The state chronicle., 1893-06-15
A NEW INQUEST.
ORDERED IN TIE FORD'S THEA.
TIRE DISASTER.
A Question Raised as TO the Legality of
the Inquest So Far Held and New
Proceedings are Ordered,

By Southern Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, June 1.-THE Su.
preme Court OF this district this
morning dismissed on two grounds
Col. Ainsworth's petition for q
mandamus to compel the Deputy
Coroner to allow him to be repre-
sented at the inquest on the victims
of Ford's theatre disaster.
lst Holding that Deputy Cor
oner is not legal officer. This in
validstes the inquest as far as held.
End. That the right of the person
to be present ut the inquest in per
son by counsel, is discretionary
with the coroner, and therefore no,
subject for mandamus.
Chief Justice Bingham in his de-
clsion said the examination of the
law only established what he had
never doubted, that the coroner in
holding the inquest sat as a court
and was vested with the power and
authority Of judicial officer. Il
was proven that in the absence Of
an express statutory provision such
an official could not delegate his
authority to another. In the couse OF
his opinion he took occasisn to lee
ture the excited clerks, who thron ged
the court room, on the necessity oi
maintaining decorum. He told then
coroner's court WAS not to be con
sldered as a town meeting. How
ever deploreble the circumstan
ces it was the duty of all good citi
zens to pay respect to the law
Whatever the finding of the coro
ners court might be they we,e no
fssl, and any wrong done could b,
righted by the proper legal means
hereafter. He admonished them t.
let further proceedings be conduc
ted in a quiet orderly way. Thi,
admonition had a obviously goot
effect.
WASHINGTON, June 14.-In defer
ence to the decision of the Suprem,
Court of the District of Columbia
that there is no such officer of th,
District OF Columbis as Deput,
Coroner, DR.. Schaeffer who he
been conducting the inquest a
Willard Hall i'll that suppose,
capacity, immediately adjournet
the proceedings until tomorrow q
IL o'clock.
A curious point now develops
that there is no body that has bee,
viewed by the legally constitute,
coroners jury. Unless one of th
injured victims still lingerin,
should die, it may be necessary tt
exhume a body.
The commissioners Of the Distr;c
of Columbia decided this Afternoon
to order a new inquest over Ia
f'ord's theatre disaster, and d;
rected District Attorney Thomas t
assist Coroner Patterson in conduct
ing it. In view of DIR. Patterson
i'll health the commissioners though
seriously of appointing a new core
ner, but on Patterson's statemen
that he could conduct the inques
If MIR. Thomas were allowed to al
slst him the inquest was ordered
1t was ascertained that the hodie
OF Lotus and Pagan, two of th
victims, were still in the vault O
Glenwood cemetery, and the officer
of the cemetery were directed no
to inter them without permission c
the Coroner. AIr. Patterson dc
cided to re summon the old jury
Warner, Harvey, Ayre, Kellogg
SCHNEIDER and Sibley. One of th
bodies at Glenwood will be We've
by the jury tomorrow, and the ir
quest begun anew. just how ia
the acts of the Deputy Corone
prior to Justice Bingham's deci.
ion will be invalidated ia rather
curious question. It is believe
that nothing serious will resul
This is due to fortunate con
bination of the circumstances und.
which, few if any persons have bee
committed to Jail by him as deput
coroner who escaped subsequel
Indictment By the grand jury. \
where can there be found any a
thority for the appointment of de
uty coroner, and such official i. Il
named in the list of appointe
undar district Commissioners. A
preparation was made last Congre
for six hundred dollars for aesis
ant to the coroner, but this is n
available until July /. Il is claim
that the attorneys have casual
called attent tion to the want of e
thority in this particular in t
past, but the question was on
raised in court Of law four yea
after such deputy entered upon 6
performance of his duties.