The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-03-06
coRoNRRs' COMBINATION.

(ONON HRS (OM DIN tONs
 The great coroners' combination which has 60 long ruled certain section ot Az kanSAw has. by mutual consent, dissolved. The history ot this combination would indeed be contribution to American literature. Its secret proceedings mighl not rival the famous eabal of Ca asles II of England, but it would shed much etful gence on our corroniai system.
 Several years ago, as many public prints have stated. the coroners from F1a Smith on the Arkansaw Tivei, to the place where the muddy waters sweep over the buried bricks of Napoleon, formed a a grand " coronAl floating combination. This monopoly of solemn officials played a lucrative game. This w,ll serve as an illustration: When the coroner oi one of the upper counties found a fIA,sr. he would haul out the corpse, hold an in- quest, throw the corpse back into the uver and send word to the coroner below that piece oi business was coming to mee, him Then the coroneE below would hold an inquest, throw the corpse into the river and send word to hts col league fArther down the river. ln ,hl, way the coEoners Aourshed. They built Gns residences, and, whlie the county judges ate cosnbresd and the Assay breas, oi the female hog, the eoroners drank ham, made sour-mash and feAstsd ofT the white mea, oi the stall turkey.
 Several years ago. PAul Boy,on en. gagged in the es,erpr,se oi f Ia,ing from Fort Smith down to the mouth of the Al. kansaw river. He had no. proceeded lar when he saw caaoe shoo, out irom the bank Boyton shoughtthat the man who 50 vigorously padded the canoe came ou, ts extend friendly greetings. bu, he was wrong.
 "WAli, I'll Der dad sna,ched |" sx. claimed the man.
 :" WhAts the mattsr1" Boyton asked.
 thought yer wuE er dead man
 "Yes, but you see that am not"
 |" know yer ain't an don't like yer false pse.enses. nu,her
 "FAlse pretsnses
 Yes, foaiia down the river under false pretenses. am the coroner G' tAls county an don | like ter be tam mpesed with ln no sicher fool way. Yer swim right along. doa', yesi"
 Pn not swimming. Tn foa,ing"
 " Then yer air er AoA,es. C,ms oul here, 1 want yer"
 "What do you want with me ?"
 "Wanter hold an inquest over you"
 |" am not dead"
 "h makes no difference, yer air \ Aoa,er"
 Boyton was drawn ashore, and an is- qpeR was held, after which he was sufmed to depart. He had goas aboat twenty miles when a man hailed A,m.
 What do you want '
 "Come out here and let me hold an in- Qaest over yer. got no,ics jes' nov iha, yer woald be aieag psay sooa n you aida 'Lhang up on q snsg. Come on {" He held up something which looked like gun aad Boysea struck out for the shore.
 PAui thought that he would dodge the pex. coroner, %. after go,ag . short dls- siDce, he got out of the wasss Aa walked, suli wearing his iadia rubber ssis Alter awhile an old feiio~ who had been in- tensIy watchiag the river, came up the baak and said:
 Hold on thsse.n
 "Whas do you want"
 Lay do~a here till get jury and hold an isqosss over yer"
 "Doa't you sss that pn not dead 2"
 "yes may thint yer sis'a but yer air. I've heerd e yer"
 Paul laid do~s and another inquest was held.
 Abuss of privileges eaussd the break leg of the com binatioa. Tne cogoness became greedy.