New-York tribune., 1876-11-25

Making ana Hing i0qu0ss.
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In order to show how fictitious their claims, and
how they have been overpad it is necessary to state
the daily mode of procedure in the coroners' Office The
coroners themselves do little work They hold the
positions draw the immense fees, but perform scarcely
any labor Their sole task is to preside and
oath to witnesses the only legitimate OF inQuests
that hedthat is in cases OF MURDER snede or
calamlties which OF sufficient puoc interest TO ex
cite attention and compel the coroners TO summon wit
nesses The entire inside work done by the eoroncrs
clerk John Toa who is efficient and faithful perform
ing with fidelity the duties OF the Office The OutdOOr
work including the taking Of testimony, examination OF
Witnesses making pOstmortem examinations, taking
ante-mortem statements and other work which should
be done by the themselves is performed by the
deputy ooroners who must OF necessity be physicians OF
good standing and men OF more than average ability.
Each coroner by pleasant little fiction, is supposed TO
be on duty for a week a time in the Office At about
10 A. m daily tho coroners' deputy. who Is supposed
TO be on duty, obtains from the clerk list OF the
cases which have been reported by physicians and others
ss recurring nduests 10 be held upon them. These in
cude deaths from natural causes in the proportion to
deaths from violence of four 70 In most Of these
cases physicians certificates accompany the notices. and
10 number OF instances the deceased has already been
buried. The deputy then visits the different places
where the deceased Is lying or has died. and then obtains
from the nearest relative the story OF the last witness
Lot even sworn to- In some cases the deputy deems
post mortem examination necessary. He then grants
permit for bsral df the deceased is not already under
round and goes his way TO the place on his list
THE WHOLESALE METHOD OF HOLDING INQUEsTs.
A day or two sometimes a week atterward, when the
bodies ali under ground and after jury has rem
dered verdict in some where testimony has been
submitted whole batch Of sudden deaths, varying in
number from four or FIVE to dozen or fifteen, is pre-
sented 70 the members Of the jury who are informed by
the coroner that his deputy has investigated the cases.
and that they are requested TO concur In his opinion The
jury acquesce subscribe their names to the dozen or
more nquestpapers, and thus, frequenyin ten minutes
aeoroner Will have put to his credit $500 or more for
ten OF more quests held whereas in fact and in truth
there has been only one inquest This will be appreci-
ated the more readily when IT s remembered that the
$40 charged each includes the items OF $lO Tor
taking inquest" S5 for summOning and swearing
jury" and So FOR "making and filing inquest" II thus
appears on the records that inquests always oe-
cur in patches or clusters. This Is the reg
ular stereotyped daily mode Of procedure,
and while, through alleged oollusion with certain
physicians the claim TO hold inquests ppon
large numbers Of persons who have died from natural
eauses and who therefore exempt from such pro
cedure the claim itself is rendered nugaory by their un-
lawful manner of proceeding
great calamity such terrible explosion, fire. or
other disaster involving large loss OF life is regarded
agodsend by the Only inquest is held or
one verdict rendered in each although there be
twenty victims. The record, however. shows as many
nauests as there are victims, and If there twenty
bodies the coroner claims and obtains $8O0 instead Of
500 The latest illustration OF this is the of the bark
Earopa which took fire the dry DOCK at the foot OF
Rutgersst Six persons were sufocated. Only one in
quest was held, one jury inpaneled, and one YER
dict rendered but the Jury, requested wrote their
names six times SIX inquests recorded as having
been held and the Coroner was credited With Sl2O.
ALLEGED DEVICES FOR SWELLING THE coRoNERs'
FEES.
But there are other ways In which coroners
Increase their incomes, and not few questonaDe oo
vices are Is alleged resOrted TO for purposes OF eio
ment To succeed in these devices coroner must have
one or two attached 20 his office whom ne can ~
ways upon any jury, and who are OF sneh POSI-
tive character, and show such familiarity with the
nature OF nquess as to impose upon those called in sud
denly and who have familiarity with the dn les OF
Jurors These men usually procure the verdict desired
Aa apparent proof OF this the frequent repetition Oh
she which upon the different inquest
papers, and the reappearance of the faces among
The jurors 1t often happens that the particu
larly requires certain verdict. There many cases
Of sudden deaths tins city. resulting frequently from
Suicide frequently from drunkenness, and oftener
stll from malpractiee. In such either the
friends of the dead person, when he or she has
relative or q family in the case Of the death
any IN the house. anxious to conceal from
The public the exact facts and Is usual apply to the
tamiy physician OF the direct for q verdict
which viii silence inquiry and unpleasant comment In
such cases Is alleged that somebody in the eoroners
~erest Invariably accepts Zee 1t Is desirable for