Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-10
FIGHTING FOR FEES.
Controller Grier Won't Sign Deputy
Coroner Berry's Warrants.
he Is TO BE MANDAMUSED TODAY.
Mcdowell Shows Where and Why He Is
Entitled to Assistance.
TROUBLE AHEAD IN THE SALARY BOARD

Ihere Is trouble IN the County court
House. Controller Grier refuses to counter
sign warrant for the payment OF w. ID.
Treganowan, a McKeesport jeweler. for his
services as a juror in an inquest, the war
rant being signed by Deputy Coroner Berry,
and also declines to reimburse Mr.. Berry iof
his services as Deputy Coroner.
Coroner Mcdowell has engaged T. NJ.
Mcfarland and W. d. Moore as counsel
and will go into court to-day with pc
tition for a mandamus to compel the County
Controller to sign the warrants. Mr.. Trega-
nowan is also determined to push the matter
vigorously.
The work of the Coroner has increased so
rapidly within the past few years that it was
impossible for one man to give the proper
attention TO all the cases coming beneath his
notice. The last Legislature realized this
fact and passed an act for his relief, which
was approved and signed by Governor
Beaver on May 8, 1889. The act is as fol-
lows:
Providing for Deputy Coroners.
An act to provide for the appointment Of
deputy coroners in the several counties of this
Commonwealth
Section l-Be it enacted that from and after
the passage OF this act, the regularly elected
and duly qualified coroner of any comfy in this
Commonwealth NAV appoint and deputize any
additional persons to act in his place and stead,
as he may deem proper and necessary.
Sec. 2-That such person SO deputized by him
as aforesaid shall receive fer such services as
they may perform by virtue of such appoint
nent the same fees as are row provided by law
for similar services rendered by such Coroner,
nd he hal funds
the said fees of the Coroner are now payable.
Sec. San acts or parts OF acts inconsistent
with this act be and the same are hereby re-
pealed: provided, that this act shall not apply
To those counties in this Commonwealth acting
unoer special laws.
Fortified by this act the Coroner believes
be will have no trouble in compelling the
Controller to allow the payment of Deputy
Coroner Berrv's ices and also the fees of the
jurors who served under him.
Too Much Work for One Man.
Coroner Mcdowell, in speaking of the
matter, said: 1--WE have had 10 cases to look
after here since the 1st of the month, and
that by no means surpasses the record. We
have frequently as many as six and seven
cases in single day requiring investiga-
tion. 1t is simply impossible for one man
10 attend TO this amount of work personally,
and on ust recognition OF this impossi-
bility the act was founded. There
is case out in the county to-
dav to which l should really
send the deputy coroner. The deputy coro-
ner is not regular employe. He is depu-
tized 10 hold every case he has ANYTHING to
do with, and he would as soon think OF at
tempting 10 fly TO Mckeesport as TO hold an
inquest in a case without receiving his
deputization. Now as to Mr. Treganowan's
case, may say that Mr.. Treganowan is de-
l. i. {1a H.
citizen, and a property owner, and he tells
me that ne Will spend $500 to compel the
Controller 10 give him his just remunera-
1iou."
Controller Grier refused to talk on the
subject, but he engaged j. S. Robb to rep
resent him in court.
More Trouble AnticirateS.
a meeting of the County Salary Board js
TO be held to-day, and it is expected there
viii be lively times at it. Recorder Won
Bonnhorst wants 10 additional clerks, and
in this he is opposed by the Controller. The
latter wants another clerk in his own Office
and this will be opposed by the Recorder.
Several members of the board think it has
no longer an existence, and it is stated that
ii Recorder Won Bonnhorst does not get per-
mission from the board to employ the addi-
tional clerks, he will engage them without
consent, holding that the board has no legal
existence and has had none since the popu-
lation OF the county passed the 900, 900 mark.
The eactofAssembly creating the Salary Board
provides FORTS existence in all counties which
have a population between 500, 900 and
100000 population, and it is held that the
very moment the population of the county
was found to be over 100000 by the report
Of The census that the board became thing
OF the past. The county officers that hold
IN hot har- 1att
their offices as best they may at their own
discretion until B new order of things is
established.