New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-11-12
CITY ITEMS.
ment Offices


CHARGES AGAINST THE CoRoNER.-At the
sitting of the Board Of Supervisors on Monday sundry
accusations against Coroner GER, which have be-
fore been made the subject of some newspaper dis.
cussion, were brought up in the Report of the Com
mittee upon his bill Of charges for inquests alleged
to have been held by him. The Report was accom-
panied by great number of afidavi,s going to prove
the grossest corruption on the part OF the Coroner
and his Assistant Persons swear that IN cases
where certificate was given to the effect that reg
ular inquest had been held and the names of Jurors
signed, there was no inquest at ALL and the names
were accordingly forged upon the certificate. We
copy the testimony of one of these witnesses
state Of Nec- York, CRY and County of Neu- York.
IS: William Thatcher, of said City, deposes and
says that he was IN the employ of the Governors OF
New-YoTk Hospital, and was so IN their employ for
sixteen months past, having the entre charge OF
the dead house there up TO Mdrch, 1911 thal dtter
Seth Geer had first become Coroner, ana about two
months after entering upon his duties, he came INTO
the dead house to hold an inquest on the body OF
man who had died suddenly after holding such in
quest he asked de pOnent what body that was lying
At a short distance from where The Coroner and de.
pOnent stood deponent replied that It was man
who had died without friends and would be sent 10
Poter's Field tins deponent said tina, II was not
COrOners case, and 40 inquest was necessary the
Coroner said, " damn it, give him 10 me- or we
VIII have him
The Coroner then handed me lOUr S1lIUngS, dnd
gave me corOners certificate for the burial OF that
body setting 70 IN that an inquest was held on him
az that time and dcpOnen saith that the Coroner dld
not then, or at any other time, hold an inquest on
the body last lmed, or examine It, or remove IN
any wav That from that time up 10 about four or
five months past, the Coroner has been Ia the con-
slant habit OF giving certificates where lnqueSiS
have not been held or required, ami great number
of such certificates have been given. That when
persons died at the hospital, tney were al once
brought into the dead house BY the nurses. and
given into depOneuts charge, and dep0neni had
thereafter The entire and sole control over the 50
that 10 uIy could inspect the same, and no Inquest
be held without deponent'S knowledge. That de.
pOnents duty was then to go to the Alms-iouS and
get certificate for the burial OF the DOdy OUT IN
almost all such cases, depOnent has, al the toroners
REQUEST taken the certificate of the Clerk of the
Hospital TO the Coroner or hls deputy instead OF the
Aims House and the Coroner has given certificate
of burial setting forth that an inquest hdl been hcld
when none had been held
Deponent also says that there has not been one ac-
iual inquest held in the Hospital for more IMAM
month past that the constant habit there Is for the
Coroner and Assistan Coroner to take the evidence
of the doctor, without Jury or Other ceremony
then roll up the nquistion and put 1t III his pocket
and go away after which the BODY is dlSpOSed oi Oh
his certificate as before mentioned.
That, unless the case is publicly notorious, OF
likely 10 call for a criminal prosecution, such as
siabbng, &C no Jury is had, ana This Is me uSudi
and almost invariaDc practice.
And deponent saws that, about eight months ago,
The Coroner told deponent that when no inquest was
required he should take the certlhcate OF the terA
OF the Hospital to Mr.. Bleakley, the Assistant
Coroner) and get 1t exchanged for a Coroners GER
t6cate without letting said Coroner know anything
about IT, and II would be all right
Deponent further says that he has taken AZ least
ten cases OF the kind AMI nature above menionedto
the Coroner when they should be taken to the Aims
House and when no inquest should nave oeen held,
and then and in such cases the Coroner has gwen
Co'oner's certificate when no such ceftincatc was
necessary or required by Jaw.
And deponent say that he vol unt lrlly gave noI-
nation OF the matters hereinbefore contained 70 MI.
Florentine and Mr.. Rome, without any lnducement
or mention OF same from or 10 any o.ner person or
persons whomsoeyer, and that shortly aferward,
viz in the month of March, 1851 this deponent was
discharged from the service OF the Governors, &C,
of the Hospital. because deponent had been party
10 and aided said Coroner in the matters aioresalo
and for no other cause whatsoever
WILLIAM THATCHER.
Sworn, March 81. 1881, before me.
WW II SPARKS Commission OF Deeds
Cry INSPECTORS OFFICE, Newly ork, Nov III, 1871
We now wait to see what reply Coroner Geer
and Assistant Coroner Beakley have TO make TO these
charges and the testimony by which they are sup
ported Either their reply must utterly overset the
whole case or they are lost men IN this community
IRE.-Iesterday morning, about CLOCK
fire occurred in the liquor store OF Mrs DeliananS
trict were soon on the ground and eNtngulshed me
flames before any material damage occurred. Inc
police of the Eighth Ward were on the spot ana
preserved order.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. Monday
Morgan IN the Chalr--Some petitions were present
ed for relief from tax Referred
The Committee reported IN favor of renting TAX
10 persons named. Adopted.
rtnort WAS adopted in favor of increasing the
nav Of MI Blunt District Attorney, from 80 500 TO
5000 a wear, the late Law dong away with the ex-
ira fees except TO motions also allowing MN
$50 year for a clerk.
Areport was adopted, permitting the Clerks at the
Resi>tary Office to have lights al the office lhtheIo
piohihited on account Of fire. so as to write IN the
evening
some bills for advertising were received and re-
ferred