The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-05-27
HORRIBLE CRIME.
The Brutal Crime of Man Near
Slarksburg.

Clarksburg Telegram.
On Monday evening Messrs. L. +.
Plgott, +. w. and Eli Cunningham
brought to town aud lodged in jail q
man psmed James G. Taylor, who was
arrested on the charge OF committing
rape on his seventeen year old daughter.
The parties live on Cunninghsm's Bun,
Eagle district, this county, and the de
tails given by one of the party present q
case OF most debsuched depravity. 1t
seems that Taylor had for eight months
been mskirg improper advances to
the girl, telling her that she was her
fathers property, soul and body, and any
request her father should make, 1t was
her duty IS his daughter to willingly
crafty. All this svailed nothing, and
he saw that if his purpose was accom-
phshed, it must be by brute force. On
Saturday night, April 18th, he dragged
her to an old house adjoining where
the family live, and after threatening
and choking her, he was successful
in gratifying his hell-born lust. He
then gave the family strict orders to stav
at home unless accompanied by him, and
asded by way OF emphasis that it his wife
and mother should tell he would kill
them. He by threats so convinced the
women that he would do so that they for
time said nothing. However 1t leaked
out in time, one of the women telling q
neighboring lady, who communicated
the crime of Taylor to her hus-
band. This gentleman at once
began devising q plan to arrest
him. On Monday he was at work
for neighbor, and being out OF sight OF
his family they visited the neighbors
above mentioned and informed them
that the outrage was repeated on the
Saturday night previous. Believing 1t
was time to act, q warrant was sworn
out and rs Taylor is q large and power
iul man, q strategic game WAS played IN
arresting him. After the officer and his
posse had secured him he became very
violent and tried frequently to es-
cape. His captors were deter
mined to bring him to justice and after
a time he succumbed and was led before
his outraged girl. Upon seeing her ne
burst into tears and exclaimed, "My dear
daughter, what have you done. Are you
going to send your poor father to the
penitentisry for hfe2' The girl arose
and going toward him said: Father, l
have been dutiful child, and had you
whipped me or done anything but that, l
would have borne it in silence, but that
is too much" After this interview he
was taken before j. w. Boggess, Jus,
tice of the peace, where he waived an
examination. Tsylor's wife says ne has
served one term in the penitentlsry, and
was twice in military prison, once on the
Union and sgsiL on the Confederate side
of the late war. We forbesr making
any comments, as the sad affair
will be properly ventilated at the
Circuit Court. We would say, how
ever, that his chances for pro-
trscted stay at the penitentiary are con-
sidered first class, ss eight witnesses will
appear for the prosecution, the evidence
of any one of which could not fail to con-
viet. Since his arrest he has frequently
sworn he would kill those participating
in bis arrest, but they need have no fear,
as the law ia very severe on men OF his
stripe and at least ten years will intervene
TO cool his anger.