Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-11-18
Deaths by Violence

Deaths by Violence
ANIMAL REPORT oF THE CORONER
TIE ANNUAL report OF Coroner ID. c. Patter-
son as to the operations OF his Office durius
the year ending September 80, IS76, shows
that out OF a total OF log bodies vie vel and
inquesis held, 80 we're abandoned infants or
such as have died from neglect, still births,
sc.
CHILD MURDER.
He saws: at would seem that mother
who wilfully abandoned her Offspring should
be as amenahle u the Law as the street
brawl homicide; unfortunately M prov ision
exists 20 bring such class OF perpetrators 10
justice. Vac ant lots aud sewers are eener.
ally the epositories for these murdered little
ones, and In view OF its alarming frequency
i most earnestly recommend that a fund be
set apart for rewards in their Diet actiou such
fund 10 be distri buted by the coroner SUPER
tntendent OF police, or such other Officer *
!, nay 6e deemed wise TO select Toe Board
OF Health now employs q medical sanitary
superintendent, whose returns no doubt
would swell the number OF these cases. The
salary OF this officer is 81 500 per year, bis
principal duty being TO inquire into the
causes OF death OF those who were not at
ten6ed by physician and 10 give certii.
Gates accordingly: There may be no sus-
plclon OF crime In the great majority OF such
cases, bat the practice is necessarily imper-
feet and conflicting, no post norton ex ami.
nation being ever made, and OF course tue
cause OF death 10 great extent is purely
copjectural."
A MoRGUE WANTED.
Another subject TO which the attention of
the authorities Is called Is the fact that %
often happens That persons are found dead
on the streets and elsewhere without any
clue as TO their identity. Many are strang>
eTs, and the rule hitherto has been 10 convey
them. at great incou venience, to the nearest
station house, where they eau remain but a
short time, depending altogether upon the
season. WHEN they are buried. perhaps. In
Potter's field. all opportunity for identifica.
ton being thereby lost" In view OF this
state of affairs, the coroner recommends the
.ihie psri OF the city and an appropriation
tor its management.
AMONG THE CASUALTIES
coming before the coroner for official inves-
legation were two suicides, four hOmicldes,
six infanticides, twenty-tbree deaths by
crowning, six fractures OF skull, one from
stroke of lightning, eight sunstrokes, seven-
teen apopleXy, and eleven heart disease. The
estimates OF money required for this Office
during the fiscal year ending June 3Oth, 1873,
is %, 900.
THE CASE OF LAWYER RUFFIN.-Y
day afternoon the case of ID. RUM, the
color lawyer, was called In the Criminal
0urt, Judge Macarthur, aud was cou.
cluced TO cay. RUffin Was charged with
having received stolen goods, showing the
same 10 have been stolen, and was defended
by Messrs. A. q Riddle AID q. W. Mitchell;
Mr. HI. ii. Wells, Jr., represented the gov
eminent. IL was In evidence that I'm April
last a gold watch and cnsin were.stolen from
the residence az ID. w. Classic, for which
larceny Edward Marian, a colored boy was
arrested ana convicted, and sentenced 20
three years In tue Albany penitentisry; that
pending the trial Ruff1n went to see Mr..
Classic several times. and proposed that a
woman who had the chain would give IL up
IL he g. woGld "let up" on the boy. The
mother OF the boy ties titled that she got the
chain from Mrs. Pollard, and she took IL 20
Ruffin, handing IL To him wrapped In her
handkerchief, and that when she asked for
IL be handed her the handkerchief but no
chain. II was further In evidence that Ruf-
nm denied before j udge DIN that he had ever
seen the chain, but when confroafsd with
Mrs. Marian be admitted that he hat had IN
In possession, but had given ft back 20 the
woman. Mr. Wells briefly opened the case,
and was followed by Mr.. Riddle, Woo claim
ed that In this case as In q case OF larceny, a
felonious intent must be shown, but such in
tent had not been shown here He further
argued that the oath of an attorney did not
make II any part OF lawyers duty TO furn-
ish evidence against his client.
The jury after being out one hour and a
quarter brought In verdict OF guilty. Mr..
Mitchell gave notice OF q motion fer q new
trial. and asked for stay OF Judgment.
THE CoLoRED MAN MCKENZIE, who gave
the name OF Smith when arrested by Detec-
lives McDevitt and McElfresh, as stated In
yesterdays STAR, is wanted in New York
Tor the larceny OF trunk containing $4,000
worth OF jewelry, in September last, from
the Grand Central Hotel at Saratoga. The
Officers have recovered some OF the 1ewelry
In this city. he has been travelling extern
sively since be got away with the trunk, and
he Will start TO night for New York, in COM
pany with Detective Dunn, Of New York.
$1,000 FOR A BROKEN LEG.-This morn
ing IN the Circuit Court, Judge DIN, the
case OF Dant agt- the District, for damages
by reason OF plaintiff breaking his leg by
falling into an excavation on Dela ware ave-
nue., was concluded by q verdict for plain
tin for 5000 damages with costs.
go