The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-18
Story OF How Ono Man Jumped
Through a Window Sash and
Cut an Artery Told on
Witness Stand.
AND A FEUD OVER A DOG
Also a Woman in the Cast of Char.
aeters, and Sheriff Stopping
Fight in the Court
Room.

I
home, a family feud that almost
resulted in the death of one feudist,
and the arrest of one member of the
other clan on the charge of commit.
ting assault with intent to do great
bodily injury-all these events came
to climax in the district court yes
terday afternoon, and twelve good
men and true were called upon to
decide whether the law should In
, tercede and even UP the score by
| inflicting punishment on the man
! who came out victorious in the
fracas.
Harry Taylor is charged with visit
ing the home of Howard Burrell
armed with a shotgun. Burrell didn't
want TO argue with a shotgun, but
jumped out of the window head
foremost. In getting through the
sash he cut an artery in his arm,
and as result spent a couple of
weeks in the hospital.
Taylor insists that he was passing
through Burrells back yard with the
shotgun under his arm, when Burrell
just got excited and made the dive
through his own window without
provocation or reason, and says that
If he got cut he can't blame anyone
but himself.
The Dog in the First Act.
The evidence showed that it all
started over dog that belong to
Burrell. The pup followed him down
town, and by way of chastisement
Burrell was applying the strap to
the refractory animal. Mrs. Taylor,
who lives merit door, didn't like the
way Burrell treated the dog, and she
went over to Burrells' house to tell
him so. Burrell admits that he in
vited her to leave, and when she de-
INJURED he put her out. She insists
that he hit her in the jaw while he
was doing it.
All this happened on Friday. Tay-
lor waited until Sunday, when he
took down a shotgun that belonged
to his father-in-law and started out
! with it. Just where he started, the
principals in the feud can't agree.
He insists that he started across
Burrell's back yard on his way to
take the gun to it's rightful owner,
lest his wife should get excited and
use it on her next-door neighbor. Bur.
rell insists that Taylor came into
the kitchen Of his home with the
| declaration that he had come to get
him, and the intended victim chose
the window as the quickest way out.
While Burrell was making his
hasty exit, his wife says that she
grappled with his assailant and put
him out OF the house without any
unnecessary ceremonies, but Taylor
can't see how she might have done
that when he was never in the
house.
The Strategy Of Taylor.
In the course Of his testimony
Burrell explained why he took the
window route instead of the door.
"a man amt got no time to unlock
no door when man has got gun
after you," he said. mo; I'll say he
didn't shoot at me. / didn't wait for
him to shoot"
While Burrell was on the witness
stand, he was questioned about his
father, who is dead. Because he
thought that some reflection was be-
ing made against him, he became
very much excited. AS he took his
seat again near the attorney, Taylor
smiled at him and Burrell made a
lunge at his erstwhile neighbor, but
was prevented from doing battle by
rthe deputy sheriff.
The End Of the Play.
The real drama closed this after
noon when the evidence was fill
ished. The arguments CT the lawyers
were dry in comparison and we're
short ones.
The instructions of Judge Hamil-
ton were read to the jury before
noon and the twelve men retired
with the problem Of the dog, the gun,
the broken window sash and the cut
wrist.
This afternoon they found Taylor
guilty of the crime Of assault with