Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-06-23
The once Of Coroner-Abuscs Of which II
irefs the Occasiou.


The once Of Coroner-Abuse. Of which IL
n the Occasiou.
II Is natural that men who seek Office for
the sake Of its emoluments, should, on having
obtained il, be willing to make those emolu-
ments as extensive as possible. Nor, when
their efforts are confined to faithful dis
charge of their official duties and rigid col
lection of the fees that appertain to the same,
is there aught in this of which to complain.
But there is tendency-especially when the
public is the party to pay-not only to in
crease unnecessarily the amount of nominal
service, but TO swell the bills of costs charged
for the same, until abuses, in themselves to-
tally indefensible, by the force of custom
acquire the appearance of rights, and what,
at first was no better than pilfering, comes to
be recognized as possessing all the qualities
of an absolute estate
At present we apply these remarks TO the
office of CORONER, and to what are called its
duties, as they are discharged in Settles of
the first-class" in the State Of Ohio, to wit: in
Cincinnati. Whether the present Coroner is
worse or better than his predecessors, we
want the light to be able to affirm with the
proper certainty. Whether the abuses of the
Law or the reason of the Office are greater
here than in other first-class cities, we do not
know; probably not. We, therefore, intend
merely to speak of things and practices as
they are showing how they are wrong, and
lead to that which it is difficult to distinguish
from acts public robbing.
The duty ofthe Coroner is to inquire into
the causes of unnatural death, where there is
reason to suspect the agency of criminal de-
sign, or, as it is expressed in standard work
upon American law, ito hold inquests over
dead bodies, where there is reason to suspect
violence, and to procure the verdict of jury
upon the cause of the death;" or, as stated by
an eminent English writer, to inquire 'when
any person is slain, or dies suddenly, or in
prison, concerning the manner of his DEATH"
The first abuse to be noticed is the increas-
ing, unnecessarily, the number Of inquests.
No sooner is a Coroner elected than he is
surrounded by band of professional jurors
and witnesses, each of whom finds it for his
interest to hunt up cases, and to place them
in such light as to induce the officer to think
there is reason to make them the subjects Of
inquiry. The effect of this practiseis topro-
mote inquests in cases when the cause of
death is perfectly palpable, and where there
is no room for suspicion of foul play of any
kind. A man drops down in the street from
sun-stroke, in the sight of dozen others.
Nobody doubts how he came to his end; yet
i'll comes the Coroner, jury is impanneled,
witnesses are sworn, testimony taken, and
formal verdict, "died by the visitation of
God" or from some cause TO the jury un-
known" puts the public in possession of
rather "a small sum of intelligence, at the cost
of considerable sum of money. A man
is kicked on the knee by horse, inflammation
supervenes, he is carried to the hospital, and
in few days is carried off, The cause Of
death is entirely visible; yet the fact that it
has occurred reaches the ears of the Coroner
there is an inquest, a post-mortem examina-
ton, witnesses, verdict, and costs to add to
the burdens that fall upon the people. How
large ratio of the inquests holden in this
city are totally and palpably unnecessary, it
is not easy to learn; but it is safe-so we are
informed by those who have given attention
to the matter-to say that a majority are of
this character.
The next abuse is the various devices re-
sorted by the surroundings of the Coroner;
to swell the cost of each inquisition. To
give an instance of this, we may refer to the
frequency of post-mOrtsm examinations. Cor
oners have their friends of the surgical pro-
fession; and, however apparent may be the
cause of the demise, autopsy comes in as
matter of course, and the bill follows, to be
met out of the treasury. For example, in
there was no room to question the means by
which the deceased was deprived of life.
There it was upon the surface-a fatal stab,
and death almost instantly ensuing; yet in
comes the doctor, produces his instruments,
cuts open the victim, gets his name into the
papers, is suspected of being prodigy of
wisdom for finding what every body knew
was there, and puts handsome aggregate of
dollars in his pocket. We have been fur
nished with the outlines of good many
cases, illustrative Of the foregoing remarks,
but have the space only to refer to them in
this general manner.
There is another form of abuse, in that
Coroners not unfrequently assume to pro-
nounce upon the guilt or innocence of sus-
pected parties. This, at present, is not within
the province of the Coroner and when he or
his juries take it upon themselves to condemn
or acquit, or even to accuse or excuse, they
do that which is entirely beyond any powers
with which they are legally invested.
II is question worthy of consideration,
whether under our better state of society,
and more perfect forms of legal proceeding
the office of Coroner might not be safely dis
pensed with, as it has been in several States
of the Union. But, that, at any rate, the
Coroner in Office should keep within the line
of his duty, and take conscientious view of
the case before he burdens the public with
the cost of an inquest, is what nobody will
be inclined TO dispute.
Ghastly Entertainments for the Japanese
The Bennett Matinee 90 the Embassy.
Mr.. and Mrs. James Gordon Bennett, oi
New York and the notorious Herald, gave a
matinee to the Japanese Embassy on Thurs
day, at their villa on the Hudson