Alvin
Exum
Murdered Leldon Taylor, 3 Mar 1929
The Whitewright Sun
Thur. March 7, 1929
At Van Alstyne.- Alvin Exum is being sought by
officers in connection with the shooting of Leldon
Taylor, 18, about 4 o'clock Sunday morning at the
Exum residence in Southeast Van Alstyne. Taylor
was taken to Wilson N Jones Hospital at Sherman,
where he was said to be in a serious condition
Monday noon. Examination revealed that a shotgun
charge struck him in the lower right part of the
abdomen.
According to the story told officers by alleged
witnesses of the shooting, a group of young men
had been gambling at the Exum residence. As the
party was leaving the house a man stepped to the
door and called the name of a member of the party,
other than Taylor, and fired in the direction from
which he heard the answer. The youth whose name
was called had won practically all of the money in
the game, it was said. Taylor, the witness said,
had not taken part in the game.
In the darkness, one member of the group slipped
away and reached a telephone on which he called
City Marshall W L Echols and informed him of the
shooting. The man who fired the shot is said to
have held his gun on the group for some time after
the shooting , preventing them from going to
Taylor's assistance.
When Mr Echols arrived at the scene a search was
made for Exum, but he could not be found.
Exum was employed in a domino hall here and
Taylor, son of Mr and Mrs Will Taylor of Van
Alstyne, was operator of a motion picture machine
in a local theater.
It is understood that a group assembled at the
Exum residence between 11 and 12 o'clock Saturday
night.
Five of those present at the time of the shooting
pleaded guilty in the city court here Sunday
morning when they were arraigned on charges of
gambling. They paid fines of $8.29 each, according
to Mayor J M McLemore, who presides over the city
court. A sixth member of the party is charged with
gambling, but had not appeared late Monday morning
to answer the charge.
Brownwood
Bulletin
Wed Mar 13, 1929
Murder Charge Filed by Jury in Sherman Case
Sherman, Tex., March 13-
An Hour before Alvin Exum was placed in the county
jail here yesterday, after being returned from
Duncan, Okla., by a deputy sheriff, an indictment
charging him with murder in connection with the
fatal shooting of Lelden Taylor at Van Alstyne,
March 3, was returned to the grand jury.
Exum was also indicted on charges of selling
intoxicating liquor.
Taylor was shot near Exum's residence early in the
morning as a group of men were leaving the house
after a game at which Taylor had been a onlooker,
witnesses told the county attorney.
The Whitewright Sun,
Thur, March 14, 1929
Exum Capture in Oklahoma Tuesday
Sherman -An hour before Alvin Exum was placed in
the county jail Wednesday, after being returned
from Duncan, Okla., by a deputy sheriff, an
indictment charging him with murder in connection
with the fatal shooting of Leldon Taylor at Van
Alstyne, March 3, was returned by a grand jury.
Exum also was indicated on charges of selling
intoxicating liquor.
Taylor was shot near Exum's residence early in the
morning as a group of men were leaving the house
after a game at which Taylor had been an onlooker,
witnesses told the county attorney.
Denton Record-Chronicle
Thur Jun 27, 1929
Man Changes Plea and is sentenced in slaying case.
Sherman , Jun 27-Changing his plea form not guilty
to guilty Alvin Exum was sentenced to five years
in the penitentiary yesterday for murdering Leldon
Taylor of Van Alstyne. Exum changed his plea after
four witnesses had testified in his trial.
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