Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-09-16
II YEARS
TO AROUSE UNCLE
SAM TO ACTION
Clerk, WrongfuIly 0usted, Is Rein.
stated and Fired Again.
HIS CLAIM STILL DRAGS ON

Acquitted by Court Of Charge for
Which He Was Dismissed From the
Postal Service-Spends Years Seek
Ing Justice From the Government
Trial judge Calls His the Most
Outrageous Case Ever Brought
Against an Official OF Government"
one evening In May. 1911. George
X. Taylor. aged sixty. who had been
postal clerk for sixteen years with
good record In Richmond Va, counted
up his money, locked his safe and
called 1t u day.
While walking home few minutes
later from station II. where he was
employed. two post office inspectors
stopped him and directed him to re-
veal the money In his pockets. Therein
was found the modest sum of 80 cents.
They, accompanied him back to the
office and required him to open his
safe ana show his accounts. one of
them fingered through pile of bills
taken from the safe. Presently he dis
covered $50 of marked money.
A confused explanation was given
by the surprised clerk. The two in
spectors. who with another employee
had set the trap, refused to accept his
story and next day, May H. he Was
dismissed. charged with stealing $50
from the United States government.
Thus began chain of injustice that
continues down to this hour. ac-
quiesced in by government slow To
correct a cruel Injury to one Of Its
employees. Taylor's case is part of
the unfinished business of the house
committee on claims.
Verdict Of Not Guilty.
Taylor was brought 10 trial the fol
lowing October In the United States
Court for the Eastern District Of Vir-
ginIa before Judge Edmund Waddill.
Jr.
The inspectors who appeared against
him. and their reports To Washington
on the case, stated that for some time
before the arrest there We're reports
of funds missing from Station u. They
finally arranged with r. W. Schieck.
the superintendent. To leave som"
marked bills In the section where
Taylor worked. Schieck testified that
he left the money in his cash drawer
unlocked on May 10, went To lunch.
and that when he returned $50 was
missing.
lie admitted. according to the rec
orIs. that later in the day he cashcd
two money onlers. amounting To S's'.
for Taylor. who had paid them from
his own funds while Schieck was
away. Taylor maintained that he re-
ceivpd the marked money in this way:
that the inspectors found his accounts
tailed. and found about 81 in addition
of surplus change. left on the stamp
counter from time To- time by careless
stamp buyers
ON the other hand, damaging trSti-
mony was brought against the char
acter of Schicck Tn" Assistant his
trict Attorney finally asked that the
jury be instructed 10 return a verdict
OF not guilty as To- Taylor. and this
was done Oct. q. 1911.
Taylor Immediately sought rein
statement and back pay. To his dis
may he learned that the officials AT
Washington we're Yet accepting the
reports Of the inspectors. He was
turned down by the Hitchcock admin
lstration Of the post office department.
He was turned down by the Rnrleson
administration that followed. Storms
Of protest went up In Richmond fol
lowing the trial and subsequently. For
ten years Taylor persisted IL trying 10
get the authorities NJ Washington To
reverse their position and 10 give him
back what was taken from him in MAY
1911.
Reinstated by Harding.