National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-06-13
AN .xrRAoRDISAny VERDICT.

ware, one Of the most remarkable murder
trials Of the agc and in the face Of the facts the
verdict Of acqulisl is most astounding. Tho
accused-one DR.. West--a young man Of
thirty, began rs q practiclng physician In
Dover about Ave years ago, but meeting with
poor success and being ambitious to make
money rapidly, soon dropped his legitimate
business and made an effort to establish him
self In the patcnt-mediclne line. lie invented
a gas which he claimed would cure every
thing, advertising Il extensively to the pub
lie. Ills friends backed him In his new ad-
venture, and he started OF with fair pros.
poets Of success. But the people soon dis
covered that the Doctor aud his gas were
humbugs. lie had married In the meantime,
and under false prctcnces, too, having led
his wife and her people to believe that he
was rich. About year ago an idea struck
him. lie insured his life for twenty-five
thousand dollars. This necessitatCd q yearly
outlay OF more than his income for the
premiums, hut his plan was to So
cure the amount Of Insurance with
out paying many lnstallmcnts Of the pre-
MUM. About six months ago he hired a
colored man named Cooch Taylor to help him
In his laboratory. One night q week after
ward his laboratory was discovered on fire.
The flames were soon cxtinguished, and on
an examination Of the premises the dead body
Of n man was discovered skinned, dndfhe head
feet and hands cut of from the body. The
doctor at the same time suddenly dlsap-
pearcd, and IL was Immediately surmiscd that
the dead body was that Of the doctor. Ills
KVifa anl hn llanftaal fha
body as that OF her husband. The man Cooch
Taylor OF course, also disappeared, and the
Dover community readily came to the con-
clusion that Taylor had murdered his en-
ploycr and had made OF. The police thought
otherwise and began an investigation. A few
weeks developed the fact that the dead body
was that Of Taylor, and that DIR. West waS the
murderer. After the murder he disguised him
self and left, but was discovered and broug ght
hack. lie acknowledged the killing Of Taylor,
hut claimed that II was In sclf-deiencc. Be-
ing Of good family" he secured able counsel
and the trial was begun about ten days ago.
The theory OF sclf-dcicnco was too thin, and
the accused's counsel set up the plea OF in
sanity. Tho prosecution, on the other hand,
showed conclusively that West had murdered
Taylor aud skinned the body In order that II
might appear that 1t was his own body-thc
motive being to deceive and cheat the lnsu-
rance companies and have them pay West s
wife the amount Of Insurance. This case was
given to the jury on Monday night last, and
yesterday they brought In a verdict OF ac-
Quittal on the ground that the murder irds In
self-deJence. This, too, In the face Of the fact
that the accused's counsel had abandoned
that plea and set up the plea OF Insanity only.
The ALMOST UNANIMOUS CRY Of the Dem.
ocratic press Is In favor Of a new election In
Louisiana. Forgetting their boosted ale.
glance TO and belief In statc-rights doctrines,
they remember only that the existing govern
ment 10 the State Is Radical or Republican,
US they may choose to phrase 1t. The fact that
the State courts, which, Ia their statc-rIghts
logic, should be the highest power Of appeal
have decided the Kellogg government to be
legal and In full effect Is entirely ignored by
them, and, strange as 1t may seem, they cry
for interference by Radical Congress for
the purpose Of overturning their own theories
and pre- cpts. But 1t makes great differ.
ence, you scc which OF Is being gored.
\ sESsATIoSAL DISPATCH comes to u,
from Yeddo Japan, announcing that Arlnor
Mor, Japanese Minister 10 the United States
has been guilty Of many instances Of dis
obedience 10 his Government, and OF care
lessness in the discharge Of his hduclary
duties. We have reason to believe that somC
petty personal spite will yet be discovered a
the bottom Of these and similar attacks. Al
for the hdri kari business, we know that Mr.
Mori bas the kind OF courage that would In
duce him 10 refuse to obey such barbarOu
mandate, as he has learned during his pro
longed experience with Western civilization
another kind Of heroism than that which i
Illustrated by heathenish suicide.
We HAVE AUTHORITY for the statemcn
that the President has never attempted u
dictate TO or advise the Republican party o
Virginia regarding the gubenatorial nomi
nation In the coming campaign, lie la
patiently listened on different occasions /,
suggestions from political friends rcgardln!
the subject, but he has uniformly avoided lh
expression OF any especial performance, an
will be satisfied with the nomination Of III
LynChburg convention, believing, as he docs
that the best interests OF the State aud th
party will be subseryed by the success Of II
nominees.
lT SEEMS MORE TuAS PROBABLE that eX
Governor Henry 4. Wise will be brought for
ward this fall Us an independent candidate
for Governor Of Virginia. His friends are