The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1903-08-27
Chas. Taylor Rapes
His Own Two
Daughters.
Was Out on Bond on Other
Charge. Is Now IN
jail.


One of the worst and the most re-
voting crimes that has ever been
committed in Mahaska county is
lodged against Charles Taylor, Of Ev-
ans. Taylor is charged with raping
two of his own daughters, Mamie, q
girl of sixteen years, and Ruth, a
mere baby Of thirteen years Of ago.
Ruth was horribly abused, the father
refusing to release her for some time
and when he was arrested he was
walking toward Evans and was com
polling the child to follow him.
Taylor is now in Jail in this city
and safe from the mob That threat
ened lynching at Evans. He is a
bad man and win no doubt receive a
treatment at the hands Of the court
that will place him in restraint for
some time to come, The man is re-
Gently out from Fort Madison penI-
tertiary where he served a term for
raping a little girl IL years old, near
Eddyville, during the fall of 1901 and
it is said that similar charge is
laid against him by another victim OF
earlier date. The crime of Monday
is almost beyond belief, and is the
worst thin Of its nature that has
ever occurred in the county, If not
in the entire state.
Since coming to Evans Taylor has
been inclined to be very bad. 1t is
said Of him that when ne fret came
home several months ago he stepped
from the train with the remark: Get
out of my way, all Of you; I'm Tracy,
the outlaw, and I'm "a bad man
Don't fool with me-" He has stead
fly refused to work and has frequent
ed gambling joints and has been a.
hard drinker, obtaining money by any
means possible. He nas been the
star performer IN a number of fights
and has continued to be disturbing
element to such an extent that he
was driven out of Evans. He was
under bond to appear before the
grand jury of Mahaska county on al
charge of assault with intent to COM
NIT murder and a mittimus had been
issued for him to place him in con-
finement awaiting the action of the
jury. He had left Evans for time
and had just returned.
The man went into the home
where his wife and children were on
Monday morning about 10 o'clock
and started a shameful abuse. He
grabbed the daughter, Mamie, SLAP
ped her and pounded her and either
knocked her down or threw her on
the floor almost unconscious. The
mother tried to protect the girl but
all to no purpose. He picked up the
PROSTATE girl, threw her across a
bed and there accomplished his pur-
pose. The mother ran from the
place screaming for help and sought
refuge at the house Of a neighbor
The girl, terribly hurt, followed. The
man stormed around for a time,
making threats and terrorizing all
the neighborhood. The mother and
dughter locked themselves in room
of a neighbours house to keep away
from the fiend. He finally went to a
colored resort, saying that he wanted
to see the officer that could take him.
He threatened to kill the constable
or any one else on sight if they dared
approach him. Constable John Rug
genberg was Immediately notified
of the crime that had been commit
ted. Taylor was staying at the col
ored dive and made no attempt to
get away until mob commenced
gathering.
Constable Ruggenberg was advised
against going after the man or giving
himself as a mark before him. I'll
was said that he was armed with a
couple Of guns and had boosted that
he wanted to kill Ruggenberg ana
would then leave the place. Ruggen-
berg came to Oskaloosa for assist
ance at the justice, police and sher-
iff's office without avail, until finally
Chief Mccarthy permitted night men
Joe Fisher and Will Done1ly to gol
as assistants and arrest the man.
At Evans the news of the mans
crime was spreading among the peo-
pie Of the community and the miners
were coming to their homes from
work. A mob began gathering and
threats of lynching were openly
made. Taylor seeing the demonstra-
lions that were commencing, thought
that he had better get away and 90
started of across the fields, going in
the direction of Leighton.
Repeats the Crime.
Taylor went west TO the house of
4 man named Sim Scott, some little
distance south from Leighton. A 10 !
daughter named Ruth was
working here for the family and the
,ather also had some acquaintance
With the SCOTS. He went to the
house and represented that he wish (
ID to go to Colorado and wanted to
borrow ten dollars. While the folks '
we're out of the room after the O
money he seized his little daughter !
Ind hurried away to the shelter Of I
'ome high weeds near the place .
md here he repeated the crime OF c
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