Charles W. Taylor

This is likely the man that murdered Alfred J. Hitch on Dec 31 1873 at Eden Station, MD. See his listed for more inofrmation. We know of the terrible fate of Mr. Hitch in this saga but, what of William Taylor? Further research lends some interesting insight. It seems that Taylor did not hide from the authorities for long as we see that he is subsequently apprehended and, from the May 2, 1874 edition of the Kent News (Chestertown, Maryland), we learn how he ended up for the brutal murder of Alfred Hitch. An article in that newspaper briefly and succinctly states: "Alfred Hitch, murdered, William Taylor tried in Princess Anne, Somerset County, last week, found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to 17 years, 3 months in the penitentiary. He is considerably past middle age and not likely to serve out his term."

Turning to the Federal Census of 1880, we find William Taylor, age 58, prisoner at the Maryland State Penitentiary on East Madison Street in Baltimore serving as a laborer. By that time, he was 6 years into his 17+ year sentence. More insight into his person is gleaned by looking at the 1870 Census, a time prior to the murder - where a Charles W. Taylor is listed in the Trappe District for the newly-formed Wicomico County (founded 1867) with himself as age 50 and his family; wife Eliza Taylor, age 47 and daughter Sarah L. Taylor (16). Although William Taylor is rather elusive in the earlier records, this writer feels reasonably certain that Charles W. Taylor is Charles William Taylor who is the William Taylor of this article. That family resides in the household directly next to John T. Fleming who is directly next to Thomas W.H. White. John T. Fleming is likely the Thomas Fleming also of this story and Thomas W.H. White is where William Taylor sought advice after the murder. Three years after the 1870 enumeration, Taylor was to murder Alfred Hitch and be sent to prison for 17 years.

In delving deeper, we find a reference to Mr. Taylor at the Hall of Records in Annapolis, Maryland - "Prisoners Record, Maryland Penitentiary," that offers the following listing for when he was enrolled into the state penitentiary (paraphrased):
Prisoner No. 8309, William Taylor (2nd time), Wicomico County, age 54. White, black hair, hazel eyes, 5'-9¼", resides in Wicomico County. Convicted of 2nd degree murder in Somerset County, received in 1874 to serve until August 1, 1891. He was confined in the State Shop until pardoned on March 24, 1886.

This is the William Taylor who almost cut Mr. Hitch in half with an axe and the record provides several bits of interesting information. Besides his physical characteristics as shown, we see that he was born in about 1820 and resided in Wicomico Co. when he committed the murder. As prisoner number 8309, he may have been a repeat criminal noting the "2nd time" in parentheses next to his name. Finally, it appears that he got off on good behavior as he was pardoned in early 1886 at age 66, 5½ years before his sentence was to end in August 1891 having served almost 12 years. William Taylor died at some point after being released from prison in 1886 and before the taking of the 1900 census (the majority of the 1890 census is not extant or this writer would have checked).

Charles married Eliza (?) about 1843. (Eliza (?) was born in 1823 in Somerset Co., MD ².)