Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-11-05
T,~ svvs.iey Tayssr Case.


The fact that Burnley Taylor was abe
to foist upon the State more than ="
forged court-orders shows that there u
an anna ling looseness somewhere IN our
laws. These orders we're not collected Dy
TAYLOR himself. but through banks. law
yers. and merchants Of this ctty--all these
persons supposIng that the orders were
genuine. and all OF them having give"
Taylor therefor goods. credit. or cash.
II IL unfortunate that when the Forged
orders OF the County Court OF Scott were
discovered several years ago. the Les's'
lature did not pass a law putting a cneck
upoa such ventures In the future. Ger
tainly the Legislature will have 10 ACT
now. Burnley Tayior's 200 forged orders'
amounting to $1,000 or $4,000. Will argue
very elouuently in favor OF early anu
positive action.
II seems to us that the Legislature
could absolutely bar all future frauds OF
this character by requiring the county
Judge TO forward to the Auditor AT 'he
close OF each term list OF the SUMS
that he has allowed as payable out OF inc
public treasury. stating also to whom
these orders are payable, and the totai
thereof. And the Auditor ought 10 DE
directed by law to pay no court order
until he had received this list OF claims
allowed. and compared the order with 1t.
This course would put an embargo upon
all forgeries such az Taylor's. Ii Is true
that II might cause some delay In the
pavment of claims: but the delay would
not be long, and would be excusable,
because IL seems impossible for the Com
monwealth to protect itself in any other
way.
Taylor has made confession In wnich
he declares that whiskey was the cause
of his trouble: that 0ftentimes he hardly
knew what he was doing. but that he
does not believe his forgeries will exceed
5000 in amount. But the counsel for
Terrell have Investigated the case fully
enough to warrant them in declaring
that the forged papers which they have
discovered in the Auditors office number
at least 200, and that they represent
$4,000 or $4,000 taken from the State
Treasury. And 1t IL quite likely that
full and complete investigation will result
in the discovery of many other forged
papers OF his. There Is no telling Row
long Taylor might have continued to de-
fraud the public treasury had he confined
his operations to the counties OF Hanover
and King William: but he fell into trou-
BILE soon after he extended the field OF
his operations to embrace other counties
| He was known to have. or to have had
Official connection with Hanover and King
| william counties. and when he offered
court orders purportIng to have been
issued in those counties no suspicion was
| aroused; but not SO with the orders that
| he or his assigns offered purporting to be
| from other counties. II lie true that he
passed a considerable number Of these.
| but in the end they proved his undoing.
We suppose that the Governor and Au-
ditor Marye will recommend such legisla-
ton as will put a stop to all other such
fraudulent enterprises. No doubt the
Legislature will be prompt to act. and
| meanwhile the innocent instruments
of Taylor's evil-dOing will be called upon
to refund the money that they have
| collected