The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-03
BEGINNING OF HIS CAREER OF CRIME,
He Was RaI.ed at Hanover Courthouse
and Became Thoroughly Familiar
with All County Court Matters.
His First False Step-Pa-
thetic AIIusion to His Wife
and Parents-NarDing
to Young Men,

l
fact that the State laws regarding war
rants and the payment of the same Dy
| the State Auditor were 80 lax that thefe
was unbounded opportunity for fraud.
Siace his conviction Burnley Taylor has
been confined In the city jail. his ren-
| tence having been suspended IN oroer
| that he might appear as a witness
! against q. B. Terry, Of sing Niihain
| county who was accused OF Deihs MS
accompiice Jerry's case was tried Tor
| the second time a few days since; ne
! was acquitted, ana sentence "as paS'su
| upon Taylor. VINO VIII be removed 10
the penitentiary within a few days
| rkcULAiIUxs txAGGEg.I.n.
When he was visited last evening by
| a Times reporter he talked quite lreely
| about his case. and about the loose state
| laws that made IT possible lor such
| forgeries TO be perpetrated without ue-
| lection. lie spoke OF the fact that II
| had been repeatedly said that ne had
| taken during the last nine years amounts
| aggregating anywhere from S9,vo 10
| $4,000. This, he said, was great eN-
| sggeraton; that he was satished the
amount would not reach 5000. all told.
AS an evidence that the State had no
| check upon its county officials, ana mat
| their opportunities for theft were almost
| limtless he said that when tomlnls-
sioner Of the Revenue OF King William
| county he had been accustomed TO bring
warrants oh the Auditor FOR the keep OK
! the prisoners from the Jailer. IL a war
| rant were for $50, for instance, II was
| very easy for him TO change the number
of prisoners certified to by the jailer.
and make the sum almost any amount
| he desired.
TAYLoRs confession.
Taylor said he had been thinking deep
~ over his past errors since his con-
| victon, and wished TO make a simple
-
events which led up 10 his Illegal acts.
| IN the hope that Il might save t0me
| young men from taking the same fatal
step, His statement reads as follows:
| Having lately been convicted OF
| forgery in the Hastings Court Of the
| city OF Richmond, and having also been
| a witness for the Commonwealth in Il
! similar case against Mr.. George B. Terry,
who was acquitted. | desire 10 give 10
! the public a statement OF the whole mat
ter. not as a vindication OF what / have
! done. but that those VINO have only heard
my evidence In courtroom, when under
| the excitement OF most severe cross
! examination. may have construed my ap-
pearance as such witness against Mr..
| Terry as a desire 10 accomplish his con-
| victiOn by falsehOOd and 10 shield my
self. and for those who have in the past
been my friends. and who even now
might retain within their hearts some
spark Of pity for the miserable subject
OF this writing
HIS FIRsT msrAKr.
Having been reared from my boyhood
in the clerks Office OF Hanover county.
/ was thoroughly acquainted with the
modes Of allowing and collecting claims
| against the Commonwealth which IL
indeed very loose one and open 10
fraud. At an early age ! developed the
| desire to be popular with the masses by
| liherality and soclablilly in drinking.
| This habit, contracted In early youth.
| q 4 m q on
| became considerably involved in debt.
without the means Of payment. Then u
was that the temptation came upon me
; to take advantage OF this opportunity 70
sin held out 10 me I'm the deficiency IN
| the law, as stated. ! appeased my con-
science by saying | was not cSing 10 all
for my own benefit, as othAs would
| share the il-gotten gains, and besides
IL did not come out OF the pocket OF any
individual. but out Of the public treas
| ury, and no particular person wouid
be affected thereby and none De the
| wiser. SO, fired by whisky 10 despera-
tion. / took the first step. Small ac-
| counts We're raised TO larger amounts,
and under the sting OF cOnscieuE.N The
thirst for liquor grew upon me, which
made me more bold. and with a desire
to accommodate everybody who claimed
| my assistance fOr God knows ! never
refused a single mOrtaD, / begun 10 make
| out accounts using fcticlOus names but
| up 10 about the middle of the year 1894
| / had never drawn one from any county
| except King William and Hanover. Then
II was that j conceived the idea that the
| claims could be drawn as well from other
| counties as those mentioned, without
detection, II they did not all come from
me. and have the entire claim and en-
dorsement thereon in my handwriting.
wANTFD cosrfDER,Ti.
| I therefore ccnfided my belief 10 Mr..
| Terry, stating 10 him that | was certain
| 4 ha done III Wn1lll
| me. lie at first demurred. saying we
| might be caught j then explained that
II would be almost impossible 10 be dis
| covered as ! had often done the same
thing in Hanover and King William.
With this assurance on my part, We
| began the work which has caused nm
so much trouble and suffering, and me
my all L 10 not ineend 10 speak dls-
| paragngly of Mr.. Terry, as he ls not
50 much TO be censured. having been
led into il by me. and IL Is with SIN
cerity that ! say / am truly glad that
he is free Of it
you the remorse Of conscience, the mlserG 6
OF both mind and body, that j sunere,-
| during the years that this wretched WORK
was being done. My mlnd was never y.
comfort in deep drink. Ny nervous
system was entirely unstrung BY this
continued strain upon my mind by the
thoughts of the wrongs that ! had done,
follow. I actually courted death. which
| would eventually have been the result
| in A few more months had not justice
| first claimed me as It's victim. / do
| not saN In order 10 Justify myself. that
| I was so drunk that did not know what
| | was doing, but | do say that | would
| never have committed these forgeries
except for WHISKY. | cannot possibly
enumerate the money claims. nor can
| make any accurate estimate OF the
amount. but to say that II was as much
| as 50 900 ~ a large exaggeration, which
I never admitted.
WINS YOUNG MN
| do not make this statement with q
l desire to influence the public mind IN
| my behalf as many will unchartably be-
| leve, put for the reasons stated, and with
the hope that my career thus explained
may stop some wayward youth 10 think
ere he falls into th@ same path OF SIM
which leads only TO misery and disgrace
and swear as II / were about to enter
| the presence of my Maker. 1T Is the truth.
| Those who know me best vii. believe
II.
Ia passing from the stage OF active
life into utter oblivion. I make the above
statement with feelings OF the deeDest
have brought upon those whom | love
so dearly. Ny heart bieeds to think OF
my aged and enfeebed mother and
father my most noble wife who has
borne with me my disgrace with forti-
tude impossible 10 describe: my sisters
and brothers, whose hearts have been
made to ache at my indiscretions. and
by me and charitably comforted me in
nv deep humiliation. j can only prom
Use them that should survive my punish
| ment my Ufe'S aim VIII be 10 redeem.