Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-05-09
WILLIAM TAYLOR HANGED
The Murderer Of the Meeks Family
Executed.
Walked to the Scsffold With n Firm
Step and His Nerve Never
Deserted Him - Mrs.
Meeks Looks on.

Carroltown, Mo-, April 30.-William
Taylor was hanged here today FOR the
murder of the Meeks family.
At 10 minutes to IL o'clock, Father
Kennedy placed a crucihx in Taylors
hands and the march to the scafold
began. Taylor ak with a firm step
and his nerve never deserted him. Al
ter ascending the scaffold, Taylors
legs were pinioned n he kissed the cru
cifx held In ront OF him by the priest.
Sheriff Allen waived a white andke
chief in the air. The trap sprung noise
lessly and Taylor dropped to the end OF
the O His neck was broken the
body hung motionless. In ten minutes
he was declared dead and the body was
cut down. Old Mrs. Meeks had forced
her way into the Jail yard with her bnnd
son George, and she was an Interested
spectator OF the hanging. Fully h,Voo
people surged about the enclosure sur
rounding the jail, but there were no
scenes Of disorder nor attempts at res
cue.
Sso-y of the Crime.
The murder OF Gus Meeks. his wife ana
two little children has been parually
avenged by the law in the execution OF BIZ
Taylor today. His brother George, VINO
was convicted and sentenced to be hsngeh
at the same time, escaped from jail nere
and has not since been captured. me
crime was the most revolving one ever
committed In Missouri. The tragedy oc'
CURED on the night OF May II. 1894. BIZ
TAYLOR was a lawyer and banker in Lam
county, Missouri. being at the time men
toned cashier Of the bank at Browning.
that county. For four or five years he had
borne a rather evil reputation, although
suffered to hold his place In society by rca-
son OF his wealth. lie mad pecii sffsstc:
on several charges, the latest being TOT
stealing a herd of cattle and driving II 10
Pardin, Mo, to be shipped to Chicago. Gus
Meeks was an accomplice in this crime
and was tried and sentenced to the penn
Tertiary. lie subsequently confessed, was
pardoned, returned home and was tho
principal witness against Bill Taylor.
George Taylor, Bins brother, was a pros
porous farmer living three miles from
Browning. ON the night of the murder
the two brothers drove to Milan, a DIS
lance OF Twelve mIies; N a pds es,,ea hin,
outside the house. Mecks went back into
the house and told his family he was go
TaSyIor's would assist him. His wife said:
Il and the children will go with you Gus
The Meeks family started away with
They did NOT go far, however. for the next
morning the slim and bloody bodies. of four
members OF the family. were found under
a HdySttth Ol btOikt idglJt = 49,
the fifth member, a little girl, I years OLD,
crawled out from the same. CORY bed Win
a great cash in her forehead and tumble
TO the nearest house, which, fortunately,
did not happen to be Taylor's, where she
told her p.tiful story. The little girl did
not remember much. except that she was
struck on the head after seeing her parents
killed. and then went to sleep" There is
no doubt from the facts subsequently de-
veloped that the Taylor's thought they had
killed the entire family, as they intended
doing. The charred embers OF a bed tick
and some clothing. the only earthly posses
sions of the Meeks family, were found on
the Taylor farm. The wagon belonging to
George Taylor had fresh blood stains o
It, as several witnesses testified.
Meanwhi the Taylor's had fed. Posses
were organized all over northern Missouri
and put upon their trail. Bloodhounds
mere mere brought from of1o faa q for ahei states rastn ana
More than 200 farmers in Linn and Sulli-
van counties left their .plows 10 help cap
on Mlssouri's fair name, Three counties
were beaten over, foot by foot, but with
out the slightest result.
A few weeks later. when all hopes OF
finding the men had been given M. a re-
port came from Arkansas that the .Tay-
South. than whom there never lived a more
modest man. was the hero If the day. The
ss~s ssSs from Sa 1he s soasas s ssss e 81. M nssa :
was committed. and the case was taken TO
Carroll county. The first trial occurred in
the early part OF 1895. and resulted In a
hung jury. The prediction was freely
made that some member or members OF
that jury had been tempered with by the
agents OF the Taylors, who were supplied
witt money. Carroll county considered
itself disgraced.
The second trial OF the case began July
q last. Excitement was at fever heat
about Carrollton, and threats OF lynching
II Justice was not legally mete1 out were
freely made. The lawyers struggled like
fiends. Prosecuting Attorney Brosnahan
led the prosecution, and ex-Congressman
John Il. Hale was the head and front OF
the defense. Little Nellie Mceks. the sole
survivor OF the terrible night, faced the
murderers of her parents and sisters and
told her prattling story. On August 3 the
found the prisoners guilty, and they wero
sentenced TO he hanged by Judge Rucker.
The case was OF course appealed 10 the
supreme court. ON March 81 Judge Sher-
wood, I'm an exceedingly able opinion. I'm
which all concurred. affirmed the judg-
ment OF the lower court, and the exccutjon
was set for April 30.
Pending the carrying into effect OF the
sentence OF the court both Bill and George
Taylor made their escape from the fail
here: This was effected on the night OF
Is still at large. April 10 Bill was removed
10 the Jackson county jail at Kansas CITY
10 prevent a lynching and he was kept
there until yesterday when ne was brought
back. Monday his attorney made an an
peal 10 the United States supreme court
FOR a stay of proceedings but II was refused
governor stone was likewise appealed TO
IN vain and the execution OF today FOL.
lowed. "
HAM MONT IN p0OR HATH