The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-11-27
Deplores Conditions Passing
Sentence Upon Annie
Taylor.
SHE GETS TEN YEARS
Pleaded Guilty to Second De-
gree Murder of Chas.
Brooks.

That she was coaxed from the Sunny
South to live with q colored man who
promised to marry her was the story
that Annie Taylor, charged with muir
dering Charles Brooks. at Annabelle,
told IN Circuit court yesterday after
noon before Judge Raymond, when
she entered a plea Of guilty to murder
in the second degree. She told the
court that she and her husband were
parted and that she had a child with
her mother down in Selma, Alabama.
,.'I had to kill him in order 10 get away
from him." she said. At numerous
times Annie said that Brooks had
threatened her bodily harm and treat
ed her badly.
Dramatically opposite are the two
stories in the case." said Attorney Pat
rick M. Hoge, who was appointed by
the court to act as counsel for the de.
PENDANT. He then told how Annie came
north from Selma, Alabama, three
years ago separated from friends to
receive employment. Brooks propos.
ed to employ her at his restaurant.
After time the pair had some trou-
BILE and Annie left again for the south.
Brooks. she claims, coaxed her to re.
turn to West Virginia on the preteXt
Of marrying her and sent her the price
of transportation to come here. After
they had been together short time
they "fell out" and Brooks is claimed
to have abused her and she claimed
she feared for her life. He came into
the room AID started to abuse her and
chased her around stove. The Sec
ond time they made the course, Annie
claims, she drew pistol from under.
meath the bed clothing and shot
Brooks. Brooks had threatened her
and held her by compulsion and she
was unable to go away. Attorney
Hoge said she had two letters on her
person from influential residents of
Selma. She had acted as nurse and
cook in these families.
All together different facts were Civ.
en- by Prosecuting Attorney Haggerty,
who represented the state. He said
that he had learned that she had shot
cnce before while they had been at
Wyatt, w. Va. prior to coming to An.
nabelle. According to what he said
Brooks was behind door at Anna.
belle and she called him. A revolver
was heard to cock and a moment later
a shot was fired. The prosecuting at
torney was under the impression that
four different shots were fired by An.
ME. Brooks was INST shot in the arm
and later she shot him again as he ad
yanced toward her. He was heard to
exclaim, that woman has shot me-"
The weapon, which was used to do the
shooting was presented in court as
were the three empty cartridges. The
Prosecuting attorney asserted that aft
or Annie had shot Brooks she rifled
his pockets and then beat a hasty re.
treat. Officers were sent after her
and when she was asked If she twas
the woman who did the shooting" she
replied in the affirmative and at the
same time put her hand into her shirt.
waist ready to pull the weapon on 9th.
ers. Later she was grabbed stealthily
from behind and arrested.
The woman made her statement to
the court in which she used some vile
language which worked to her detri.
ment rather than benefit. The prose.
cutting attorney then told the court
that only the day before the shooting
she said hat she would get Brooks be.
fore he got her or something of that
import.
Judge Raymond said that human LII =
appeared to be the cheapest thing in
these times and spoke of how people
proceed to kill each other over trivial
differences. Conditions have reached
woeful state in this country, because
OF such numerous incidents.
Judge Raymond then sentenced her
to undergo ten years. imprisonment in
the state penitentiary at Moundsville.
"You have a chance to m.ke your
peace with your Creator, but the man
that you killed went into eternity with.
out even having, an opportunity OF
saying prayer"
Just before the confession was made
the work Of summoning a jury was be.
gun. Out Of those called eighteen
claimed conscientious scruples and
had been dismissed from service.
RV1V