Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-10
EXTREME PENALTY GIVEN
Bud Morris and Bob Huffman Get
Twenty Years Sentence.
CONVICTED MEN ARE STOICAL
No Attempt at Demonstration by
Friends or Enemies of Prisoners.
New Trial Denied.

out a tremor. six men of Reelfoot lake
heard judgment passed today condemning
them to pay with their lives the penalty
for the part they were convicted of haN-
ing had i'm putting TO death Capt. Quen.
tin Rankin at Walnut Log, the deed of
a band of so-called night riders, of which
the six men were declared to have been
the leaders.
Whatever may have been their emotion
they faced the court To receive sentence
with the same stole expression as has
been their marked characteristic during
the sensational trial of which today w:lS
the climax.
When court convened, shortly after
noon, the room was crowded with people
from the lake. With small ceremony, as
anticipated. the motion of the defense
asking a new trial was overruled by
Judge Jones.
Then, amid a death-likc quiet, the six
men, Garrett Johnson. Sam Applewhite.
Tid Burton. Boy Ransom, Arthur Clear
and Fred Pinion, convicted of murder in
the first degree, each in his turn faced
Judge Jones to hear the mandate or the
court and Friday. February ID, set as
the day of their execution.
As they turned to return to their places
i'm the prisoners dock a faint half-hearted
smile played on the faces Of Pinion and
Johnson. Beyond this they could not
have shown less emotion were they men
of stone.
The proceedings ended, the courtroom
was quickly emptied. Through the crowds
of their kinsmen and friends the men were
led back to Jail to await the carrying out
of the courts decree. should in the mean
time higher court not intervene.
Appeal to Supreme Court.
An appeal has been taken to the SUI
preme court, where the legal strife will
be just as vigorous as during the trial
Just ended.
The others of the men, Bud Morris and
Bob Huffman, found guilty of murder in
the second degree, received the sentence
named by the juHH-twenty years in the
penitentiary. sSsisN ~sessS
& g - ass ,l tes,s ss,,, sas
demonstration. The squad of soldiers sta
toned about the room had little to do.
They heard the decree with the same
stoicism as marked the principals.
The aged mother of Fred Pinon was
among those in the courtroom Not
withstanding a mothers emotion. which
must have been hers, to all appearances
she might have been but disinterested
spectator on a casual visit to the court.
This was but an example of others of the
relatives of the men.
AS to those who sided with the prosecH-
ton, there was a feeling that grim duty
had been performed. They were as silent
as the friends and kinsmen of the con-
victed men.
In passing sentence Judge Jones de-
clared he could see no mitigating circum-
stances mentioned by the jury in the re-
turn of the verdict. He considered that
but compromise to some members of the
jury who hesitated to pass the sentence Of
death.
Thus he felt that the responsibility had
been placed on him. a duty which he
would not shirk. To each he declared the
sentence of the court would be that they
hang by the neck until you are dead, and
may God Almighty have mercy on your
SOULS.
New Trial Is Denied.
In applying for a new trial the defense
attacked the competency of Jurors Mck;n-
ney and Dahnke, asserting they had eN-
pressed opinions as to the guilt of the
parties on trial, and that Dahnke was
a resident of the state of Kentucky.
1t was also claimed that Juror Rosson.
who was i'll, was thus incompetent to
pass on the guilt or innocence of the
acchsed.
After having heard the testimony OF
three witnesses, introduced by the d.
fense in effort to prove that Juror
Mckinney had expressed an opinion as 10
proved by the members of the jury that
he insisted on mitigating circumstances
being included in the verdict
The contentious lin regard to Jurors
Rosson and Dahnke were later with
drawn. The motion for new trial was
quickly overrued.
Judge Jones listened attentively TO the
testimony. and at the conclusteH said the
court was firmly of the opinion that
evidence introduced at the trial was COM
petent.
Judge Jones continued:
Il said some time ago TO the grand
jury that 1t was sad, sad DAY Wheh
these men left their quiet homes: that
their wives had not taken them around
the neck and pleaded with them for God
Almighty's sake to stop and not band
themselves together for such unholy acts:
that the evidence in this case is bristllng
with perjury. and the jury has returned
into this court verdict against Bud
Morris and Bob Huffman of murder in
the second degree, and which must stand
The jusy has also returned verdict
in the first degree against SIX or the
defendants. In view of the manner IN
which the life of Quentin Rankin was
taken, l can see no mitigating circum-
stances in this crime. 1t was not done
in the heat of passion and has none or
the elements of mitigating circumstance.
That part of the verdict VIII De olsfe-
garded.
Sentences Are Imposed.
After a moments breathless silence the
court said:
Bud Morris. you will stand up.
1T is the sentence of the court that
you be incarcerated in the penitentiary
for twenty years and be deprived of your
rights of franchise.
Bob Huffman next received the same
sentence.
Judge Jones, after pause, continued:
Garrett Johnson. you have been tried
on a charge of murder in the. first de
gree A motion for new trial is over
ruled by the court 1t is considered
and the judgment of the court is that
you will be remanded to Jail until Fri
day, the 10Th day OF February, 1909. when
you will, by the sheriff of this county.
be hanged by the neck until you are
dead and may God Almighty have mercy
on your soul. "
The same judgment was pronounced on
the remaining five defendants convicted
of first degree murder.
Counsel for the defendants asked for
a writ of error and gave notice of an
appeal to the state supreme court
Perfect silence prevailed i'm the court
room while the court pronounced the
sentences. The defendants. each i'm turn.
arose pale and worn, and received the
words of Judge Jones.