Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-19
Arguments Today in the Taylor
Murder Trial.
Two THEORIES OF DEFENSE
Case Will Probably Reach Jury
Before Night.
OSING ARGU MENT IS

Seated beside his sister and aunt in the
presence of a crowded court room, in which
several women appeared, Thomas J. Tay
lor, the alleged murderer of his wife, Nan
NEW. on the 14th of last September. to-
day listened to the arguments of counsel
for the government for conviction and of
his own fer verdict of not guilty. Just
outside the court room, across the corridor,
the three-year-old daughter of Taylor play
ed in all innocence, happily ignorant of the
ordeal through which her wretched father
was passing. Taylor appeared today to be
unusually nervous, and his tightly clasped
hands shook as he listened 70 his terrible
arraignment by the counsel for the gov
eminent.
The court met at $50 this morning. The
instructions to the jury asked by Messrs.
o. d. Barrett and f. G. Miles, counsel for
Taylor. were. in effect that If the jury be-
le\ ed the defendant was at the time of the
shooting incapable of distinguishing right
from wrong, or that he accidentally shot
his wife while endeavoring to kill himself.
verdict of not guilty should be returned.
MIR. JeGOrils' Address.
The instructions disposed of. Assistant
District Attorney Tracey L. Jeffords ad-
dressed the jury on behalf of the govern
ment. the understanding being that each
Either defense of accident or insanity.
said Mr. Jeffords, lame as it was
inconsistent with the facts in the case as
brought out by the evidence. That Taylor
deliberately, knowingly murdered his wife.
argued Mr.. Jeffords, apparent, so
clear, that it was hardly necessary to
que the matter. In the first place. said Mr..
Jeffords. there was motive for the crime,
Taylor being wrongly suspicious OF his
wife. He had often before treated the
poor woman cruelty, and although the wife
had a moment before she was shot called
upon heaven to witness her innocence Tay-
lor shot her down deliberately and in cold
blood.
That he was capable at the time of
knowing that he had done wrong said Mr..
Jeffords. was proven by the fact that the
and begged her forgiveness There could
be, said Mr.. Jeffords, in conclusion. but one
verdict-that of guilty indicted-and in
returning such verdict he called upon the
wife: Before God in heaven, 1 am inno-
cent"
For the Defense.
Mr.. Jeffords was followed by Mr.. e. G.
Niles on behalf of the defendant. The gov
eminent, he said, claimed that the pistol
of the defendant was. at the time of the
shooting. and is now, in perfect order.
Taking his watch out and handing the
pistol to a juryman, Mr.. Niles requested
the hammer fell, but the juryman had con-
siderable difficulty in firing the second
time. That, said Mr.. Niles. showed that
but one shot was fired by Taylor. and that
the ball which wounded the defendant
glanced from his body into that of the
wife. Murder. exclaimed M. Niles. was
killing with malice, but was there. he
asked, any malice in the defendants heart
prayed God to forgive her? Certainly not,
said Mr. Niles. and he was assured that
the jury would SO agree with him. &c..
Mr.. Niles described the condition of Tay-
lor's mind as he came home on the morning
Of the shooting, and discovered as he be-
lieved, evidences of his wife's infidelity.
MIR. Niles spoke for about an hour, and
he was followed at II 3D. by Mr.. Q. D. Bar
rett. also on behalf Of the prisoner.
The Sanity Question.
Mr.. Barrett dwelt at great length upon
what he claimed was at least a grave doubt
as to the sanity of Taylor.
Taylor was entitled to such doubt, and
ii it existed he should be acquitted. declar-
Ell Mr.. Barrett. And If, said Mr.. Barrett,
the jury believed that Taylor shot his wife
while endeavoring to kill himself he could
oily be convicted of manslaughter. al
though suicide is not a crime in the Dis
trlct.
MIR. Birney's Argument.
Mr. Barrett closed at 2:15, when District
Attorney Birney began the closing argu-
ment in the case He commenced by ex-
planning to the jury that the question for
them to decide was whether wife could
be slaughtered in cold blood by a cruel
husband. and then the murderer go
punished simply on his own say-so, when
the dead woman'S mouth is closed forever
against him. The question was. can wife
slayers go UNPUBLISHED here on the slim, alb
surd preteXt of momentary or emotional
insanity? There is no such a thing in 1nedi-
cal or other law, declared Mr.. Birney, as
emotional or momentary insanity, and he
urged the jury to so declare by a prompt
verdict of guilty of murder.
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