Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-06-26

rect, So lllaI Ine prisoner 5 neau was
about one foot below the platform
and his feet about two feet above the
bottom of the hole. The gallows
was neatly white-washed and taken
altogethcrit was faultlessly construct
ed and arranged for the purpose for
which it was intended.
The rope was of the best hemp and
was purchased new, especially for
the execution of Taylor. 1t costs
about 500 and was q of an inch in
diameter.
The black cap was simply black
bag about 10 inches deep, with
shoe-string to tie it around the neck.
1t was the same used on VIM.
Morrow, at Clarksville, last Friday,
having been borrowed from the
Sheriff of Montgomery county, Tenn.
1t looked like an old one and had
probably been used before Morrow
wore it.
TAYLOR's LAST CONFESSION,
A representative of the South
KENTUcKIAN took down the follow
ing confession from Jordan Taylor,
on the day before his execution, in
the Jail, in the presence of his spirit
ual advisers, Revs. Jas. Allensworth
and Cain Carrot. His language is
corrected, but the substance of his
statement was as given. The confess
sion was supplemental TO his last
sworn statement, which appears on
another page:
"When | started from Mrs. Bro
naugh's that night, | sat on the yard
fence till Sally Saunders came out to
20 home. She had come over there
TO work just to aggravatc me and get
my money from me. We left together
and went down the path towards
Casky. | had no intention of killing
her when | started, but picked up
the axe at the gate intending to give
her beating with the handle Of il
when we got down in the field. We
walked together until we got nearly
TO the Railroad at Casky, when we
sat down and talked for about half
an hour. We talked about threats
she had made to have me shot. |
told her was done with her aud she
couldn' tenjOy any more Ofmy money.
| was expecting to meet another wo-
man down in the field and left Sally
at the gap to go back, but she followed
me. | told her to go home and let
me alone but she kept following. l
went to the willows where the body
was found and sat down and she fol-
lowed down there and kept worrying
me about money to 90 TO Louisville
the next Friday. About that time it
began TO rain a little and | got up
and started towards the barn. She
followed me and when she got to
where | killed her | told her again
to go on home as it was raining. She
said she was neither sugarnor salt.
Then the devil got into me. She was
breaking me up in my calculations
and aggravating me to death. The
devil and the lick came together. She
was walking alongside of me but not
in reach of the axe. made a jump
at her and hit her on the head
with the back of the axe. She fell
without word. l looked at her and
was sorry had done it, / would
have helped her up but saw she was
hurt too bad to get well. l then hit
her two or three more ticks with the
back of the axe, but did not touch
her with the blade. (Teylor reiterated
this statement, although his attention
was called to the fact that the wo-
mans head was split OPEN. 1 took
her by the feet and dragged her to
the willows and then went home. /
didn't look for the other woman. 1t
was then about 8 or 10 o'clock. fl
had planned to kill her | would have
done it differently. had no intention
to do her harm and if she had gone
on about her business both of us
might have had life and liberty to-
day. This is about all there is TO tell
concerning the killing"
Taylor then referred to the statement
that he had robbed hen-roosts and
emphatically denied it. Said he 81
never stole chicken in my life. l
stole some gear once when | was
wagoning, because mine was stolen
and | didn't want to take my team
home naked. l used to take water
melons. | used to tell folks when they
planted their patches TO plant some
for me. The conjure bag l had was
not gotten from Lee. l had it myself
and kept it just to lie about never
believed in Lees "conjure" business
but kept the "Jack" just to have fun
overit.
This is all have to say. / hope
you will sympathize with me and
not "burlesque" me in your paper"
TAYLOR BAPTIZED YESTERDAY.
The condemned man was taken
from the Jail yesterday afternoon at
3 o'clock and immersed in Little
River, about one hundred yards
from the jail and within ten steps of
the gallows. An effort was made to
keep the matter quiet but in spite of
all precautions fully 500 people got