Hutchinson gazette., 1896-05-07
BILLTAYLOR HAI,GED.
DROPS NINE FEET TO IN
SLANT DEATH.
Walked Firmly to the GallOws, Where
He Was Attended by Father Kennedy
Left a Statement to the Public, but
Made no Confession

CEAAAANOhbAC~'i AhO' AAeAy DAAA 10y
lol was hanged here yesterday morn
ing at 1887. The execution passed off
without incident, and Taylor was pro-
nounced dead at ILLS by coroner's
jury. The drop was feet, and the
doomed mans neck was broken by
the fall. The body was cut down and
placed In charge of W. G. Beckett, of
Purdin, Mo-, as per Taylor's last wish,
and buried in the Catholic cemetery in
this city according to the rites of that
church.
Taylor exhibited a remarkable
nerve and presence of mind during the
trying ordeal and never once faltered.
He marched from the jail to the scat
fold through the crowd of 500 people
without so much as tremor and de-
scended the scaffold steps with firm,
steady step. He carried tiny cruci-
fix in his pinioned arms as he went to
his death and kissed it when it was
offered him by Father Kennedy.
The fall of nine feet broke Taylor's
neck and killed him instantly. There
was not the quiver of muscle nor
the tremor of a limb after the body
settled from the first rebound. The
execution was a very successful one
in every respect Sheriff Stanley of
Carroll county, Sheriff Allen of Linn
county, Deputies Lon Shelton and
George Cummings of Carrollton, Dep
uty County Marshal j. B. Ross of In
dependence and Sheriff Apdriano of
St Joseph were on the scaffold in an
official capacity.
Tho Death Warrant Read
At 1O:45 Sheriff Stanley went inside
the Jail with his assistants and read
the death warrant to Taylor, Father
Kennedy praying and pleading all the
time. The prisoners hands were then
pinioned tight against his stomach
and he was led out. Deputies Shelton
and Cummings preceded Sheriffs Allen
and Stanley, between whom the con-
demned man walked, his hat upon his
head and his eyes red and swollen
with weeping. Next followed Sheriff
Andriano and Deputy Marshal Ross
of Jackson county. Father Kennedy
and Dr. Tull followed close upon the
officials and were followed in turn by
the twelve women and several young
men who were praying aloud until
the jolt of the dropping body as it
Strengthened out the rope told them
all was over. Mrs. Martha Meeks,
whose son Bill Taylor killed, and
some women of Sheriff Stanley's
family, also saw the execution.
Taylor's Statement to- the Public,
He left the following statement to
the public:
II have only this state ment to make.
1 ought not to suffer as l am COM
PEELED to do. Prejudice and perjury
convicted me.
'By this conviction my lonely wife
is to be left a widow, my babies are
made orphans in a cold world, my
brothers to mourn and friends to
weep. You hasten my gray haired
father and mother to their graves.
"The mobs and that element have
bounded me to the grave. l had at
least hoped to live till the good peo-
pie realized the injustice done me, but
1 am prepared to meet my God, and 1
now wing my way to. the great un-
known. There believe every one is
properly judged.
81 hope my friends will all meet me
in heaven. believe l am going
there.
"Good bye all.-W. ?. Taylor"
After the final scene was enacted,
many who expressed regret at
Georges escape said they were glad
he succeeded in getting away, and
that they did not want to see another
execution in this city.