The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-04-18
COUNTY,
THE TAYLORS BREAK JAIL.
George Made Good HIS Escape and
is Fleeing for His Life From
the Pursuing Officers.


about 8 80 tonight the Taylor brothers,
George and William p, escaped from
the Carrolton Jail by means of cutting
through the cell and roof of the Jail
and climbing down some hose which
was in the Jail. VIM. p. Taylor was
captured while in the Jail yard. George
has not been captured. He is sup
posed to have gone in western direc-
tion.
The latest development in the career
of the Taylor brothers adds another
sensation to a case which has been
profnse in starting incidents. Only a
few days ago the supreme court affirm
ed their death sentences of the Meeks
family.
The elder brother, w. T. Taylor, is
much the brainier man of the two. His
sinister featurers are his eyes, which
are small, brown and have a crafty,
shifty look that makes one uncomfort-
able. In his movements he is alertness
itself, and as a conversationallst he is,
when he chooses, exceedingly enter
tanning. Strangers naturally take to
HIM on sight.
Five years ago he was one of the
most popular and promising young men
in Sullivan county. Fine-lOoking well.
educated, the local attorney of the
great Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
Railroad, with good law practice
besides, he seemed to have everything
his own way with the world. The eli
max of his good fortune was reached
when he married the pretty daughter
of Morgan Leonard, owner of the
Browning Bank and one of the wealth
lest men in all that section of the
state.
People couldn't do enough for the
young man. He was sent to represent
IN the Legislature, was invited TO
address public meetings and became
general authority throughout the coun-
try side. Then he became cashier of
his father-in-law's bank, and then he
fell.
He and his brother George were
implicated in a swindling check trans
action, amounting to $4,000, by which
the bank at Kirksville was done out of
that sum of money. Their indictment,
fria foll ~,
succession, and the brothers were SEN
fenced to five years IN the penitentiary.
Both got out on an order for a new
trial, which has not yet been held.
After this all sorts of ugly rumors got
abroad about the Taylor boys, as they
were called. Things which had before
been inexplicable were now easily
accounted for by the theory that they
had had a hand in them. Four months
ago Warren Mccullough, a leading
citizen of Milan, had carload of cattle
stolen from his farm. Chance brought
a shower and enable him to trace the
thieves to where the stock had been
shipped away, and then it was easy to
find the shipper. 1t was Gus Meeks
the murdered man.
Meeks trial resulted in quick convic-
ton and he went to the penitentiary. |
After short confinement he disclosed |
to the states attorney most remark
able story. He claimed that he was
not alone IN the crime for which he |
was being punished, but was merely |
the agent of a regularly organized |
band of robbers, who, from headauar7
ters at Browning, had planned to lay |
tribute on all that section of the state. |
This gang was, he saId, led by w. T.
Taylor, ably seconded by his brother
George.
Agreeing to turn states evidence, he
was pardoned by the governor, and
the case was in course of preparation
when the Meeks family was murdered.
1t is now evident that the Taylors
had induced Meeks to agree to leave
The county and not appear against
hem. He evidently thought they
we're taking him to a railway station
Tor the purpose of sending himself and
family away without the knowledge of
he public. But they had determined
10 kill HIM.
The finding of the dead bodies of
Meeks and his family on the Taylor
brothers farm shocked the community.
The brothers disappeared and at
once they were suspected. They were
caught and their first trial resulted in
A hung iurp. At the second trial they
we're convicted and sentenced to death.