The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-05-09
Verdict of the Jury!
MURDER N FIRST DEGREE
Death by Hanging the
Penalty!
HISTORY OF THE CASE |

The trial of Taylor Strauder colored
man charged with the murder OF his
wife, Annie Strauder, in this city on the
/ 18th day Of April. 1872 has been occu-
plying the attention Of the Circuit Court
for the past two days.
Our readers will remember the par
ticulars ofthis case as presented in the
REGISTER at the time Taylor Strauder
had lived very unbsppily with
his wife almost from the day OF
their marriage, because Of his exceeding
great jealousy. Within three months
after their marriage be attempted to
force her into the cellar of their house
that be might cut her throat with q
razor. Because of his bad treat
ment of her she had deter
mined to leave him and ap-
ply for a divorce. He is reported to
have said, If you can't live with me
you shall never marry any one else
| will kill you first "
The night before the murder, Strau-
der went home about ii o'clock. Find
ing a child of his wite's, by her, fret
husband, in the bed, he threw it out on
the floor, and quarrel ensued, wheth-
er about the child or on account OF his
accusing her OF infidelity, will never be
/ known; at any rate they qusrreled, and
on the morning OF Thursday, April 18th
| 1872, when they arose from their bed
aftet asking her some question IN re-
gard TO his shoes, and receiving an an
/ swer that seems TO have soured him
/ be seized Ratchet, and with the pole
or head OF it struck her
once on the temple and once
behind the lett ear. The little dsug III
ter OF the woman, awakened by the
noise, saw the terrible deed She at
tempted to scream but Strauder threat
ened to kill her, too, if she made any
cutlery. The poor little thing frightened
halt to death was compelled by him to
lie down 90 her couch and cover up
her head in the bed clothes, thus giving
him a chance to escape. After while,
it must have seemed to her an age, she
uncovered her head and found her step
father gone. Jumping out OF bed she
ran to her mother, whom she saw
leaning over the arms of q rocking
chair speechless and the crimson tide
flowing from her wounded head, and
. said, Mamma, bold up your head;
then, maybe it won't hurt you" She
was only seven years old, and could
not realize that her mother was dead.
Strsuder, in the meantime, fed. He
reached Pittsburgh and for few days
found employment, and, as he thought,
safety, but even while he felt most Sc
cure the avenger was on his track, and
in lust seven days from the time OF
committing the murder he was back
again and in jail in this city.
He has been ably and skilfully de-
Tended. Everything that men could do
has been done by his counsel. Every
subterfuge, every artifice known to the
law has been employed in his behalf.
they have been ndefs tigsble, and the
only cause OF their failure was the want
OF a good defence. They urged upon
the Jury that the prisoner, excited to
desperation and madness by what they
called the iufdelty OF his wife, was the
victim OF emotional insanity" and not
responsible for the deed. 10 their ad-
dresses to the jury they never for mo-
ment lost sight Of this defence, and by
eloquent appeals, clear propositions oil
law and persistent effort, kept their
view OF the case always before the
minds of the jurors. Had there been
clear and unimpeschsble proof Of their
allegations they must have been success
fnl IN at least reduc ng the degree Of
quilt OF the prisoner. We give Messrs.
Davenport Il Doveper great credit for
heir almost superhumsn efforts in be.
half OF the prisoner.
The prosecution was IN most able
bands. Prosecuting Cracrsft, assisted
by ex-Prosecuting Attorney J. Hanson
Good lett nothing uudone to secure
the conviction of the prisoner, believing
as they did that the murder was one Of
the most deliberate ever committed.
They showed that there was 10 cause
for the murder except the cause hatch
ed in the Jealous mind OF Strsuder, and
comp upset the emotional lnsan'
ity plea offered by the defence. The
speeches made by these two gentlemen
we have heard spoken ofin the highest
terms. The speech Of Mr., Good, who
had the closing argument, was most
effective one, profound in its
legal and logical conclusions and
eloquent in it's fights. We must
congratulate him on his perorstion.
which WAS one OF the finest We ever
heard, 1t was superb. The gentle
men deserve the highest credit for the
able aud skilltul manner in which they
have managed the case on behalf Of the
State.
During the entire trial Strauder has