EPISODE 50: The Meeks Family Murder
On today’s episode, Paul and Kate travel to 1894 Lynn County, Missouri where a young girl's story of survival after the murder of her family sets the stage for this episode. As an investigation seeks to verify her story, details emerge that make this an almost movie-like thrilling case.
Sources:
“Meeks Family Murder” (Murder by Gaslight) 2011.
http://www.murderbygaslight.com/2011/04/meeks-family-murder.html
“The Meeks Murders of Linn & Sullivan Counties” (The Complete History of Sullivan County, Missouri, Volume 1, 1886-1900) 1977.
https://sullivan.mogenweb.org/meeksmurders.html
“History in Hannibal: Folktale relates town's horror over Meeks' family murders” by Mary Lou Montgomery (Hannibal Courier-Post) 2017.
“George Taylor Captured” (New York Times) February 1, 1987
https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1897/02/01/issue.html
“A Study in Contemporary Balladry” by H.M. Belden (University of Nebraska – Lincoln) 1914.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1010&context=midwestqtrly
“George Taylor: The Meeks Family Murderer, in Indian Territory – Seen and Recognied by a Missourian” (The Daily News and Intelligencer) July 12, 1897.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/751294284/?terms=%22george%20taylor%22%20meeks%20trial&match=1
“Another George Taylor Story” (Conway Springs Star) July 3, 1897.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/389124851/?terms=%22george%20taylor%22%20meeks%20trial&match=1