The Death of William Taulbee

HIS ASSAILANT, KINCAID, ARRESTED AND MUCH PROSTRATED

Washington, March 11, 1890

Ex-Congressman William Preston Taulbee of Kentucky, who was shot in the head by Charles E. Kincaid, the
correspondent of the Louisville Times, at the east staircase in the House wing of the Capitol on the 
afternoon of Friday, Feb. 28, died at 4:45 0'clock this morning at Providence Hospital.

Mr. Taulbee had been unconscious for some time before death came, and the end was painless. He had been 
rapidly sinking since last Saturday, and his death had been expected since that night. Yesterday he grew
so much worse that the physicians in attendance knew he could not last another day. His family had been
summoned, and when he passed away his brother, Dr. Taulbee; his son, James about nineteen years of age;
his brother-in-law, Dr. Bayne, the attending physician, and Major Blackburn of Kentucky were around his 
bedside. No arrangements as yet have been made for the funeral. The inquest will be held tomorrow at 
noon and will be preceded by an autopsy. Mr. Taulbee, it is said, made no ante-mortem statement.

The dead man was a native Kentuckian. He was born in Morgan County in 1851, and received his education 
in private schools near his home. On reaching the age of twenty-four he studied for the ministry for
three years, and then having been elected Clerk of the Magoffin County Court, he began the study of
law. In 1881 he was admitted to the bar. He was elected to the Forty-ninth Congress from the Tenth
District, and was re-elected following Congress. In appearance Mr. Taulbee was tall and powerful, with
a large-boned frame, devoid of surplus flesh. He had one of the strongest voices of any member of the 
House, and the tumult was never so great but that he could make himself heard above the uproar as he
walked hastily down the aisle on the Democratic side and shouted to attract the attention of the 
Speaker. He was a free talker, and was on his feet taking part in debate as often as any of the younger
men in Congress.

Mr. Kincaid, was has been under police surveillance since it became known that Mr. Taulbee's case was 
well-nigh hopeless, was rearrested this morning. He was asleep at his boarding house when a police 
officer aroused him at 6 o'clock and informed him of Mr. Taulbee's death. He requested to be allowed 
to sleep another hour longer, but the orders was taken to the First Precinct Station, where he is now
held in custody.

Within an hour after his arrest Mr. Kincaid was so prostrated with nervous exhaustion that it was 
necessary to call his regular physician, Dr. Harrison, who remained with him most of the day. Mr.
Kincaid's condition is serious, and it is the opinion of many of his friends that he will not live
to stand his trial.