On the evening of November 12, 1905, Chief of Police Samuel Taylor, age 42, was fatally wounded in Barnesboro, Pennsylvania. Taylor, who had served as the Chief of Police for two years, was responding to a disturbance call when he encountered an intoxicated man who had fired three shots through the door of a residence, slightly wounding an occupant.
Taylor located the suspect at a nearby home and, with the help of a deputized citizen, attempted to arrest him.
The suspect initially agreed to accompany Taylor and the citizen back to Barnesboro, but as they walked about 100 yards toward town, the suspect pulled a revolver from his boot and shot Taylor once in the face before firing four more shots and fleeing the scene. Taylor was taken to a local doctor and then transported to a hospital in Philadelphia for surgery. Despite initial hopes for his recovery, Taylor's condition worsened, and he succumbed to his injuries on November 27, 1905.
The suspect remained at large, and it is not known if he was ever apprehended. Local newspapers reported in 1910 that the suspect was still at large. Taylor was survived by his wife and six daughters.
Taylor's death was a tragic event that shook the small community of Barnesboro. His dedication to his duty and the ultimate sacrifice he made in the line of duty are remembered and honored by his family, friends, and fellow officers.
