The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-12
TAILOR READ THE BIBLE.
Tho Condemned Murderer did not Want
to DO Hanged Twice.

BIG STONE GAP, VA. Sept. 11-spe-
| cial-Dr. Taylor reached Gladeville Fri
day night from Lynchburg, where he
has been confined, and was on Saturday
brought into court 30 receive sentence
of death from II. S. X. Morrison, Judge
Of the Circuit Court. He looked thin and
pale, but seemed perfectly calm ana col
| lected. He was told TO stand mp by the
clerk, and the latter proceeded 70 read
to him the customary form. ending with
the question II he had anything to say
why sentence shon1d not be passed upon
him. He said II have this 10 say. There
Is a friend here also who will speak for
me; the friend is our Lord Jesus Christ
/ suppose you are willing 10 near
what ne has 70 say. Are you willing 10
hear him?"
The Court replied he was willing TO
hear anything he had to say. The pri-
soner then opened his Bible and read
without a quWer OF voice or muscle
from the 9th Psalm as follows.
Fret not thyself because Of evil-doers,
neither be thou envlous against the wor-
kers Of iniquity for they shall soon be
cut down like the grass and wither as
the green earth, etc" He read the whole
OF this Psalm, and dwelt with emphasis
upon the words "evil-doers" and "ene-
mics" wherever they occurred. He also
read many other passages from the
Bible, and at one time paused and said:
Il want you all 10 pay particular at
tention 20 this verse ! expect to rise from
the dead. / do not want you TO hang me
again after / come back TO the world,
and he then proceeded Now a word or
two of my own with you. You look upon
me as a low, vile being, but 1 would not
e,ft+ rlo ko If
in this house II bad my life to live over
! would give more attention to this friend
OF mine. Jesus Christ. You have known
me all your lives. I have in my posses
sion the pearl Of Christ. and / ask not
Of the world any odds. / am not afraid
OF death. God has something to do in
this and you will all be astonished be-
fore IL is done with. / belong TO Christ
and he TO me- and whatsoever contends
with me will have him to contend with.
now, Judge, you may say what you have
10 say"
The judge was about to speak. when
w. II. Miller. one of the counsel for the
prisoner, said that they desired to inter
pose a plea against the sentence; that
they believed the prisoner was insane.
and hoped that the court would impanel
jury to inquire into that fact; that il
would be inhuman 10 sentence and hang
q crazy man. Counsel for the Common
wealth objected, saying that the time
for such a plea had passed, and as the
prisoner had been once sentenced the law
did not authorize such an inquiry.
Without deciding this question the
judge determined that he would hear pre-
liminary proof for the purpose If there
was any reason whatever for such a mo-
ton. The prisoner then introduced a
number of witnesses. several of whom
testified as TO pecuiarities Of Taylor. such
as that he in travelling about would al
ways go a compass course through the
woods instead of following the roads and
paths: that he would go about heavily
armed as if he feared some unseen dam
ger; that he believed in the communion
Of the prophet spirits, and believed that
they appeared in person to him and held
intercourse with him etc.
At the conclusion OF this testimony the
judge said in substance, that what the
witnesses had testified TO showing peculi-
arlties and eccentricities. but not what the
law deemed insanity. Referring to what
the witnesses said about Taylor's belief
In spiritualism the judge said: "If this
is insanity then according to spiritualis-
tic papers there are eleven million insane
people in rhese United States. Insanity
is a delusion as TO facts. not opinions.
Who is to say that DR.. Taylor Is wrong
as TO his opinions and beliefs. We may
have our opinion concerning this matter,
but who is right and who is wrong is
incapable Of proof His course, here i'm
court is novel and peculiar, but | OBJ
serve that he takes a keen interest I'm all
that passes and takes in all that is said
and done. and / do not think that there
is any evidence that he is insane. My
dutv &c IN enforce the law and annoint
a day for his execution If he be insane
that question can be hereafter tried. bat
my advice 10 him is not TO indulge the
ignuus fatuus OF such hope"
lie concluded by fixing the 9th day of
October next. between the hou ) Of a.
m. and p. m, as the date for his exc
cution.