Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-06-20
W.. E-ocutiou in King George Co:

MONTROss, Westmore and county, 'lrglhla'
June 18th, ls7O.-The execution OF William
TAYLOR, colored, convicted at the last May term
Of the County Court Of King George, OF the
,uurJcr If Willie Jet, occurred at the Court
Eous, Of that county about noon on yesterday.
large concourse OF people, estimated
ot from twelve to fifteen hundred, embracing
many citizens from all the surrounding coun-
ties, and a considerable NUMBER from mary
land. assembled at an carly hour to witness the
execution. .,
81 tho ;a;I in company with his brother, War
nor raylor. who is also under sentence OF death
f,r n,rticinalion in the same crime, but has
h,cn rrsnitcd by the Governor till the Eth OF
| August. .ro
Through the courtesy of Sheriff Rogers, your
corrqsnondent was admitted TO an interview
with the prisoner in company with Captain
| Quinn of the Fredericksburg Ledger and his
assistant MIR. Juison Boulware. The two
prisoners, brothers by blood, and now brothers
| in blood and crime, were standing near oppo-
site corners of the room Warner looked more
drnressed and largard than William, though
| the after was now within few short hours OF
his fatal and hopeless doom. l could discover
m evidence of trepidation in William as he
stood before me aud promptly answered. my
questions, except j constant restless nloVcnlen.
OF the feet, after the manner OF soiuicr III
marking time. There was no indication Oh eA.
element about his pulse, which was neither
Quick nor full, and beating rather below the
natural standard. found him wholly unwll-
ling 10 confess the crime OF which he had been
convicted. He disclaimtd any participation
rvrcpt to be present and to take some OF the
roods from the store. Said that the robbery
had bnen III contemplation tor several weeks,
and was first suggested To him by Geo. Miller.
That he stood at the edge OF the public rond,
about twenty PAGES from the store door while
| Miller entered through the door of the count,
inc room, which, upon call, had been opened
| bv Young Jet. While he still stood there ne
| heard Miller strike Jett, aud the latter cried
out, For the Lords sake don t XII m me-,
NAV have everything in the store and Il never
tell who took them" That the light was then
cytipcuished and he heard 10th or them run
out, and thinking that was his best chance 70 ,
rob the store ne went up and took ron OF
cloth and went back home, distance OF m'!e
and a half. He soon afterwards returnea'
found Jet killed and his body lying on the
! sore floor between the counters, and george
| Killer filing sacks with goods. That h, took
some rcady.made clothing, and as ne was about
n lave this second and last time he ADVISED
Miller 70 burn tho store SO as to hide the
L will be remembered that the material
roints Of this statement arc in direct CONFLICT
WITH the testimony oil George Miller, given IN
evidence at the tria! Of Taylor Andit will be
remembered. too, that George Miller is but
nov Ct about sixteen, i stripping OF sIlm and
delicate lrama Incapable OF oVerpo"ering ana
numbering by physical force. unassis'ed' anoth O.
or boy of his own age, though, perhaps, Inc
latter was rather smaller And William lay
lor's statement duplicates no one as an assist
ant to George Miller in the murder. ~
After our Interview closed. William Taylor
was removed hy the Sheriff. to an ADJOINING
room OF the jail, where he was lett aionG WIN VIZ:
Rev. WA. +. BAN OF the Southern Methodist
Chnrch whom. among many other c!ergymen,
willie and coorcd who had been vlsI!ing MN
since his sentence, he had chosen rs his spirit
nal adviser. He had proess2d, some days age
TO rcalz. change Of heart but dn urn,
:'.,;%n,Si S,or" Tree and full pardon of his
sins, and his experience was much more salts
factory. :,
at II clock, b. request, Rev. MIR. Balm
delivered funeral discourse from the text,
"Preuarc to meet they God" preceded Oy
prayer and singing, the hymn commenclug'
''Ard must [ be to Judgment brought After
been admitted with some others to the small
guarded enclosure in front Of the JAIL deliver
Cd a few very appropriate remarks to the
crowd, addressing himself more especially to
his brethren CT the African tribe" as he
termed them. lie exhortcd them to cultivate
habits Of honesty and sobricly, to seek by every
lcanS il their power now that their prlvl-
laec4 lad been enlarged and their opportunl-
ties increased, to elevate the character OF their
race, and by studious avoidance of crime and
sin Of every sort, to show to the world that
they have the capacity OF approaching and OF
properly crjoying the great boon of liberty
which has been awarded them. Heimpressed
them with the dignity and majesty of the civil
rs well as of the moral law and their obligation
to submit equally to the requirements OF both.
He spoke Of the prisoner who was about to
meet his doom, as murderer, who had dared
in defiance Of the laws OF God and man. to
take tho life of his fellow and as such had just
ly forfeited his own.
Rev. John Dunlap, colored, then followed
with few remarks, concluding the religious
services with hymn sung by the colored peo-
pie, commencing, Lord, at thy temple We APP
pear, as happy Simeon came"
The crowd then lett the Jail and proceeded
to the place prepared for the execution. The
gaIloHs was erected in small ravine about
two hundred yards in rear OF the Court House
building, guarded by a slight and temporary
railing enclosing circular space of about 100
feet in diametcr-the gallows located IN the
centre and at the lowest point Of the ravlnc.
This arrangement enabled every one of the vast
crowd, without any difficulty, to witness the
execution.
Into this enclosure were admitted by special
permits, about fifty persons including several
| renortcrs for the press.
At half past - o'clock the Sheriff, attended
by his guard, led the prisoner from tho Jail to
the gaIIows. He walked the whole distance Of
several hundred yards firmly and steadily, and
apparently without the slightest emotion, as
cendcd the steps TO the platform and took his
seat in chair provided for him Immediately
under tue rope. Sheriff Rogers ther read the
sentence of the law to him and requested him
to make any remarks he might have to make
He promptly arose and said: 81 m now sat
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