. She left the stand pale
and trembling and sent for the attor-
ney general.
ssI have done great wrong" she
said. "I have told a lie. My husband
was not at home that night. He was
with the riders. I was forced by my
relatives to testify as did. I want to
see my husband"
Her brother-in-law tried to get her
to leave the city with him, but the at
torney general ordered him away and
took Mrs. Morris to her husband. The
meeting of the young husband and
wife, separated since October 2o, was
silent but pathetic. '.-...
After alibi witnesses had been
called today the attorney general
asked that Mrs. Morris be permitted
to correct her testimony. She took
the stand and said:
81 was persuaded to tell lie yes
terday on the stand. / was told by
Joe Hogg and Jack Long that unless
I swore that my husband was at
home that night the soldiers would
hang him. They also threatened me
and I was afraid, so I told this lie.
Now, I want to tell the TRUTH
The witness bore the taunts and in
nuendoes of the defense's attorneys
and the glares of the indicted men
patiently but she was badly fright
,l,ned, and often seemed on the point
~. collapsing. She declared the at
torhes general refused to listen to
her until she had summoned some of
her relatives to advise her.
The defense attempted to show
that some of the accused men were
Odd Fellows. Judge Jones sharply
shut out the testimony with the re-
mark: "Odd Fellows must be tried
the same as any one else in this
~ -