New-York tribune., 1876-11-25
A ROTTEN CITY BUREAU.
cUAPTER OF LOCAL HORRORS.

CHAPTER OF LOCAL HORRORS.
-. ,,,,,v op THE coRoNERs' oFFICE-FAT FEES
,vn ALLEGED DEVIOUS WAYS or IT'S OccU-
p.NTs-cHARGEs OF WHOLESALE NQUEsIs-
cotrusIOS WITH LOCAL PHYSICIANS, AND PER-
orIsIrEs FOR RETURNING FALSE VEhDICIs.
Very few persons have any conception Oh
an, vaue OF the fees and perquistes oil the ONCE oi
coroner Of this city, and consequently "Ohuer Why '
,o,,d see. these positions with such avidity ana Why
~ o,ninatons for eoroners always such bones OF
rteut,ou IN the Democratic city and County ConVeh-
t The struggle az each recurring election ior tneSo
,e nominations is probably more energetic ana DIler
bp for any other office in the gift OF the people OF Is
ty NOT excepting the highest-that OF Mayor Inc
oxplauation lies in the fact that Wine the ONCE Is
one of little honor. immense revenue is 9o"rS
dvea by each of the of the city The feesre
~ iconsaer,be as for each inquest held the coroner
vos fee OF $40 Each Juror who attends an inquest
"a entitled 10 certain amount, which IS ufa"n oS '
ooro,cr Not one juror in thousand ever 'dkes VIC
troue 10 ca for his pay he being only 100 gau 70 so
through the service, and consequently all inc Jurors %
90 20 the eoroners themselves. There were held accorH
,g In the records in the cor0ners ONCE from N"y -
1875 to Sept l. 1876, 1922 mquests OF when Coroner
IUnan claimed 223; Coroner Croker, l,O75 Coroner
I,,er fvho cameinto office Jan. J. 1870, $50; anu
roner Kessler who retired from office on jan l. Ie'o
Az. This would make the emoluments rom lnquos''
smount TO Ss6.44O Add to this the external eNanln'
ons which occur in all OF murder ana suolue' ~
@ of which the coroner receives S3 add also the pay
for the post-mOrtem examinations when are neiu -
about onefth Of the cases, and the tot from 'i"S -
1875. to Sept. 1. 1876 is as follows; .o,,,o
Inquests 86R
External examinations -7
Total about.
The neople generally have an entirely erroneous I'M
presson regarding the subject Of nquess, as lheS arc
thought to be held by the coroners and the dcieucc
between the reality and what is sumlsed Is star'hg
There is an impression prevailing IN the coinhi! '
pauests are held for the purpose of investigating "e
only from actual or presumed violence IAese arc sup
posod TO include MURDER suicide accidents OF suuuen
deaths where foul play is suspected OF seems prooaDe
Thereoord however in the eOroners oihoe SHOWS tnt
the eoroners have been in the habit OF taking eOgnzahoe
Of deaths Originally reported by the physicians as
from natural disease very largely in excess OF
those resulting from violent causes Iney
claim TO have held from May L. 1879,
70 Sept l. 1876 1922 inquests, Of which 1852 were
deaths from natural causes OF tho SS64l0 TO which
they lay claim S5l 04O Is for holding uquess In such
cases The list deaths from these natural causes IN
eudes not only those which sudden in their opera
ton such as heart disease, apopoxy, ETC., but very
large number OF which OF chronic or lingcr
ing character such as consumption, measles, asthma
cancer, old age smallpox, convllsions pneumonia,
dema Of the lungs alcoholism, scarlet fever marasnus,
abscess paralysis erysipeIas, exhaustion and conyul
sons lin very largo number), brain affections,
pertonitis, rupture, bronchitis, hemoptyss, still
births Cby the hundredl, diarrhea, cholera nfantum,
suustrokes (every case that occurs), liver COM
plaint teethinS, whoOping cough, and in fact all the
acute and chronic diseases that known TO physicians
and are familiar TO every household Sneh is the record
upon the coroners books and for holding such alleged
nQucsts the coroner officiating has received $50 In each
case As matter of fact however in not more than one
case in four where they have been paid for holding in
oaests have the coroners actually done So The fees
which the corOuers receive arc as follows: