William Taulbee
In December, 1887 William P. Taulbee, son of a Kentucky state senator, ordained Methodist minister and a U. S. Congressman, dubbed the “Mountain Orator” for his ability to sway public opinion with his speeches, was “outed” as a filanderer in a newspaper story written by Charles E. Kincaid, a Washington correspondent for a Louisville newspaper.
The story disclosed that Taulbee was having an affair with a young woman who worked at the Patent Office. The result was Mrs. Taulbee leaving him. Because of the bad publicity the congressman declined to run for reelection but stayed in Washington to practice law.
Thus began a feud between the two men. The tall, athletic William Taulbee would torment the short, skinny Charles Kincaid every chance he got. On one occasion, the former congressman tossed Kincaid across a hallway; on another he slammed his heel down on Kincaid’s foot and held it there while the reporter screamed in pain.
The torment continued until February 28, 1890.
About noon that day Charles Kincaid went to the Capitol to interview someone for a story. There he ran into William Taulbee. Kincaid told Taulbee he was busy and wanted no trouble.
Taulbee felt differently, telling him in a threatening tone that Kincaid had better go armed if he knew what was good for him.
Two hours later the two again encountered each other, in the Capitol restaurant. Upon seeing Taulbee, Charles Kincaid pulled out a gun and shot William Taulbee in the face. He immediately surrendered.
Taulbee died on March 11th from his wound.
After a trial at which several congressmen testified in his favor, Charles Kincaid was found not guilty. He returned to Kentucky and later served on the Kentucky Railroad Commission and later returned to the newspaper business.
He died in 1906 at the age of 51.
