The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-10

akin 10 horror al the prospect of harging
Thomas j. Taylor for tie killing of lbs
wife. Citizens are asking what can be
done TO prevent The peIpetEation OF so
great groHg Punishment they think,
is due. but not death.
Here is man, they say, who was driven
to desperation by his wife's misconduct
She was u very beautiful woman, features
clear cut and perfect as a Greek model.
Inxuriant dark hair, a SOFT cheek, perfect
in coloring. a laughing eye, and teeth
that CLEANED bewi1chingly between cherry
lips when she smiled were added TO q
faultless form.
Brought up in the humber walks of
life, she thought it 10 harm to flirt, and
this folly led TO acts that gave ample foun-
dation to itcr husbands suSpicions. Fren-
zied with jealousy. ile testified, he asked
her ii she meant to be faithful TO him.
She replied with shocking coarseness, she
did not, aod be could make the most of it.
He seized his pistol and shot her and
himself. With the knowledge Of his mad
oening experience before them. his neigh
bors cry ouU with one voice that his life
is Tot Justly forfeit. And it is not one
man. nor dozen, but scores; not men
OF inexPerience. easily carried away by
their sympaihles, but mature and Thought
fIa men OF standing snch as Messrs. j. w.
Babson, OF the Patent Office, Col. IL. c.
Bel. Deputy Commissioner OF Pensions,
and b. E-GIaham, master Of the Eastern
market.
TAYLOR WAS IRRESPONSIBLE.
The announcement last Thursday night
at the East Washington Citizeas' Asso-
claiion that the influence OF that organiZa-
ton would be asked and probably given
10 secure 4 miicer sentence was followed
Eriday by an argument before the Court
OF Appeals on a writ of error. These things
brought out the sentiment, which has been
growing for three months. that Ia ylor's
sentence, upoI the worst construction that
can be put upon the facts, is much too
severe.
Many th is,gs that could not be placed be
fore the jury at tie tr.al have gradually
gone about III Eeighborhood talk till they
have come 10 be common knowledge. These
30 far to support the theory of the defense
that Taylor was irresponsible; and II II
be held that he was responsible they fur
n sh a motive for his crime toward which
men everywhere have shown much for
bearance. There seems 10 be good reason
TO believe that Mrs. Taylor was lbe victim
OF mental disease which made her the
men.
Aars. Mary DAVIS, of No. 10 Maryland
avenue northeast, Taylor's cousin, with
whom he Lived for eighteen months after
his marriage. aid yesterday that she found
soon after they came to 1--we with her that
Mrs Taylor was foolish woman She
indulged in limitations on the street and
was always talking of her ''mashes-
There came 10 her evidence OF Mrs. Taylor s
,nfidelity that sefned uncoubled, but MIS-.
DAVIS did not feel warranted to interfere.
MRS. .TAYLoR'S SMISBEHAYIOR.
Then one night Taylor was away from
home aud his wife had a driver of a
bakers wagon come and keep her COM
paay. Mrs Davis talked with her hus-
bar nd uf the wrong, and said they must tell
Taylor, bat Mr. Davis said they would
better attead IA tIieiT own business and
let Tom find il ont for himself. When he
did come 10 suspect her she Used 10 tan
talize him with his fears and suspicious
aud ask ham suppose IL was so, what was
he guiGg 10 do about it,
she used Ia tea me- said Mrs Davis,
when I would iak with her aud try 10
keep her from doing wrong, that she didn't
care: She W2s going TO have good time
She was mot going 10 stick down at work
an the time She said she didn't care
what people said about her, but If I'd give
her their udineS c.le q IitH
Mr. T. Y Rogers, OF No. $50 Eleventh
street southeast, next door to Taylor's
home was tie first witness for the govern
ment at TaylOr'slTial He WAS notallowed
to tell the jarg what he knew OF the provo
cation which led 10 the killing. To Times
reporter ne said last night:
TAYLOR moved out OF this house into
next door a year ago last February and
| ] moved in Twas at work 10 the government
ut aie-h1 ri Of a
and / had a chance TO zee what went on
| 1 have seen Mr. .Peake, VINO rented the houses
10 US and whom Taylor accused, go into
the house and stay there with Mrs Ia aylor
two or three hours at Time. She would
come and fasten the front door after he
went in and lower the blinds. When he
went out he frequently left by the back way.
PEAKE STAID ALL MORNING.
about September L last. when Taylor
was going into the country for a time, Mr..
Peake drove along Eleventh street in
front of the house on the morning when
Taylor was To start and looked up at the
house inquiringly. A few moments later
1 had to go down to the drug store and as
1 came up to the avenue where Peake had
stopped with his buggy he said TO me. is
\ Taylor gomez ] answered / thought he
had. 'Ohi' he said, I'm sorry; had some
| important business with him this morning
| went on 10 the drug store and whenI came
back / noticed Peake's buggy standing in
front of Taylor's door. Peake staid there
| all the morning.
Then Mrs. Taylor's sisters testified that
be treated her badly. We never saw any
thug of the kind here. When he was at
work he cooked his own meals and was
always very good about the house. IalwayS
understood that he brought all his money
home to her and he seemed TO be very much
in love with her. Ineyer knew her to make
any complaint OF his treating her badly"
Another neighbor said: Il had not been
\ living here long when I came home to
lunch one day and saw buggy standing
| in front OF Taylor's house. | went over
and sat down in front OF Mr.. BARRIERS
store after my lunch. 1t was in July. We
sat there chatting, and ! asked him If that
wasn't RothweIl's buggy. and he said
/ it was and those were Roth wells houses.
I asked If Mr.. RothweIl was there to
collect the rent, and he said it was the
young man.
SENT THE CHILD AWAY.
''I remarked that it took him long time
to get the money. We continued talking
for some time, and finally Taylor's little
girl came over to the store and said she
wanted some candy and cakes. She had 15
cents or SO in her hand and somebody asked
/ her where she got it. She said Mr.. Peake
gave it to her"
A lady in the neighborhood said when
the killing occurreda a great Gro wd gathered,
\ and as they went away colored and white
alike had a smile, and many said: -'This
is just what l expected" Everybody
seemed to know what had been going on.
Mr.. William Rothwell, of Ninth and B
northeast, who was Mr. Peake's father-in-
law, said last night that Mr. Peake had
gone to Kansas City several months ago.
He rather thought the Taylor tragedy had
| something 10 do with his going He