The news boy., 1896-05-09
William P. Taylor.

lor's principal counsel, made last
hopeless appeal to the governor. lie
wired as follows:
CITY. Mo-: Can you not give Taylor q pit
tance Of ten days life? Is Missouri too weak
to guard him safely that longf.
tSignedl VIRGIL CoNKLING.
No reply was received to the appeal
20 the governor.
THE ASSEMBLING CROWD.
Long before sunrise. from every
quarter, down every country road,
the execution. They came in buggies,
in farm wagons, driving mules and
jacks, afoot and on horseback, in twos
and threes and scores, eager and anX-
ious over the sensation Of the day. A
man was to die, and even though they
could not see him as he swung from
the scaffold with the rope around his
neck, the fascination was irresistible.
Before six o'clock at least 500 men
had gathered around the Jail, where
so deputies stood on guard with loaded
Winchesters. Every man of them was
clamoring for ticket and but for
force of arms the frail stockade would
surely have been leveled to the ground
By sun-up wire rope had been
stretched across the streets at the in,
tersection OF which stands the Jail.
It was guarded by the Hale Rifles, un.
der command of Capt. Black. The
men were in full uniform and with
their bayoncts glistening in the morn
ing sunlight, added n touch Of grim
splendor to the scene.
The militia assembled at the armory
at $3.50. The company consists of AZ
young men, the best blood of the
town. They were told that in the
event of trouble they would be ex
pected to do their duty and fight
Without imputation 70 their courage il
may be said that this duty was highly
distasteful to the soldiers. Many OF
them had tickets admitting them tc
the stockade and the ir duty as guards
prevented them from witnessing the
spectacle.
RITES OF THE CHURCH.
Shortly after 1880 FIR. Kennedy, ac
companied by DIR. Tull and number
of Catholic ladies, repaired to Taylor's
cell to celebrate mass. He joined in
the services. The. last sacrament was
administered to the man and after q
half-hour the party retired.
In the meantime preparations fol
the hanging continued. Deputy sheriff:
fitted in and out of the Jail, dodgine
their friends, who were continuously
importuning them for passes. Sheriff
Stanley of Carroll county had discard
cd the gray suit with which he is usual
ly adorned and appeared in a full suit
of black.
Sheriff Ed Allen of Linn seemed to
exercise more authority than Stanley
and with good right, as he had his wits
about him and more thorough knowl
edge Of the grewstone proceedings.
The only regret over the affair that
Carrollton seemed to feel was the alb
sence of George Taylor, the brother OF
Bill, condemned to die with him for the
same terrible crime. A last effort was
made Wednesday night to capture him
but it was unavailing. A report
thought to be well founded, reached
town that George had been seen hid
ing in the brush 12 miles to the north
of Carrollton. Little was said, but q
posse, composed of number Of Linn
deputies and q number OF local men
started out to run him down. Blood.
hounds were taken along, and the
search continued late into the night
but no trace of him was found, and the
posse returned without him, and sc
Bill Taylor dies alone.
TAYLoR's LAST NIGHT.
The prisoner passed as calm night
as could have been expected under the
circumstances, never once appearing
to lose in any degree the show OF forti
tude. The early part Of the night wa'
spent in making final arrangement
for the disposition Of his body, in con
versation with newspaper men and
with number of Sisters Of Charity
who called. About 1:s0 he retired fol
the night and went to sleep Appar
emily his rest was dreamless, for not {
sonnd disturbed the quiet of the place
Shortly before ave o'clock he awoks
and came out of his cell once more. HI
said he had slept well. Noticing tht
twc guards In the jail with him, he sal
down at his table and wrote thess
wordo On piece Of paper; One Of ths
- guarding me = Harry Wilson, o.
IAnn county, and = mobber.
Ne pomsd the message through Il
s. ~ yepqstsgv ~ sWileA tpeh|s ~ thes