Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-05-07
THE PENALTY PAID.
Ell Taylor, the Murderer, Hanged
at Carrollton, Mo.
lis STATEMENT TO The PUBLIC.
The Crowd, Which Had Reen Kept at Bay
by the Militia, tuts on Numerous
Mementoes from the scafYUid
Other incidents.

CARRoI.LToN, Mo-. May l.--Bill Tay.
Tor, the murderer. was hanged here
yesterday morning at 1857. The exc
cution passed off without incident, and
Taylor was pronounced dead at ll:l5
by a 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.
G. Beckett, of Purdn, Mo, as per Tay.
lor's last wish, and will be buried to-
day at Yount cemetery, near Laclede,
| Mo.
Taylor exhibited a remarkable nerve
and presence Of mind during the try.
ing ordeal and never once faltered.
lie marched from the Jail to the scat.
fold through the crowd Of 500 people
without SO much as tremor and as.
cended the scaffold steps with firm,
steady STEP lie carried q tiny crucifx
in his pinioned arms as he went to his
death and kissed II when 1t 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. lie
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 u slight creak when Sheriff
Stanley threw the lever and the body
of Bill Taylor, clo'hed entirely in
b ack, 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.. II. W. Tull, of Carrollton, stood
beside the doomed man Offering
spiritual consolation as the prepara-
ton was made for the execution. At
the foot OF the scaffold IL women,
members Of the Catholic church. who
had assisted Father Kennedy in adj
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. 1t was the first time In the his
tory Of Missouri that women were per-
mitted to see an execution.
At i0:45 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 Of
ficials 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 more or less restless
night before the execution. lie 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 sew
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-anxous to accept the attentions
OF the priest. He gave TO Col. Hale the
following statement to the public
| have only this additional statement to
make. ought not TO suffer rs nm. compelled
TO do Prejudice and perjury convicted me
and by this conviction my wife Is left q
widow and my children orphans In n 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 TIL the good people real
lied the Injustice done me, but II cannot be
so 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 r. TAYLOR
When the execution was over the
crowd, which had been kept at lily by
the militia, was given access to the
stockade They cut off numerous me-