Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-04-29
Victims Are Sisters Of the Deceased
Wife Of the Assailant.
STARTS FIRE TO CONCEAL CRIME
Younger of Girls Drags Unconscious
Sister Out and Gives Alarm.
PURSUIT is STARTED AT ONCE
Criminal Rides away on BioycIc, bat
Is Compelled 20 Abandon u Near
Bioomington, where he IL
New Surrounded.


Description OF Criminal.
Nazne, Bsrt n. Taylor.
Are. 3s.
Height. feet ssk inches.
weight lss pounds.
Complexion, DARK.
Hair, black.
Eyes, grey.
wears long, black numtache, n souar...
chessed; had on black suit OF clothes, lirhs
hat ana ovsreoat Heavy drinksr.
MINDEN. Neb.. April 1.-tspeciai Teie-
gram.)-Bert NJ. Taylor, >ss years OF age.
criminaily assaulted Pearl Taylor. his Il.
year-old sister-in-iaw. assailed with hi
lists her sister. Ida. 10 years Of age; Sc
fire to their house after leaving them. as
he though, dead. to burn In the flames
that were intended TO cover his crime ans
shield him from punishment OF an outrage
that has shaken this community with un
speakable Indignation.
The criminal is ct large. but is sur
rounded by posse and his capture SEEM
certain. His victims are alive but ar
to this afternoon Pearl Taylor has
rounded BY a mob and his capture seems
not recovered consciousness. Ida. however
was never insensible, as her assailant be
lieved, but only feigned SO as q means OF
escaping death and being able, II possible
to rescue her sister. who was stransiec
almost to death.
| Notice OF the crime has been sent in al
/ directions with descriptions Of the mar
and civilians and officials are bendlns
every effort to secure his arrest. The
father OF the girls il taking an active
hand in this procedure
{ Romance Intervoveu with Crime.
| Underlying the hidiousness OF the crime
is stratum Of romance which serves only
to make the deed the bIacker and intenetf,,
the embittered feelings Cor the fugitive
Though OF the same naIue. the only re-
lation between the girls and Taylor is that
Taylor married their eldest sister. who
died in the very house where these depre-
dations were committed. II had been tho
home Of Bert Taylor and wife. II was the
birthplace OF their little one and when
Mrs Taylor died he sold the homo TO
Douglas Taylor. his wife's father. who
also took the baby to rear. Douglas Tay-
lor lives on his farm five miles east Of
Minden.
The two Taylor girls were occupying tlis
house while attending school in town
/ They had been living there By themselves
and had not feared inoiestatipn. partieu-
larry from their own brother-tn-law. who
I had never betrayed any but the best atti-
tude toward them. He had lived around
Minden for fifteen years and had never
been implicated in any sort Of crime be-
fore that is known Of Though a heavt'
drinker. he was a hard worker, being a
1 painter and paperhauger far above tho
average. When the shocking news Of his
crime was spread this morning II fairly
shook the town and surrounding country
with a mingled feeling OF bewildermont
and indignation.
Liue Girl Tells the story.
The story OF the outrage was given e
the officers and the public by Ida Taylor.
I younger OF the sisters. Her courage and
I presence of mind throughout the ordeal ara
matters Of general comment.
Sister and j were aroused from oaf
sleep a little past midnight" says the
girl. "by someone knocking on the front
door We asked who it was and the re
ply came that it was negro who was
crazy. That scared us and we didn't know
what TO do. Suddenly the man burst IN
the door and grabbed us both By our
| throats He told me II ! screamed he'd
kill me- Then ne dragged Pearl into the
kitchen aHd made me stay on the bed IA
the room where We were sleeping. He
brought Pearl back TO my bed.
when Hfrt came back to my bed
! coHiQ tcdFt-if tthAlet u Har its tie HaI
been my oldest sisters husband ana
couldn't believe that he would DO us such
harm.
Pear is dead. he said and you might
as wen be, and you VIII be II you DON'T
look out.
Awful climax ResOrtcd 90.
''Then he said he had a good notion 70
xiii himself. Then he beat me terribly four
or five times and I laid there as II l were
dead He thought / was and went and
got a lamp and spread the oil an over the
bed and took a match and lighted H. and
the second he had done that he dashed our
OF the door ] knew this was my chance.
| 80 l Jumped out Of bed grabbed hold OF my
sister and managed 10 drae her out on the
porch. l supposed, OF course. the house
would be burned down and hoped that Pearl
was alive and l might set her out Of the
burning house"
The little girl in her night clothing.
beaten and bruised by this brute, appalled,
at The motionless body Of her sister lying,
for all she knew. Hfeless. IN the stiffness
OF night OF early morning. rushed through
the penetrating wind 10 the home of STR.
WoOdTick, a ncighbor. 20 give the alarm.
The WoOdricks lost no tinie In reaching
the house and taking the girls into their
own home and eKtinguishing the flames,
which had not made much headway Is
4 was feared.
DR.. J. a. Martin Was immediately SUM
moncd and every effort was set in motion
to save the elder girl. The doctor worked
on her constantly up 70 $50 and she
showed no sign OF reviving.
Omeer Anderbery Get. Busy.
Without delay Officer c. p. Anderbery
was notified OF the terrible affair ana he
set the machinery OF the law 10 work ana
Instituted Immediately a systematic CAM
paign for the apprehension OF the dcs-
perado. who be knew wen enough "a de-
scribe mlhutely. and this description he
caused 10 be spread and sent IN ali direc-
tons
Bert Taylor las a brother In Los An
geles and it is believed ne may possibly
head an that direction. sone years ago he
had cousin. Bills smith. sh0t ana killed