The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1895-08-02
BILL TAYLOR'S TRIAL.
JURY CHOSEN AND WIT
NESSES CALLED.

Ten Farmers and Two Citizens to Decide
the Case Colonel Hafe Makes Bill Weep
FIRST Story Told by Witnesses ono
Witness Excluded. 1s 3
CARRoLLToN, Mo-, July 25.-At g
o'clock this morning the court opened
and the Taylor jury was announced as
follows: E. j. Galloway, f. D. Caesar,
I. M. Hageton, John Medge, G. w.
Shank, G. I. Morris, w. H Vaughn,
George w. Freeman, B. G. Dulaney,
G. w. Craig, 10 Shelby Helm and e.
G. Evans. They are all farmers with
the exception Of w. II. Vaughn, who
is a bank clerk and the youngest man
on the jury, and B. G.. Dulaney, who is
q lumber dealer from Hale. They
were put in charge OF deputy sheriffs.
James f. Graham and Colonel A. w.
Myers, counsel for the defense, are
both sick at their homes and are not
in attendance. EE
Attorney Conkling of the defense
said that he had issued s.. .5poena for.
the pistol of Gus Meeks and it was an
nounced that the pistol had been pro-
duced
The rule OF the court at the previous
trial was that witnesses be excluded
from the court. Mac Wilson for the
defense asked that the rule prevail at
this trial.
The court asked every witness in the
room to arise. Nearly every man and
woman present did so. Over $50 men
and women left the room and their
places were promptly filed by the
crowd outside who had been unable to
get in. w
There are several new lawyers i'm
the case for this trial. The defense
have r. +. Lozier, J. F. Graham, y. Il.
Joyce and Z. M. Brinlxley, and the
state j. L. Minnis, state representative
of Carroll county in the last legisla-
ture and very bright young man.
OPENING STATEMENTS.
Prosecuting Attorney Bresnehen
made the first statement in the case.
He detailed in a graphic manner the
story Of the murder of the Meeks fam
lily. AS he talked the Taylor boys
watched the jury closely. Bilps eyes
were cold and steady; Georges not SO
steady. AS the recount progressed in
all its details, members of the jury
looked frequently at Bill Taylor. The
only time he showed any emotion was
when his threats to get rid Of Gus
Meeks were told. George seemed in
different, as though he was tired of the
whole thing.
Colonel John 3. Hale made the state
ment for the defense, though at
the last trial the defense made
no opening statement. For twenty
minutes he accused the news-
papers OF the country of trying all
criminal cases. He was called down
rather sharply and told to keep
within the law. He then changed to
statement Of the merciless and un-
scrupulousness of the state in it's
endeavor to crush the Taylors. He
said that there had been an attempt
to intimidate the witnesses for the de-
Tense. He scored Jerry South as a bad
combination of politician, deceiver and
lawyer. He indicated as line for the
defense the fight of the Taylor boys
as necessary to avoid death at the
hanas of the mob and not as an evil
dence of guilt. He adroitly took up
each point in the evidence given at the
last trial and showed by it natural
act on the part of one or the other Of
the Taylors and not tending to show
8 UAAO. 1ao AC JdlhCu ~ Dill 81 EldylOE
Strengthened up and looked interested.
He called attention to the confession
Of the lunatic in the Durrant case and
declared that it showed the worthless
ness of circumstantial evidence and
proceeded to argue the present case ON
that basis. He was promptly told tn
proceed to make his opening state
ment and leave argument to the
proper time.
BILL TAYLOR MUCH AFFECTED.
Colonel Hale then proceeded to tell
of Bill Taylor's good education, good
breeding, good surroundings and gem
eral good qualities. AS his compli-
mentary remarks proceeded Bills pale
face flushed and his eyes fell. Then
he spoke Of Bills good record in the
legislature. Several members of the
Thirty-6fth general assembly have
been subpoenaed to attest to his
standing in that body.
Colonel Hale indicated that one Of
the leading theories of the defense
would be that Meeks was murdered, ,by
some one, not in any way connected
with the Taylors, to secure S1OO which
Meeks was to have received from tho
Taylors for leaving the country. In
closing his statement to the Jury he
made an eloquent peroration on the
horror and gloom Of death and espec-
tally the end of man sent to his death
IN expiatiOn Of crime During this
tears filled the eyes Of Bill Taylor and
rO1lnd AnrUyes his ~. ua It'll