The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-05-26
lHILUn = InlhL
Young Negro Accused Of
Murder Of His Aunt
Pleads Not Guilty
STRUCK JURY CHOSEN
Killed Woman to Save Sister
From Immoral Life at
Relatives Home.

4 The trial Of George W. Taylor, charged
with the murder Of his aunt, Miss Minnie
Taylor at No. % Plymouth street, this
city on the night Of December z Of last
year. was begun before Judge Blair ard
struck jury In the Court of Oyer and
Termfner this morning
The prisoner, an intelligent looking
young eolored man, was neatly dressed
He sat By the side Of his counsel. Lawyer
Joseph NJ Noonan, during the pr srlinaly
proceedings Of the trial He exhibited
the keenest interest in everything ana
studied intently the face Of each juror
called.
There was some little difficulty exepr,-
enced in selecting the trial panel. Thirty
four of the forty live who had responded
to their names were called before the
twelve who viii SIT on the case We're
chosen. Among the jurors called wers
five who served on the fong drawn out
Birnbaum- lIirsch arson case. They were
allowed to stand aside and the following
trial panel was selected without them
Charles Solyurn, Henry Frank, Jr., Her
man Wackernau. John W. Hutton, Alex
Gilmore, William Fitzhenry, Henry
Payne, John Pearson, Edward Decker,
John Mccarthy, Harry K. Citizens and
Michael Gilhooley.
AT the commencement of the proceed
ings Lawyer Noonan offered a plea for the
discharge of the prisoner on the grounds
that Judge Blair sitting alone did not
constitute the Court Of Oyer and Termi-
ner. and that the act empowering him to
so sit was special legislation and there
fore unconstitutional in that it denied to
the defendant the due process of law
guaranteed by the constitution.
Prosecutor Erwin called attention to the
fact similar plea had been overruled
at the time of the arraignment of the
prisoner, when an exception was granted.
He insisted that the Court could not con-
slider the plea at this time in view of the
fact a plea of not guilty had already
been entered Judge Blair overruled the
plea. but allowed note of it to be en-
tered on the minutes.
Counsel for the defendant then objected
to trial by a struck jury on the grounds
that such process operated to the injury.
of the defendant under the Fourteenth
Amendment to the Constitution Of the
United States. This was also overruled
and the trial begun
Prosecutor Edwin in a brief opening ad
dress said that the State would prove that
about 1880 O'Clock on the night Of Dc.
cernber IL last. Taylor, who lived at No.
% Cook street, had gone to the apart
rnents occupied by his aunt in the second
floor sof No 95 Plymouth street, with
young colofed man named Alfred Bos-
we'll The latter had waited on the
street below for some time and finally
started into the house TO see what became
of Taylor. He heard Miss Taylor tellins
her nephew to go away and heard Tay-
Ion. asking for his sister Evelyn. HIS
aunt said Evelyn was not there and again
told hin. TO begone.
Taysor the States representative said
then forced his way into one Of the rooms
and after taking off his coat took a re-
volver from his pocket and fired two shots
into his aunt's breast and one into her
back. One Of the bullets penetrated the
left lung and was the immediate cause
Of death Taylor then escaped. but
crowd had heard the shooting and fol-
lowed him through Washington to Mont
gomery street where he was captured by
Police Captain Cody and Detective Daniel
Lee and the revolver taken from him.
Miss Tay,or was afterwards found lying
on the floor in the hallway between the
two rooms she occupied. She died in the
ambulance on the way to the hospital.
The Prosecutor said that on the after
noon prior to the shooting Taylor had
called at the stable where Boswell was
employed and exhibited revolver from
which he fred four shots into the floor.
He had purchased the revolver from John
r Hupfer, hardware dealer. on Central
avenue. Jersey City Heights. On the
night Of the shooting Taylor had shown
the revolver to man living in the same
house with him.
Mr.. Erwin: said that the negro. Boswell,
had been keeping company with Taylor's
sister. Evelyn On November "a Taylor,
his wife. and Evelyn, quarreled, and the
latter went to live at her aunts house
on Plymouth street. After that Taylor
showed himself opposed to the attentions
Boswell was showing Evelyn.
Albert sEollet. of No s. Plymouth
street a white man. who boarded with
Miss Taylor, told a story of the shooting
corresponding with that related by the
Prosecutor. He denied that the house
was disorderly and insisted that he was
only a boarder there.
The defense will probably be that Tay-
lor was rendered temporarily insane By
knowledge that his sister was leading an
immoral life at his aunt $ house. He had
tried to compel his aunt Il let her so. and
when she refused he fired the fatal shots.