Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-15
FIFTY YEARS SERVICE
INTERESTING CEREMONY IN
$3.50 COURT OF CLAIMS.
Stark B. Taylor Has Been a Bailif
Ever Since the Court Was
Organized.

An unusual ceremony occurred in tie
Court of Claims this morning. when the
bench and bar Joined in demonstration
OF esteem and affection for Mr.. Stark b.
Taylor for fifty years the bailif of the
court Tie service of Mr.. Tay-or Is CO.
Incident with the existence of the court, he
having been appointed to his position when
the court was created. and having first per-
formed the duties of his Office on May 10
1855. the day the first Court of Claims of
the United States met. The day was made
memorable by another fact also. Judge
George w. Atkinson of West Virginia. APP
pointed to the bench of the Court of Ca ms
last month by President Roosevelt TO sue
coed Judge Weldon. appeared on the Dench
for the first time today and was lntro-
duced by the chief Justice. The court was
opened at IL o'clock this morning and alter
the usual ceremonies Chief Justice MOTT m
troduced Judge Atkinson. Inc comI.ss-o.
of the new justice was read by the clerk OF
the court after which the chief justice read
the decisions of the court in cases that nao
been passed upon.
A Memorial Presented.
When this business had been concluded
Mr.. l.. A. Pradt, assistant attorney gen.
eral. asked leave of the court to submit a
memorial on behalf of the members OF the
bar The memorial related to the service
of Mr. Taylor. 1t recited that after Ten
years service in the army OF the on-t &c,
States which service included the war pc
tween this country and Mexico. MT. tdSloi
was appointed a messenger in the newly Or
ganized Court of Claims, May 10, 1919. oii
the recommendation of Mr.. Jefferson DAVIS
then Secretary of War: Since that time,
the memorial recited. Mr.. Taylor service
has been most faithful. Mr.. Pradt intro
duced Mr. George King of the bar 10 sec
Ond the memorial . 80
Mr. King made an EXTENDED stateHienI L., ~
the service of the court and of the baliiir.
He spoke of the organization OF the court
and of the fact that its anniversary was
also the anniversary of its balliH MI. ray
lor he said was born in 1Szo ana Came "
the court as it's messenger, or bain1, Wneh
thirty-iye years of age. No member or the
court of that day is now living Inc ser
ice of Mr.. Taylor has been remarhdpie,
Mr. King said He has been more tnan the
ordinary bailiff He is the custodian OF the
printed records of the court, and Is prob
ably more familiar with the RECORDS imam
any other living man. On pehaH Oh the os,t
Mr. King then begged leave TO present u
Mr.. Taylor a slight testimonial or the es-
tenn i'm which he is held. He then pre-
sented Mr. Taylor with gold-headed cane,
appropriately inscribed.
Mr.. Taylor's Response.
Mr.. Taylor made a brief reply to the ad-
dress of MIR. King, in which he thanked the
court and the bar for the many kindnesses
shown him. During his fifty years service,
he said he had never heard a cross word
spoken or an unkind act mentioned either
by the court the members OF the bar.
Chief Justice Mott briefly addressed the bar
and the bailiff in concluding the exercises.
He said he regarded it as especially fitting
and appropriate that such action should be
taken by the bar. A long and faithful serv-
ice is something that every man looks upon
with honor and respect and when that
service reaches the limits of half century,
then the servant is a man to be held high
in the esteem and honor of those about
him. To Mr.. Taylor he said the bench
Joined with the bar in its fluctuations OF
the day. 1t was then ordered that the me-
mortal and proceedings be spread upon the
minutes of the court.
Mr. Taylor is said to be enc of the oldest
officers of any court in the world in point
of service. He is a native of Virginia, and
was educated in the schools of his county.
AT an early age he came to this city and
enlisted in the ordnance department of the
army, soon attaining the highest grade of
service for an enlisted man. He was first
sergeant at the outbreak of the war with
Mexico. and was detailed a member of
party of experts on explosives to accom-
pany General Scott. Mr.. Taylor partici-
pated in all the battles in which General
SCOTS army was engaged. On his return
to the states Mr.. Taylor took up his resi-
dence in the District He was married May
10. 1851. and on May 10. 1855, he was APP
pointed TO his present position Mr.. Taylor
is well known in Masonic circles, and is
very popular with the members of the bar
of the Court of Claims.