New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-21
Murder Punished by Five Years in III. D..
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Of Robert Tnv,o.
WAR UFPADrvvx.
ADJUTANT-GENERAL's OYyrr,
WASHINGTON, ID. c., May .. 1854

"AshHSioN, H. W. May 1864, I
GENERAL COURT-MARTIAL ORDERS, No. 60
!. Before Military Commission consisting orc
Thompson, 18th Michigan Volunteers; CAPTAIN Cs.
GriAith. 21d WISCONSIN Volunteers; CAPTAIN 10 ee
Mutt 9th Indiana Volunteers; Captain b. n NJ ,ssS
Wisconsin Volunteers; First Lieutenant 60 -
Beunan- 22d Wisconsin Volunteers and which ~ S
yeued nc MOrfrcesbOTo' Tennessee. Sept a. ~, on
snant to Special Orders No g. dated Post
Murfreesboro Sept; 1863, Was arregned and Irsd.t
Robert Taylor, citizen.
Charge" Murder
spccifH'ioH--' In this: that be- the said Rotey "a,
lor a citizen Of Coffee County In the State Of Te,re
see did bfat negro woman named Retter' in s.sA
manner that she died from the effects of the u,n,S
thus inflicted. This, on about the 3st dov of A.
gust 1863 at the residence u said Robert rax
lor about three miles from the town Of Hilsbo,o (.
Coffee Comfy. Tennessee.
To which CHARGE and specification the accused Robsr,
Taylor. a eiti1en. pleaded 4" Not guilty"
FINDING
The Commission having maturely considered the ,,s
dcuce adduced finds the accused Robert Taylor Ell.
zen. as follows;
Ofthe Specifications" Guilty,
OF the charge-" Not guilty as charged bat ruliyS
manlaaghter."
SENTENCE
And the Commission does therefore senteuen ,h,r
Robert Taylor. citizen. to be confined IN l< as,,
Peaifsniisry Jar he peri0d Of Are years.
III. The proceedings. findings and sentence in TIA
foregoing case having been approved by the Nakr
General commenting the Department and laid S1or
the President oi the United States tie following are ks
orders:
The testimony in the case found in the record a
brief aud free from all discrepancy OF contrad elton
The prisoner 1t seems, alleged that Of opey
had been stolen from him--hOw much was not stated
but there proof u any such theft st less any.
thing tending 70 connect with IL the murdered woman
on whom his saspici0ns fell. Probably however ron
apr, hcnson OF punishment, this woman, whom b
olaimed 10 own. made an attempt % rnn avg. Wa
pursued by the prisoner and his neghbors, captured
and brought back.
The prisoner then procured rope and addressina
himself to he bystanders asked II there was any on
present no could tie q hang knot when named
Womack stepped forward and tied H.. The prisoner
then adjusted il around the neck OF the WOMAN. and
throwius II over rho iinb OF tree in the sight Il IL
own dwelling. where we're his wife and daughters IL
work Of murder began.
Finding that The woman protected herself by -eiFi1a
The rope with her hands. 1t was slackened and k5
hnads Ted and again she was drawn mp. 20 that Aa
toes barely touched The ground and IN this position ~
has held by the prisoner until fiom sahocatinn and
exhaustion her head fell on one side. Through Tie
nterposion o; TIE prisoners wife and the bystandff
lie r5pe was then loOsened and az opportunity given
lie woman 10 revive While this texture g1 o.
The prisoner declared his object 20 be 10 compel TIE
woman 20 confess the tbef charged upon her Oa; iH
stout, denied aay knowledge Of the money alleged
lave been los,.
Sbe was now taken BY the prisoner to his .aIyaN
distant two hundred or two hundred and hi'y yafds
aud was there stripped by him Of u! her clothes eIep
her cheMisc
In the LANGUAGE Of one Of the witnesses she ths
" confned by crossing her bands and tying them v
gethcr then putting them over her knees with snel
tbru,t under, hodiuy them IN that position" Thaspn
toned and wing Alternately her face aud on her s
az the purpoSos OF her tormentor required orSome e
hours AID half with brief intervals she was vh;ppN
Inv he prisoner with leather thong, two inches vHs
and ri-ee feet long. having 3 knot on the end AtM
-nirlfor If this ;nc "s1De ncightors present sad
thfy thought be had whipped her about enough for IA
time" aud he theTeupon desisted. She was then lnued
ana assisted bv one ofthe neighbOYs toward the Kitchen
ia
She succeeded however. in reaching the kitchen %
The threshold o: WHICH she feL in the presence Of 10
prisoners wife anita few minutes thereafter expired
The shameless character VI the defense In keeping
with the crime II was insisted IN the defense tbast
.onan's dealt WIS produced by some cold wafer,
which In her heated and exhausted condition, she ~
drank; and, IN attempted paation of tho mi~onui
murd crous brutality. Il was proved By several Of "
neiehbors that he bore good moral character, ~
clothed and Fed his slaves WELL and Tor himself
stated that hs had once before, a similar chrr
given the woman even worse whipping than That
Which she died -.
Mat BODY Of officers holding commissions IN 1
army 81 the nited States and acting under me "
sDorshiity OF ~ oath should deal thus lightly with
shoc,lng a sacrifice Of human life, cannot bnt eIcia
sentiments Of mingled surprise and regret Eveye1
cunstaace surrounding the crime agyrays'ss us ehol
rnitv among which may De- named the absence Oh ~ 4
prvyocstion the prolonged torture 70 whieAtEA
wrrtched sufferer Was subjected. thus enoruihe arl~
time Tor aH human passion. mad any e1!stea, W na'i
cooled but above all. the sex and utter beipess"
the bound and uBressting victim. a.
Tie President directs that the Observation-Disclosures
,S;t is-shal except 10 the place of confinement
"a, Sjed into execution. aud Albany, New York ~
onaSd as the penteniary where he shall be OIL nnee
5nt " Ne doing So he feels II incumbent upon sn
ali tha ,ten;ion Of the army, and especially OF tno~
par1sa Nth the administration Of military iusnee
he in-ensib,lty displayed by this comnission seacS
,Tpres, the d>,pprobation with which Is Is reg r
The members OF she commission IL mus ngn N.,.
,,i Ga. - tho IN, vi revolving murders on record, Dse
tome 40 honor q, th ,mselyes and Afforded an eNau
Fbl.A Il 10 hoped WI meyer again DC E!tpFsSe'
lhe prisoner sil bs GENT under proper guard 10 any
~ Nspy Vort sn1 ,siterei 10 toe warden Of the PA.
~ Wv =, 'ha. Mas s,r corfaemsnt for the p,r
I've YEAR, In accordance with The sspteuce I
ry order OF the Secretary OF WG. 80, c.
r. D. TowasRSp, Assistan< 40. "s@