The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-05-28
TAYLOR Gull TY
Verdict of Murder in First
Degree Brought Against
Negro.
EXPERTS DIFFER, AS USUAL
Jury 9 to 8 on First Pool,
But Finally Unanimous
for Condemnation

Unless a new trial is granted or the
Governor commutes the sentence which
Will be pronounced, or death interyenes,
George w. Taylor VIII die on the gaKows
for the murder Of his aunt Miss Minnie
Taylor, at her home, No. So Plymouth
street, on the night of December u last.
The trial of the young negro for honi-
eide was concluded with Judge Blair, s
charge few minutes before ten O'Clock
last night, and in a little more than one
hour the jury returned to court with a
verdict of guilty of murder in the first
degree. This result was scarcely expect
ed, as owing to the brilliant defence OF
the prisoner by Lawyer Joseph NJ. Moo
nan, and the declaration that he was OPP
posed to capital punishment made by
Juror Henry Frank, Jr., before taning his
seat in the box, it was generally thought
that second degree verdict would be the
outcome.
The youthful negro defendant and many
relatives and friends of his race were in
court when the jury returned with its
verdict. Taylor near.y collapsed when the
words which practically imposed the sem
tence of death on him were pronounced
by Foreman Solyum.
Only two ballots were taken in the jury
room On the first the vote stood for
first degree and for second degree MUIR
ue. iiose ~ uie Al-itoa ~ : - -.
man solyu f1ehls z raiih, II, any a.u-
Waru Decher. iols ulscussaoil On, u .n,s ens
evidence IN the case IoaoWea, alteF VIM ,a
another vote was taken with the result
that a fire degree verdict was unanimous
~ agreed 10.
lawyer NooHan dAiiou.iceo 'eiiis mo- p,llr =
ins that an appeal would be at once taken
to the Court OF Errors on lne exceptions
allowed during the trlal ana especially
on the points whether Judge bialr sitllhg
alone properly constituted the court q
oyer and Ierniner. ana Wnelher tne eili-
pstue.sns oi d sei eeA yests - sss -. = -
prejudicfal to the interests OF the oeleh-
dant in that It was a vocation OF lne
Fourteenth Amendment 70 the Cohseltu-
ton or the country.
The question as 10 Whether the ieslsla-
tive act empowering the Juose u tne
Common Pleas Court 70 81 aione N tne
Court OIL oyer and lsrminef III capieSa'
caSes . iioe speeidi -
new one, nut mas never Deeh oeiiiileeiy
settled py 1he hishef courts.
Fhe nrst calltai case N tilis counls =,
wnich Judge bar sal alolie Was liisl liisl - -
Murderer James Qualle, VINO was con-
vicred OF SECOND uegree ihaiosI- lis
point was raised IN thae case 'Du' i4o'
pushed.
On eress-exa mi aiIlation yesleruay alseI- ..zs'
noon Taylor admitted that he mad done
time IN pne hilhifa, eA1l ~ = :
for stealing jewelry from a MISS hastings
of New York, by Wnom ne was ehip-oy 9
as butler he also ackno"isosso a tlSi'
he had been imprisoned LOT seVeral ln otiisl
minor offences. he aomttea tnae ens
woman living with MN as ms Wile hau
never been married to MN.
The woman known as Maggie layiol
corroborated the DEFENDANTS testimony as
to him taking OF ms overcoat, supposed
to contain the revoiver, oetore leaving
home for his aunt's house on the night
OF the murder.
Evelyn Taylor, the prisoners sister,
about whom Taylor had quarreHed with
his aunt, testified that she had graduated
as a teacher from the Portsmouth, Va,
high school. She said that on the night
Of December Il she had promised to meet
her brother and Boswell at the former S
house but fearing trouble had not gone
there
DR.. William Friele DIR. Jones and DR..
flames Frie.e testified that a blow struck
as described by Taylor might have caused
a contraction of the finger muscles and