Brought to you
from
Kae's Korner
The Murders Of
Norton (M.R.) Moody
and Dave Taylor at Woden, Texas
The Daily Sentinel
April 2, 1906--April 13, 1907
The
Sentinel 6
Monday,
April 2, 1906
Woden, the eastern terminus of the Nacogdoches and Souteastern, was the
scene of a very unfornatute tragedy on last Saturday night, and it is claimed
that it was all brought on by too much bad booze.
Dave Taylor, a negro who lives near Woden had a dance at his house Saturday night and all the darkies in that neighborhood were extended and invitation to be there, and they all put in an appearance at the proper time. Some of the young bucks - - and older ones also -- brought with them a vile brand of booze. After taking several drinks some of the negros started a row, and the deputy sheriff was notified of the trouble and made preprations to go.
Will Alders who is the deputy
sheriff in that part of the county deputized M. R. Moody to go with him. The officers went to the scene of the
trouble, and upon arriving there they were informed by Dave Taylor not to come
in the yard, that if they did that they would be killed. The officers tried to explain matters to the
negroes, that it was necessary that he Negroes in the house who were raising
the distrubance would have to be arrested, and started in the yard, as the
officers entered the gate Taylor pulled a revolver and shot Will Alders through
the brest, as the negro shot, the officer pulled his revolver and shot the
negro twice before he fell. When the
shooting started another negro in the house came to the door and seeing Mr.
Moody standing near where Alders fell, shot Mr. Moody, killing him instantl.
The sheriff's office was notified
of the trouble and the sheriff left at once for the scene of the tragedy. Upon arriving there he found that the
strange negro had made his escape. A
description of the negro has been furnished all officers in the state, and it
is thought that his capture in but a matter of a few days.
A telephone message through Toll
Station this morning states that Mr. Alders the officer who was at first
thought to be mortally wounded, was resting quite well and that there were
hopes that he would recover.
The
Sentinel 6
Saturday,
April 13, 1907
With the jury Fate of Farmer Taylor in Hands of 12 Men
The argument in the Farmer
Taylor murder case was concluded at 3 o'clock this afternoon, when Judge
Perkins read his charge and the case went to the jury.
Taylor is charged with the murder of Norton Moody, a white man, near Woden March 31, 1906. Deputy Sheriff Will Alders was serioulsy wounded and Dave Taylor, colored, a brother of Farmer was killed in the same difficulty. The shooting occured at the home of Dave Taylor while a negro festival and dance was in progress. The following compose the jury that is to pass on the quilty or innocent of Farmer Taylor: E. A Blount, P.C. Meador, J. J. Baker, Tom Curl, Lee Gaston, P. E. DeLaMar, Charles Shindler, H. R. Doolittle of Nacogdoches, J. E. Mitchell of Linn Flat; J. F. Fulgham and J. M. Ellington of Garrison; J. M. Williamson of Cushing.
Later:
After being out fifteen minutes, the jury returned a verdict of guilty.
6-
Rest In Peace, Nacogdoches Obituaries 1905-1909, Volume II; by Carolyn Reeves
Ericson