The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-05
WORKED FORTY ONE YEARS
WITHOUT RAISE IN SALARY
Now Council Is Preparing to
Give Coroner Taylor a
Lift of $3.50.

Coroner William H. Taylor is before
the City Council for a raise in salary
from s2.25O to $4,000 year. Council
man Lumsden having presented Il rcso-
luton to that effect on Monday night
He was persuaded by Judge Guiyon
TO take the job of Coroner forty-onc
years ago, to be exact. on July II.
1872. lie has held il ever since. with
never a word of complaint against
him
Few of the living know anything
about his work, Of it's disagrceablc feu-
lures am! it's constant and growing de-
mands. only the police and the ncws-
paper men. who follow him on his 81
lent trails. know OF his long vigils and
the Erucsomc details Of his duty. He
is the only official IN the city who IS
always on duty. tho only official who
has never asked for and never received
a raise. Though his eyes still twinkle
with the piercing glance Of youth and
his mind Is inquisitively active. Coro-
ner Taylor is growing old. He has
seen scYenty eight springs bloom into
tho fulnesS Of summer and iii" in the
winters snow Ecfor. lie shall come
up for reappointmcnt again lac Will
have reached his cightieth year. lie
would prefer the tribute OF his worth
paid him in AN increase OF salary than
have hrst-class obituary written or
him after he has gone 10 his vast
constituency.
The work Of the Coroncr's Office has
increased so much In late Years that
Or Taylor Was forced 10 give UP his
professorship AT tho old Medical COL
leg. az Virginia Formerly he was
paid in fees for his work, hat at his
own request MAS paid ~ regular sal
AIRY. though the foe system paid him
more.
For forty-ome years hc has never
had a vacation. for when hc once spoke
OF the matter % the late Judge witt
he was told that he would be ycspon-
siblo for tho acts OF his deputy. 50
h. dares not take a vacation. There
are no perQuis;tcs 10 his Office. neither
the city nor state pays any OF his cX-
p.ns.s. and III All his long career no
other has ever been employed TO fol-
low o. explain u mystery. He per
forms all the expert work OF his Of
fee, and Richmond has never had III
any Of its courts war OF experts over
- case that has come up from the Coro-
ner's Office Some years ago the city
established morguc and placed Il
man in charge or IL Later the city
abolished the morguc and dismissed
the man. Coroner Taylor has 10 at
tend TO the removal or all dead bodies
which come under his notice. and In
many instances he carries them him
self. he has performed work which
has made even physicians i'll and has
( even driven the redouhtablc chris
Baker. Of tho old Medical College OF
Virginia. 10 cover And Chris has
worked in dssecting room and
played with dead mems bones nearly
ali his life.
DR.. TAYLOR performs all the work at
,ached TO his Office. goes 10 court.
and has never called in an assistant.
Ills wide knowledge OF electricity and
science generally stands him in good
stead. and has relieved the city from
employing other experts.
In all manner OF weather. at all times
or the day and night Dr Taylor must
80 when duty calls him. and he does
20. without a word OF complaint He
goes into dangerous places. into the
silent places of tragedy. into the wall
Ing homes OF sudden death. and often
he is alone, But though his work Is
Of such nature rs 10 harden most men.
Dr. Taylor has never lost the quality
of sympathy lie has aided as much
any one man in Richmond In the
Furnishing OF the guilty, and many an
innocent man who has fallen under
relenting energy OF Dr. Taylor. Coro-
ncr Taylor was last appointed by Judge
Witt. Judge Richardson has said that
he deserves an increase in salary, and
! has commended him as one OF the most
/ valuable officials the city has. His
( friends think IL would be but a grace
/ full recognition OF his invaluable worth
to remember him while he is living,
rather than to commend him when he is
gone. They say that remembrance in
\ life is worth all the obituaries ever
written. Yesterday Coroner Taylor
made n little black mark In little
scented the s.9o4th case that has come
before him