Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-14
A NEW INQUEST ORDERED.
Coroner Patterson, Attorney Thomas and
the Old jury to Try Again.

the Old jury to Try Again.
As soon the news reached the District
building today that Judge bingham had de-
cided that DIR. Schaeffer, as deputy coroner.
had no power to conduct the inquest into the
cause Of the disaster last Friday at Ford's old
Thester. the Commissioners at once went
into special executive session 10 consider The
case. In view Of Coroner Psttersou's III heaiG
and his disinclination to conduct the
investigation. the Commissioners had first
thought seriously of appointing . new
coroner. Before taking any definite action
however, in the matter, Coroner Patterson was
sent for and as soon he arrived went at once
before the Commissioners. He was followed q
moment later By Attorney Thomas. who officially
informed the Commissioners of the action
Of the court. general discussion foi-
allowed. Coroner Patterson said that he would
be able to conduct the investigation il be had
the assistance of the attorney for the District.
and he requested that the Commission
ers direct that officer TO cooperate with
him in this matter. ATTORNEY Thomas stated
that be was perfectly willing to go into the cse,
provided it was legal. Secretary TIndall hunted
up the law on the subject and could find moth
ing which prevented the attorney from acting.
So the Commissioners directed Attorney
vestigation. Attorney Thomas stated in reply
TO a question from the Commissioners that the
action OF the court OF course nullified all work
that had been done heretofore in this case.
and it was absolutely necessary that new
jury be summoned and the inquest
begun again. vote was taken on this propo-
sition and the Commissioners we're unanimous
in ordering a new inquest.
EFFECT ON OTHER CASES.
As the discussion continued matters became
more and more complex. The right Of the
deputy coroner to act at all having been de-
cided the Commissioners were in a quandary
VIVA. TO do relative TO the cases he Lad
previously passed upon. Health Officer
Hammett was sent for to find out il the BODIES
of any of the killed still remained unburied.
Ii they all have been buried some one will
have to be disinterred in order to be viewed
by the jury and passed upon by the coro-
ner. The Commissioners have no RESPONSE
bility for the appointment of the deputy az he
is unsalaried officer. designated by the coro-
ner There IL a provision in the appropriation
bill for the next fiscal year authorizing the coro-
ner to employ an assistant, but as that
does not go into force until the
LIST Of July there seems TO be no semblance
of authority for his appointment This will
not affect the validity of any cases that have
been acted upon by tic grand jury,
as the coroner inquest is a preliminary pro-
ceeding. but in the cases of persons who
have been committed to jail awaiting the action
Of the grand jury, according TO the opinion Of
Attorney Thomas expressed TO a AR reporter,
he might be entitled to the writ of habeas
corpus.
BODIES REMAINING UNBURrED.
The clerk who issues the burial permits in
the health Office WAS sent for a few moments
later for the purpose OF discovering if pos
sible the whereabouts of some of the bodies,
50 that the jury required by law could
view the remains. His book showed that q
number of them had been taken ont Of the city
for burial, while the others had been buried in
Harmony, Congressional. Arlington, Mt. 0livet
and Glenwood cemeteries. The coroner di-
rected hun TO telephone TO all of the cemeteries
with view of learning whether any OF the
bodies remained unburied. 1t discovered
that the bodies of Messrs. LOTUS and Pagan
were in the vault at Glenwood cemetery.
The officials of the cemetery were directed
not TO permit the interment of either Of those
bodies until they received word from the
coroner, and DIR. Patterson hurried of to sum-
mon the new jury for tine purpose Of viewing
| the remains this afternoon.
TO REsunMos THE OLD JURY.
Later Coroner Patterson decided to resum-
mon the old jury.