South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-05-06
Wess W. ". Taylor strauder


10 DAY Jud.a Jackson, OF tie Circuit
Coutt OF the UDitod States. rendered his
decision IN tue case OF She State OF West
Virginia acains; Tsylcr strauaer Who
vas indicted nearly nine years ago for
murder. Jgdge Jackson allowed pleas
II statement u be llej By Sirauder's
counsel. enc ovesruled demorrcr 90
them adjndglng the pleas 20 be good ia
law lie also oYerrilei motion on be-
bail OF the State 10 remaui the prisoner
back 10 the custody oftbe State sutho.
rites, and refused 10 hold him for in
dictmsnt in the United States Court,
aud finally S,raader was ordered 90 be
discharged from custody. L.
The Shove dispatch received last night
10 use the language of the card writer's.
explains itself 1t means that Taylor
Strauder, the colored man who has been
lying in The Jail OF this city for about
nine years, ia constant danger of being
hung for the murder of his wife. has
neep released from any further appre-
tensions on the subject, and after long
and weary waiting has been set al liher-
". The case has st times awakened
such general interest that, now that it is
ended, some little resume OF its curious
features seems appropriate.
THE CRIME.
GA the 25ta of April. 1872. Taylor
Strauder and his wife retired, az their
home in the Second waid OF this city.
TO rest. after quarreling for some hours.
What Was the cause OF the quarrel no
one knows. Early Oh the following
morning Officer Robert Junkins. who
was then serving under City Sergeant
Conan, was inforoe'I that Taylor Strau-
der had killed his wife. Upon repairing
to the house O1icsr Junkius found Mrs.
Strauder reclining in an arm chair, dead
A fearful cash on the side OF the head
told the story of the crime. and bloody
Ratchet near 6y showed what instrument
had been used by tho murderer. Strau-
der was 70 where TO be found.
THE CAPTURE.
The murder was telegraphed over the
country and reward MAS offered for the
apprehension OF the murderer. About
four days after tie deed was committed
Officers Long & Cupples. Of Pittsburgh.
arrested Strguder while he was employ
eli in sbingling house on Saw Mill
Run, South Side, Pittsburgh. Strauder
offered no resisi snce whatever, quietly
accompanying the officers 10 the lock up.
The authorities in this city were notified
OF the capture, aud Officer Robert Jun :
kins was dispatched TO Steubenyiile TO
meet the Pitts ouggh officers auI bring
the prisoner home. Arriving in this
city lie had aprclimjnury hearing before
Squire Gillespie sad was committed To
jail without bail
TIKI TRIALS.
During the same year trial was had
aud verd ct of guilty rendered. and
sentence OF death passed The cnse vas
appealed to tho Supreme Court, tLroue h
his interchangeable attorneys, Messrs.
Davenport aadaDovener, and The iu,ly
ment of the court was the reversal OF
the verdict Of the Circuit Court on the
ground thai the Coun:Y Court was The
examining court anil should have f,s.
examined into the case. Another trial
was consequently had in the Circuit
Court in 1874, anu tie game verdict of
guilty was rendered. This judgment
was appealed to the Supreme Court of
this State on the question Of the consti-
tuiionai.ty Of the jury Law of this State,
which distinguished between colored
and white jurors. That is: colored jul
roTs we're, by law, prohibited from sit
ting on jurios. The Supreme Court OF
tiis State decided that ,he Constitution
was perfectly valid, and that. according
TO the verdict rendered in the Circuit
Court, StrauIer must hang.
SiFaader's counsel, however, thought
differently aud appealed the case to the
United States Supreme Court. This
Court decided that tie jury Law of this
State was uuconstituiiorsl and remand :
of the case back to the United States
District Court for q rehcariug. The
cana0 was argued by the prisoner S
counsel in tho District Court. and the
plep vas PIT 10 that Che grand jury that
found The Indictment vas an Illegal
bo2y. That Is: The grand jury was i'm i.
ponneled when the lag prohibiting coi-
orcd men from serving o. iuries was in
force. 49, Wheeitng S,mdag Jqa}sr.
Immediately upon his discharge from
the custody Of tno United States Court.
Strsader was arrested upon State
warrant sworn out before Justice VIII.
Caldwell, and served by Constable Her.
~ CODsn!, Of this city. The status OF
the case appears, then TO lie az follows ::
The decision Of the District Court ia.
in effect that Straudor had never been
indicted that is, never legally, and the
case COOS back 90 tue beginning and
must bs recommended.
Taylor's breath of liberty was very
brief one. lie vas i0formod before he
left the court house that he would be
again taken into custody. and it was
at tho request of Colonel White that
the warrant was not served until the
prisoner was really on West Virginia
ground. lie was taken 10 he Parkcr4.
burg Jail, and will be brought % this
city 20 day Wheeling Pegister, May2.
THE WAR IN TUNIS.