The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-30
FOUL PLAY OR ACCIDENT 2
How CorOners' InquestS Fail to
Enlighten.
FINDING A VERDICT IN A HURRY.
Eleven Gases Disposed Of in One Day
nAttempt to Solve the Mystery
Identified by Accident.

the brains OF New York for many u day is that at
tending the disappearance OF James W. Coulson,
late reporter OF the HERALD. The investigation
of this case Will lead every serous-mnded resident
of our city to inquire how far life is safe, and to
what extent The hundreds OF mysterious dlsap-
pearances which cumber the columns OF the daily
papers or remain forever unreported, except in
the little circles they may have rendered desoate-
how many of these mysteries are murders or ac-
cidents. The case OF Mr.. COulson is of the most
suggestive of these, and it Is furthermore sug-
gestve OF inquiry as to the efficiency OF our COrO-
ners' service. 1t will be well to briefly recapitulate
the circumstances under which he disappeared.
THE DISAPPEARANCE.
On Wednesday, the 23d inst Mr.. COulson was de-
tailed in the line OF his regular duty to report re-
ceptiOn given by the officers Of the new mman
steamer City Of Chester, then lying at her dock
OF Spring street, North River. At three O'Clock a
friend met him ut the reception and remained IN
his company during the festivities, and the two
departed together at five O'Clock in the after
noon. At halrpast five the two parted in Canal
street, MIR. Couson moving away to catch Univer.
sty place car and his companion turning in an op-
posite direction. That was
THE LAST
that was seen OF him alive by friend or acquaint-
ance, so lar as known. From one of the most
populOus centres OF the city, at an hour when
1t Is more pOpulous than at any other time, he
sinks out of lie, to be recovered three
days alterward, a boated, almost unrecogniz-
able sembance Of humanity-that dark mystery.
an unknown corpse" WHAT were the steps that
led him to his dismal grave in the East River
What chain of events forced his young life out in
such black horror ? These are questions to which
no answer Is given.
THE DISCOVERY OF THE BODY.
On Saturday morning, at u few minutes to eight
O'Clock. sixty hours alter he is last seen, officer
Bernard Mechan, stationed on First avenue Is in !
formed by some boys that drowned man Is laying at
the loot oil ForJy-fourth street East River lie re-
pairs to the place and takes description OF the
dead man. The MOrgue wagon comes and hauls
the body to that horrible resting place of the I'M
known dead. The regular superintendent OF the
Morgue, Mr. White, Is absent, but Mr. Moon, the
assistant taxes charge OF the body, ana finds upon
1t nothing by which to identity it except a large
number OF tickets for benefit base BAH
match and a letter, wet as to be illegibe. The
tickets were PUPPY with their long soaking in the
water and the letter was glued to the PUPPY mass
so enectually that only the greatest could dis
entangle its leaves without tearing them. couple
OF shirt studs and collar button were also found
upon him.
THE INQUEST.
Coroner Kesser and his deputy, DR.. Leo being
notified at once held an inquest, having sum-
moned six OF the Bellevue Hospital patients as a
jury. The first testimony taken was that OF Officer
Mecban, as ioliOws:-
TESTIMONY OF THE OFFICER.
officer Bernard Mechan. being duly sworn, says
am attached to the Nineteenth precinct station
house; on Saturday morning, at ten minutes to
eight A. NJ, was on post at First avenue, when
some boys came and told me that there was q man
dr. nd nt hn taot nj Fort rfh Strn
River. I went right or to the dock and took his
description, which was as follows: -LighJ hair,
small light mustache, height about five eet seven
inches, age thirty years, dark-DrOwn coat, black
pants, no vest, striped SHIRT, brown necktle with
white spots and low elastic side shoes. reported
the facts to the station house. The body was after
ward removed to the M0rgue.
TESTIMONY OF THE DEPUTY CORONER.
Dr. Simeon ". Leo, Deputy Coroner. was next
sworn. The following Is mis- testimony:-He had
made an external examination OF the body Of the
DECEASED and found no marks OF violence; the
body, Judging from It's appearance, has been in the
wafer some nve or six days and is now III a some
what advanced stage OF decomposition.
tickets found the body OF Mr. COulsOn were placed
in the o1Oner's hand, and wet as the letter was,
1t seems he was able 10 read few lines OF it, Tor
he remarked to DR.. Leo that the writer was evil
IDENTIFY man OF higher intelligence than usu-
ally to be found on The cold slabs OF the Morgue,
ably was OF IA corresponding character in
THE CAST OF CULTURE.
word or two about sending your next letter
by Atlantic cable" was especially noted by the
Doctor, and he thinks he mentioned those words
to Dr. Leo IN Illustration OF MS belief that the body
now under investigation might be that Of some
sufficiently prominent and respectable to de-
mand a more searching investigation into the
cause OF his death. Just what grace OF respecta-
bIhty is requisite TO insure the potest attentions
OF a Coroner is problem that may be solved by
close study OF the present case. AT any rate Cor
oner Kessler was enabled to read enough OF the
letter to himself that this body could not be
thrust aside without closer investigation and DR..
Leo was sent again to make close search Tor any
II.
The examination was very close one, especially
bruise Whatever was dscoverable. 1t Syas SUISSE
quently stated that severe cut across the lore
head was noticed, but Deputy Coroner Leo says
that 1t might have appeared after the inquest by
reason OF pressure OF the top of the CONN on the
head against the lid. The name Of Kelly, and Of
Williamsburg" were also plainly legible on
of which Coroner Kesser says there were several
hundred He was interested enough, however in
the mystery to take letter aud tickets home TO dry
them out in order that he might lind the cIew
lying secreted In the pupy mass. On the testi-
mony herewith given the six jurymen came to
a very smple and uncompiicated one. Of "Death by
supposed drowning, time and place not known"
The record Of the inquest. which should contain
ners ONCE and the HERALD investigator was I'M
able yesterday to see It, DEPUTY Coroner Leo
and Te e ed in form to
with it, though he could not remember the names
of the jury to add them. The same jury, he
thought had sat upon the other drowning case,
and the names the record OF that might be the
same, but he could not say so positively.
A RATHER BUSY DAY.
allow many inquests did you have that daypr
asked the HERALD man.
The Deputy summed up short list in his
memorandum book and counted ''eleven.n
slow many OF these were held at the Morguepn
"Five.n
'Was 1t an unusually busy day2"
swell, 1t was what you might call rather busy"
Eleven inquests day for one coroner we're sug-
gestive OF rather busy day 70 the HERALD re.
porter, and q profitable one. too. At the rate
usual believe) OF $35 each an income OF 1856 for
that days work Is due the Coroner AS the in
quests are usually divided equally among the four
reapers of this charnel house harvest 1t would ap-
pear that 81, 500 will hardly cover the expense
which "violent deathsn occas0ned to the city on
that rich Saturday and the terrible estimate
will appear OF nearly forty five deaths by supposed
violence, all In heap.
THE COR0NER's STATEMENT.
Coroner Kessler states that he personally knew
Mr.. Coulson, having seen and conversed with him