The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-11-27
M AND DEMOCRAT BIOOMsBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY. pa.

face of the proceedings that the coroner
was absent, or unable to attend, or that his
office was held more than ten miles distant
from the place where the death occurred.
The justices seem to have acted in good
faith, and do not like TO say upon the
face of the proceedings that there was not
reasonable cause for holding the inquests,
but | have deemed 1t my duty TO call the
attention of the coroner and justices of the
peace to this state of facts, so that they
may know their rights, duties, and respon-
sibilities in these various matters, and that
there may be a stopput to this unnecessary
imaginable occasion.
Ii the coroner, in holding an inquest is
informed by the jury that they cannot
come to a conclusion without the services
of physician, and it appears to the CO: o.
ner to be necessary, he may call in the ser
vices of physician to make a post mortep,
examination and Tor this the county must
pay a reasonable fee. This is q somewhat
dangerous power, to be sure, to be put into
tie hands of coroners and justices of the
peace. but power must be lodged some
where. 1t is given to them, and certainly
we hope that they will exercise it with a
great dsgree of caution.
In some of the cases submitted to me |
notice itemized bills of costs. Many of
these items are utterly illegal and without
any warrant of law. Coroners' juries were
not entitled to any fees at common -aw
and, by express statute, only few years
old, they are entitled in this commonwealth
to receive the sum of one dollar per day
where the time employed does not exceed
six hours, and one dollar and fifty cents
| per day where the time exceeds six hours
and they are entitled to receive no mileage
whatever. And yet find, in some of the
| inquests, jurors fees charged at two dol
lars per day without 1t appearing at al
whether they were ten hours or ten min
utes in the discharge of their duties. Fees
for witnesses are also charged in these
bills. | know of no law or authority
authorizing the taxation of witness
fees before coroners' juries. 1t is the duty
of such portion of the public as know any
thing pertinent to be heard before coro
ner's inquest, to appear without fee or re
ward. In one of the inquistions, the con
stable has charged fees for summoning tn,
| jury. The coroner himself should sum
mon and qualify his jurors, and draw ant
return his inquest. He receives pay TO,
the same. The coroner himself should dc
TINS and not call in the aid of any one else
unless he expects to pay him out of his owl
pocket.
notice another charge made for liver,
hire in conducting jurors and witnesses t
view the body. AS have said before
jurors are entitled to no mileage, neither
are they entitled to any payment for ex
penses in the discharge of their duties, ex
cept that allowed by the fee bill.
While | have stated that the coroner ma,
call in physician to hold post moriem ex
animation under certain circumstances,
do not think he has right to call in two
physicians, and yet find in one inoucs
the fees of two physicians charged fol
holding post mortem examination.
| What have said above as to coroners
applies, OF course, with equal, if not great
er, force to justices of the peace acting a.
such under the statute in holding inauest,
super riSum corporis.
have noticed in these inquests before
! me, and, indeed, in many others that have
been submitted to me heretofore, that the
justices OF the peace, acting as coroner, re
turn the testimony with their inquistion
as il they were returning depositions taker
for court This should not be done. The
inquest should not report the evidence bu
should only return the effect thereof anG
the result that the inquest arrived at there
| from.
Owing, as believe, to the unnecessar,
frequency of these inquests, and the conse
quent burden imposed upon the county in
the payment of unnecessary costs, deem
1t my duty to call the attention of the cor
oncr and the various justices of the peace
throughout the county to this matter, and
the clerk OF courts will see that the proper
information of the principles LAID down in
this opinion is given to the coroner and
the various justices of the peace.