The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-10
Murderer of His Sister is Con-
viCted at Ell Reno.
TO BE SENTENCED TO HANG
Story of His Crime, Escape,
Flight and Recapture.

Kinks criminal career which began
July 4 last, is one. of the most horrible
and ingenious in the annals OF crime.
1t has included an awful murder-hts VIC
tim his own sister, his motive mere wan
tonness, a clever escape, a long terrible
flight, and recapture-and now the first
step toward the most dreadful of all ex-
piations.
Kirk is about % years of age. feet 10
inches in height, weighs about $50 pounds,
has blue eyes and sunburnt hair with an
inclination to curl and a scar on his
forehead. He came originally from Tex
as and had been there, it is thought.
robber in small way.
Near Burns, in Waahita county, on
Tuesday, July T. Mary Garborough was
shot through the brain twice by her
brother, Taylor Kirk. Mrs. Garborough
was a widow who lived near Ryan, 1. T.
She went to Kinks the first of that fatal
week, taking her 4-year-old daughter.
On the morning Of the Fourth Kirk ask
co his sister to accompany him to some
pleasure resort to spend the Fourth. She
declined to go, whereupon Taylor remark
ed applying to her an Infamous epithet,
4 want TO kill you anyhow" and seat
two bullets crashing through her brain.
Turning his deadly weapon upon his
brother William and his wife, who were
eye-wicnesses to the horrible crime, he
told them he would serve them in the
same way if they refused to accompany
him and the corpse to Cloud Chief and
swear that Mary Garborough deliberately
committed suicide in their presence They
both agreed 10 do so, well knowing tbs
desperate character of Kirk.
Then he wrapped the body of his dead
sister in a wagon sheet, threw her into a
wagon like a butchered pig and proceed
ed to Cloud Chief, where ne hired an iron
box made to seal and ship the body to
Texas, after which he went TO a physi-
clan TO get a certificate of death by sui
eide, but the county attorney and sheriff
not being satisfied with his way of dis
posing Of the dead, arrested Kirk and
placed him in jail
As soon as the desperate was safely
cared for, William Kirk and hi wife both
admitted the facts above stated to be
true.
Mrs. GarbOrough was buried the next
day in sight Of the Cloud Chief jail where
her brother, chained and hand-cuffed
could see her grave from his cell.
When Kirk saw he was betrayed he
1nade an unblushing confession OF guilt.
Had it not been for the vigilance Of sher-
if Morrison and the bravery of mis- depu-
ties he would have been lynched by an in
furiated mob.
Soon after this Kirk undertook to play
the crazy act, but was informed by friends
that such foolishness must be stopped;
otherwise he would be taken from the
jail by mob and strung up to a limb.
which had the effect of restoring his
mind. lie was quite sane for two weeks
tbut kept with ball and chain attached
to his foot, in jail. with a night watch
on the outside until O'Clock p. m. July
%, when he made his escape, taking with
him one of the best Winchester rifles the
sheriff had
A chubby 17-year-old boy, with hazel
eyes and heavy brows. black hair. and
skin white from confinement, was his
only prison companion
When he escaped from jail at Cloud
Chief he was nandcufted, and irons were
also locked around his ankles. How he
ever got these irons off had been one OF
the perpleXing problems to the people al
Oklahoma, who suspected connivance on
the part of the jailor.
The mystery of how his shackles he.
'oame unlocked and the prisoner released
was fully explained by Kirk on his re-
capture. He made a key out Of blank
cartridge shell, shaped in form with hi.
teeth and let himself loose. Kinks WORD
was fully Corroboratei by the KEY itself
which was found in his pocket after III,
recapture. The marks Of his teeth wer,
10 be plainly seen where he used them I,
shape the ingenious key, that would civ,
him his liberty.
me Following account Of the capture o.
Skinner and an exchange OF shots witt
Kirk was given at the time 10y the Yer
non, Texas Hornet:
sheriff J. T. Williams received mes
sage Monday from Sheriff D. y Morrison
Of Washita county. O. T. to look out fol
on Taylor Kirk a bloody murderer. VIII
murdered his sister, Ida Garborough. Jul
last. who had broken jail at Cloud Chic
IN the night Of July 20. The following i
the description Of Kirk: Is year old.
feet IL inches talE ,,os,h. =,
slue eyes and e,ir b. -.
hair. beard six D,ss,. IA 49,
shaggy. scar over forehead. tripa
pants. shop boots. hich heel. has a 23-4
Winchester rife. a young man by III
name Of skinner. who was i'm iau n
stealing saddle ais, It, -, -,
Sheriff Williams ana ax-,(,.,- 80 -
] anter put ON. 3, sss-., 90 ~, -
ond located then, ~ SO -, = So ''
~. a.. - -'i-'A III IN