The Coconino weekly sun., 1896-05-07
PAID THE PENALTY.
Bill Taylor Hanged for the Meeks
 Family Murders.
q Protest of Innocence In . Letter to the Pubiic-Walked to the ScxfYoid Un.
 falteringly-Women Of. fer Prayers.

CARnoLLToN, Mo-, May 1.-Bill Fay. Tor, the murderer, was hanged here yesterday morning at 10:57. The exe- cution passed off without incident, and Taylor was pronounced dead at ll:l5 by coroner's jury. The drop was nine feet and the doomed mans neck was broken by the fall. The body was cut down and placed in charge of w. c. Beckett, of Purdin, Mo, as per Tay- lor's last wish, and will be buried to- day at Yount cemetery, near Laclede, Mo.
 Taylor exhibited remarkable nerve and presence of mind during the try. ing ordeal aEd never once faltered. He marched from the jail to the scaf. fold through the crowd of 800 people without so much as tremor and as. cended the scaffold steps with firm, steady step. He carried tiny crucifix in his pinioned arms as he went to his death and kissed it when it was offered him by Father Kennedy. He scanned the faces of the people who were inside the stockade, while the straps were placed about his knees, ,and turned and looked Sheriff Allen, of Linn county, full in the face when he tight ened the moose about his neck. He was not permitted to talk nor did he make any request to be allowed to make statement. He raised his chin as the black cap was adjusted. Deputy Cummings dropped handkerchief; there was slight creak when Sheriff Stanley threw the lever and the body of Bill Taylor, clothed entirely in black, shot into space, and the murder of the Meeks family was partially avenged.
 Father Kennedy, through whose efforts Bill Taylor was baptized and admitted into the Catholic church, and Dr. H. w. Full, of Carrollton, stood beside the doomed man offering spiritual consolation as the prepara- tion was made for the execution. At the foot of the scaffold 12 women, members of the Catholic church, who had assisted Father Kennedy in ad. ministering the last supper to the con- demned man at the jail and with high mass at the church, knelt and prayed while Taylor's soul passed into eter- nifty. It was the first time in the his- tory of Missouri that women were per mitted to see an execution.
 At iO:45 Sheriff Stanley wen: 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 of- fcials and were followed in turn by the la 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 passed a more or less restless night before the execution. He awoke about six o'clock and asked for break. fast. Eggs, coffee and biscuits were given him, which he ate with indiffer ent relish. During the morning sev- eral of his attorneys called on him and they talked to him in the presence of two inside and one outside guards. After the attorneys had gone he seemed over-anxious to accept the attentions of the priest. He gave to Col. Hale the following statement to the public:
 I have only this additional statement to make. I ought not to suffer as am. compelled to do Prejudice and perjury convicted me and by this conviction my wife is left Q widow, and my children orphans in Q 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. had hoped to at least live till the good people real ized the injustice done me. but 1t cannot be so l feel prepared to meet my God and now wing my way to the great unknown where believe every one is properly judged. hope my friends will all meet me in Heaven. believe am going there. Good-by all.
 W P. TAYLOR
 When the execution was over the crowd, which had been kept at bay by the militia, was given access to the stockade. They cut off numerous me. mentoes from the scaffold.