Evening star., 1895-04-27
SENTENCED TO DEATH
Thomas Taylor to Be Hanged on Friday,
July 26.
The Prisoner Charges Unfnirness In
His Trial - An Appeal to BE
Taken-COunsel Argue.

'T am sorry you feel that you did rot
have fair trial." remarked Judge Cole to
Thomas ]. Taylor. the convicted wife MUIR
derer. this afternoon. ''The court, however,
believes that you were convicted after a
very fair trial had been enjoyed by you,
and 1t Is now my painful duty to impose
that sentence which the law directs, which
Is that you be taken hence to the District
jail. and there be closely confined until
Friday, the 26th day of July. 1895, when
you shall be taken to the place prepared for
your execution. within the walls of said
Jail, and there, between the hours of 10
am and l pm, you shall be hanged by
the neck until you be dead. And may God
have mercy upon your SOUL"
Lawyers Argue.
Judge Cole did not impose the sentence
of death until after Taylors counsel,
Messrs. o. d. Barrett and E. G. Niles, had
unsuccessfully endeavored to convince him
that the convicted man was entitled to a
new trial. Taylor's counsel earnestly ar
gued that the court had erred, both in ad-
mittinG and excluding certain testimony of
the government and of the defense. re-
spectively, and also in certain instructions
to the jury. They also moved a new trial
on the ground that newly discovered evi,
derce showed that great provocation had
rendered Taylor of unsound mind.
District Attorney Birney, however, in
sisted that Taylor had enjoyed the fairest
of trials. and claimed that nothing fur
ther could be shown to warrant the setting
aside of the verdict.
Motion Overruled.
Judge Cole briefly disposed of the matter
when the arguments had been concluded
by stating that in his opinion Taylor had
been granted an unusually fair trial He
had not, 50 far as the court could see. been
harmed in any manner by the courts rul-
ings, and there was. therefore, no ground
for setting aside the verdict and granting
a new trial. If" said Judge Cole, Il en-
tertained the slightest doubt of that. 1
would instantly grant the defendant Il new
trial If I have committed any error, you
have your redress in the Court Of Appeals.
In imposing sentence ! will set the date tf
the execution at such day as will allow
that court time in which to consider and
pass upon the case.
Judge Cole then formally overruled the
motion for a new trial, and asked Taylor II
he had anything to say why sentence
should not be pronounced upon him. Il
have word or two to say replied Taylor,
as he arose and faced the court, "and that
is, your honor, that I'm as innocent of in
tending to harm my wife as you. l feel
that 1 have not had an impartial trial by
the court and by the district attorney"
AS he said this Taylor glanced angrily at
Mr. Birney. and then he said: II feel that
evidence in my favor was excluded. and
that l was unjustly tried. That is all l
have to say"
Sentence Pronounced.
Then Taylor assumed a very erect posi-
tion. and as the judge pronounced the
dr cad sentence of death, listened with
seeming Indifference. His counsel at once
gave notice of an appeal to the Court of
Appeals, after which the condemned man
was hurried off to jail. Taylor makes the
third murderer now in Jail here awaiting
execution. All of them are sentenced to die
in July. James l.. Travers. the coiored
man who cut the throat of Lena Gross,
also colored, near Br.ghtwood, last No
vember. is to be hanged on the 10Th of
July. and Joseph A. Beam. who shot his
stepdaughter, Annie L. Leahy, on the 22d
of last December. is to die on the same
day and between the same hours as Taylor.