Evening star., 1895-06-19
Three Murderers Who Will Be Hung
in July.
TAYLOR, FRAVERS AND BEAM
Review Of Their Desperate and De.
iberate Crimes.
B E A MS W L D T A L K

is TO die on Friday the 18th of next month,
and Joseph A. Beam and Thomas ]. Tay-
lor are to die a week later. The victim of
each man was a woman, Taylor's being
the wife he had sworn al the altar to love,
horror and protect. In the case Of Beam
and Travers, the Court of Appeals having
held their trial and conviction proper and
without error, application to the Presi-
dent for commutation of the death sem
tepce has been made and refused. Taylor's
case is expected to be disposed of by the
Court of Appeals this week. and in antici-
patton of an adverse decision petitions
asking for conmutation of the sentence
to death are being circulated.
In September last Taylor shot his wife,
almost instantly killing her, at their home,
on 11th street southeast At his trial 1t
was contended that the mans mind, pre-
viously weakened by epilepsy, was shat
tered in the early morning Of the day of
the killing by stories reaching him of his
wife's unfaithfulness. 1t was contended,
too. that Taylor fired at himself and that
the ball, glancing from his body, entered
his wife's, but the jury concluded thats
" hile the man may have been of unSourd
mind he kiew right from wrong, and they
evidently took no stock in the prisoners
statement that the shooting of his wife
was accident.
In November Travers cut the throat of
Lena Gross, a young colored woman with
whom he had been living near Brightwood.
Travers confessed the crime, stating that
he knocked the woman down to prevent her
fro m cutting him with razor. He sup
posed that he had killed her. and after
covering her body with brush and leaves
he moved off through the woods. He had
gore but a few steps when he heard the
woman grosn. Going back to her he dis
covered that she still lived. 1t was then,
as he explained. that, not wishing to see
the woman suffer, he picked up the razor
which had fallen near her ard cut her
| throat. In his defense it claimed that
the man had acted in self-oefense and also
I that he was of unsound mind.
Beam's Horrible Deed.
Beams offense consisted of the shooting
of his stepdaughter, Mrs. Annie L. Leahy,
on the 22d of last December. The woman
lived with her mother and sister on Mary
lard avenue northeast. Beam had been de-
MED admission to the house, and about
o'clock in the afternoon of the day in ques-
ton he went to the house, armed with two
revolvers. He was met at the door by Mrs.
Leahy, and il is believed, although there
were no eye-witnesses OF the meeting, that
the woman denied him admission. He then
began firing at her, and the woman ran out
into the yard, having been shot three times.
After she had fallen Beam stamped upon
her in his rage, and TO the first person who
came upon the scene he declared that he
had rid the world of a monster, and that
his killing of the woman was justifable.
| With revolver in each hand he for
time defied the crowd which had gather ID.
threatening to shoot the first one who at
| tempted to arrest him. At his trial insan-
| ity was urged as a defense. and. while it
| was shown that he was a man of extrava-
CANT ideas and talk, the jury concluded
that he knew right from wrong. and
promptly convicted him.
/ Star reporter Sunday saw the three
condemned men. Taylor and Travers We're
q tend in lFcrfA fA.rc
double cell on the second tier of the south
ern wing of the prison, conducted by mem
bers of the Catholic Society. They seemed
to be deeply impressed, and appeared as
men who realize to the fullest extent their
unfortunate position. Beyond the state
| ment that they felt well and were hopeful,
they had nothing to say. With Beam, how
ever, the reporter, in company with the
condemned mans counsel, had quite an eX-
tended interview. Warden Leonard allowed
the man to be brought out in the rotunda
Of the prison, and there. seated beside his
visitors, the murderer, between ppffs of a
cigar, told, in language full of profanity,
of his life and crime. Beam is tall, un-.
calmly appearing man, with bright red hair
and beard. He has evidently read a great
deal and is man of no mean intelligence
Does Not Fear Death.
In the first place, he wished it distinctly
understood that he did not fear DEATH and
neither did he fear the horror of his pro-
Il have been hung twice, and I don't fear
it third time"
What was the sensa tion?" inquired the
reporter
why, pleasant" replied Beam. id
pleasant" and then Beam went on to ex-
plain that he had never been hung by a
rope but while boy had twice been sus-
pended by being caught, once on a fence
and the other time between joists. The
man claimed that his unfortunate position
was due alone to conspiracy on the part
of his relatives and the police of the ninth
precinct, in which he had lived. The wo-
man he killed Beam spoke of in the most
profane and indecent manner, and claimed
that III killing her he had removed human
monster: Just what occurred at the house
at the time of the killing he declared was
all a blank to him, although he did not
deny having killed the woman. He insisted,
however, that he had no intention of harm
ing the woman when he went to the house,
but felt no regret in having killed her.
He Indulges in Vngaries.
Beam is a stairbuilder by trade, and has
a reputation of being an excellent work
man. He believes that there never was a
mere accomplished workman than he is;
ard, among other things, in speaking of his
accomplishments, he exclaimed: "Why, 1
know the secret of building steps from the
moon to the earth. Not steps from the
earth to the moon. But 1 mean beginning
at the moon and building them right down
to the earth. OF course to do it requires
ccr siderable knowledge of science and
other things, but can do it,
But how would you do it?" inquired The
Star man. How would you get to the
moon, in order to begin operations?"
THAT" replied Beam 'is my own busi-
hess, and don't propose to give it away"
Just then one of the members of the
visiting religious workers stepped up and
spoke a few words of hope and consolation
to Beam. Beam replied: I'm all right. If
it is the will of God, provided there is a
God, to have me go next month, it's all
right, and I'm not going to complain. I'm
rot afraid of death, and there is only one
thing, the love for my wife. which binds
me to this world. But 1 am not gone yet,
and remember five years ago when had
a lump in my throat as big my fist and
couldn't breathe for five days, two hours
and half, big black ship sailed into the
rcom where was lying. 1 knew what that
meant. 1t was the ship coming to take me
away to that undiscovered country from
which no traveller ever returns. But
wasn't afraid, and prayed to God then to
let me live and the ship sailed away with
out me-"
do you see that ship now?" the mur-
derer was asked.
ssyes' he renlied ssSha has sailod IN