The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-29
CORONER TAYLOR
GETS JOB AGAIN
Has Already Held Office Tor
Forty Years, and Nobody
Opposes Him.
MADE FoUR-YEAR TERM NOW
Faithful Officer Admits That
Dead People Don't Scare
or Worry Him.

DR.. William H. Taylor. after two
score years of service to the public,
was yesterday rcappointcd by Judge
witt coroner OF the city OF Richmond
for 4 term OF four years. an act OF
the last Legislature having Increased
the term from two years to four.
DIR. Taylor was first appointed cor
oner In 1872, and he has served unin-
terruptedly In that rather thankless
position ever since. But. he says, Il
have found that dead people are more
agreeable than live ones, and through
many years acquaintance have be-
come rather attached to them.
Dead people" he said, never in
tentionally bother one. and they are
never actively malignant. Dead peo-
pie have never hurt me. and | suppose
they have never hurt any one else"
During his long service Coroner
Taylor has viewed $3.50 cases up to
the present time. The eases, he says,
arc rapidly increasing, owing 10 the
increase of territory, and he now aver
ages ono q day. lie has had as many
as six in ono day.
No Disaster Like That.
But l have never had disaster
like my predecessor of 100 years ago.
he said. lie was referring 10 the
theatre fire, memorial services TO the
victims of which were celebrated this
week in Monumental Church. DIR. Tay-
Tor attended the services.
DIR. Taylor was rcappointcd without
opposition. When he appeared in the
Hastings Court yesterday morning
Judge witt asked him If he were WILL
ing to serve.
"Have you any one else?" DIR. Taylor
inquired.
NO one" replied the court.
We'll. I'll take the job again, said
the coroner. I've been at II for forty
years next July. and I'm willing to try
1t for another forty years. Ii nothing
intervenes and my assistant is not re-
quircd TO sit in review over me, I'll
be eighty years old when this term is
finished"
You have been faithful and cfl-
Client officer" said Judge Witt, "and
it gives me pleasure to appoint you
for another term. | feel assured that
tho public will want no other" Dir.
Taylor Will take the oath OF office on
January 1.
Not Hardened by His Work.
Though he has often been the sub
jcct of carping criticism. there is no
man In all l,ichmond who has n more
affectionnte heart or wider sympathies
than Dr.. Taylor. His work has not
hardened him or embittcred his soul,
and there Is no man who has more or
deeper sympathy for those who have
fallen by the waysidc and gone down
into the dregs of humanity than he.
He likes the work, he says. both from
the scientific aspect and from the hu-
manitarinn point of view. He has
what some think peculiar views on
woman and religion. But his gospc.
and his creed are of kindness. and
for the woman III distress or the wo-
man whose weakness .as caused her
to stoop to folly there is none who
has a more Astounding sympathy.
His position calls for the most la
borious duties. lie goes out at all
hours of the day. and is called at all
hours during the night. But he has
never uttered a word of complaint.
He Is as kindly and benignant in tho
morgue as he is by his own cheerful
trcsidc. And as one who knows him
well said of him, He IS a scholar and
a gentleman. and more than that one
cannot say"