The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-08-18
TAYLOR PAYS THE PENALTY.
Hanged At Newbern Yesterday
For Killing His Wife.
The Execution Passed or without =
Hitoh-His Neck Was Broken anS
Death Came PainlessIy-Reart Ceased
To Beat In Eighteen Minutes-History
OF His Crime

DUBLIN, Aug. 17.--Wm. G. Taylor was
hanged at Newborn this morning as 10
o'clock for the murder of his wife, His
neck was broken and he died without 81
struggle, his heart ceasing to beat in &
just eighteen minutes.
The execution took place within the
old Court House building, which was
burned last November, the brick walls
still standing BY closing up the doors
ana windows privacy was secured.
Taylor met his fate with Indifference
De look his position In the procession to
the gallows without emotion, ascending
the steps without assistance. In res
spouse to question he said he had
nothing to say. Having shaken hands
with the sheriff and one or two others,
tho black cap and moose were adjusted.
his arms and limbs pinioned and. AT =
given signal, the trap was sprung by
Sheriff Carper, who in the meantime had
stationed himself outside the building.
Taylor's body fell six feet, and thirty
minutes after entering the old building
his corpse was brought out in an opeS
oofiin for the crowd to view
This was the first execution In the
county for over fifty years, and great
credit is due to Sheriff Career and his
sentence Of the law was carried out
History OF the Crime.
William G. Taylor was As years OF
age and had been married about TWENTY
five years when he killed his wife.
Taylor had lived with various farmers
in the neiRhborhood and was known ast
man Of but little intelligence and of
very violent temper.
1t was also known that he and his
wife did not live happily together, there
being frequent quarrels between them.
When on The morning OF July IS, 1893,
1t was reported that Mrs. Taylor had
been killed some time in the night, sus-
picion at once attached to Taylor.
The Tsylors lived in a small house
or cabin, OF two rooms, situated about
two and halt miles east of Dublin,
and magistrate, accompanied by
other officers and a coroner's iury,
went at once to make the necessary
investigation 6
They found the woman's body lying
on her bed with the skull crushed in
and blood ahd brains scattered about
the bedding and the walls Ciroum-
stances pointed strongly to Taylor rs
the guilty party, and his statement to
the jury had no effect on them He
claimed that in the night some one had
run into the house, struck his wife on
the head with an axe and then run out,
| taking the axe with him; that his
children had been awakened AID he
sent them for help, and before their re-
turn with neighbors his wife had died. Y
The verdict of the jury being against
him he was placed in jail the same after
noon, whore has been ever since.
A few days afterward he made full
and free confession. His stasement wag
to tho effect that no had thought OF
killing his wife for long time, but had
not been able to nerve himself up to
the point OF doing it. On the evening
before they had had violent Quarrel
and no determined to kill her that
night.
He waited until after midnight and all.
were asleep except himself, his wife
The other two boy and girl, were in
bed upstairs. He got the axe and struck
his sleeping wife on the head, but in his
excitement he only stunned her. The:
blow aroused the child and her crying
awoke the others, who came down
stairs. s
Taylor told them that some one had
come in and struck their mother and
then ran out, and sent them in different
directions for help, the older girl taking
the little ono with her. AS soon as they
had gone he took his wife, who hxd
raised herself to sitting posture. laid
her back on the bed and struck her two
moro blows with tae axe, crushing in
her skull. N9
This confession was admitted as eyi-S
dence against him in the trial. Hiss
counsel tried to show that his mental
condition was such as to prevent him
from pretending the enormity of
the act, and that he was, consa-
quen:]Y, guilty OF murder in the second
degree, but they failed. Appeal was
taken, but the Judgment OF the lower
court was affirmed.
Cholera In London. E
LONDON, Aug. ia death from ohnl-