Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-05-26
A HOT MAN HUNT

Tha Pursuit OF the Murderers OF the
Meeks Family in Northern Missouri
Seven Hundred Men Join the Chase,
Assisted by Bi0odhOunds. but the Efforts
Of both Have been Bafiied by the
Mysterious Movements of the Fugitives.
LINSEUs, Mo-, May lS.-The past
seven days have been spent in a fruit
less chase of William p. and George |
Taylor, wanted for the murder of the |
Meeks family, near Browning, week |
ago last night.
Within twcnty-four hours after the
commission of the crime 200 armed
farmers were in pursuit of the fugi- |
tives, but so mysterious has been their |
movements since their first flight that
they have been enabled to battle not
only the armed posses which have been
tracking them night and day, but even
the packs of bloodhounds have failed
to lead the pursuers to their hiding
place.
They were first located on the farm
occupied by relative, but as it was in
the ,Ight, the pursuers We're afraid to
4tc npt a capture, knowing that the
very effort meant death Cor either the
hunted men or their hunters.
They were next heard from at the
farm house of their father, James Tay-
lor, three and half miles east of
Browning.
The Taylors are armed with rifles
and revolvers, and have with them,
tits reliably stated, all the way from
$50, 900 to 100000, said to have been
taken from the Browning bank, Of
which William was president, after the
murder was committed.
The country covering a circle of
seventy-fve miles has been patroled
for the past three days, the number
of armed searchers afoot and on horse
back having grown until it is esti-
mated that fully 700 men are now in
pursuit of the two brothers.
A courier brought in a report Tues
lay night that the Taylors were seen
going toward LaPlata, through the
Charlton hills. They had deserted
their horses in order to be better able
to elude their pursuers.
The rewards offered for their cap.
ture now amount to about $500.
While credible reports of the proba-
BILE whereabouts of the Tay!ors have
been received, there is a feeling among
officials in the county that false tips
have been given to the posses by the
friends of the Taylors to divert pursuit
from the right direction to enable the
fugitives to escape across the state line
into Iowa.
Whatever force there may be to this
claim, it is weakened by the report re-
ceived last night that the Taylors
were seen yesterday evening near
New Boston, eighteen miles west OF
LaPlata, and that they are now hid in
Macon county.
This morning startling rumor was
current here to the effect that the fu
gitives were willing to surrender il
they were guaranteed protection from
the fury of the outraged farmers who
have been hunting them as though
they were wild beasts.
John Taylor. brother, was here ir
consultation with E. R, Stephens, who
was attorney for the Taylors in al
their trials, and this fact is the foun
their surrender were being effected.
Sheriff Barton has returned from hi
hunt, and he said that detectives
would be employed at once, and th'
homes of all persons supposed to b
protecting the Taylors closely guarded
Yesterdays search developed the fac
! that the household goods with whic)
the Mecks family were moving hav
! been burned, it is believed, since tn,
: escape of the Taylors
Evidence of it was discovered in
thcket near the Taylor residence
Portions cf bedtick and a remnant c
: feathers were found in the ashe'
Sheriff Barton also showed this morr
, ing the head of doll and other tri;
: kets which l,e took from the embers.
e The sheriff says he cannot te
. whether the Taylors have escape
!, from Linn county, but seems to believ
they are still concealed in the dens
+ forest of northw estern Linn.
i James Taylor, father of the boys,
$ almost crazed with grief and threa
G ened to shoot any one who attempte
+ to search his house. The place ha
!, since been searched, however.
d George NJ. Leonard, a brother-in.la
t of W. ?, Taylor, and man OF unin
d peachable character, said he did n,
o doubt the guilt Of the Taylors. I
t. said he had not seen them since IL
e murder, and was totally ignorant as
o their whereabouts. He said they cam
a during his absence, to his house on Il
d aight after the murder and called II
aorses, and were refused them by Ii
ia brother
Il Mrs. W. p. Taylor was arrested ne;
d Browning Monday, as she was su
10 posed to be carrying money to her hu
ID band.
ID Ex-Marshal Cornett, of this cit
" with an army of men, is still huntir
'. the Taylors. More forces left he
,r again to-day
a The remaining friends of the Ia
4 lors are few, ard orders for the ARE
l. of persons supposed to be assistil
ia them have been issued.
In this case assistance will prove
n. dangerous business. Milan, Brownil
u and Linneus are in constant commul
"a cation and interest is undated
so Robert Gibson, whose impleme
in house William Taylor is accused
,t having burned in Browning two yea
IN ago. is here. He says the feeling
A Browning against them is growi
n. more intense as the enormity OF
crime becomes more fully realized.
an he believes that lynching is certain
case of their arrest
Charge of Attempted Bribery,
Sov ,,,.p,,c ~ Nav 10 -Choruec