New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-14

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wants to be locked up. However lucky chance
aided them The following month September,
certain members Of the Grand Jury making
| tour of inspection Of city institutions happened
in at the House of Detention To them the
three told their story. They had been locked
| up two months and were likely to stay there
much longer although accused of no crime.
THE GRAND JURY STEPS IN.
This started an investigation by the Grand
Jury of the Coroners office which was search
ing and thorough. Records were examined ana
clerks were Intercepted, and the shame OF the
whole office was laid bare The excuse that the
senographer was too busy to get oft MS trans
cripts OF testimony for the Grand Jury was
shown 10 be absurd. In the O'Br!en case only
half a page Of testimony was taken, and yet
several weeks had passed. and the papers had
not been sent to The Distrct-Atorney. When
lawyers wanted copies of the testimony IN IN
quests they always got them promptly
The presentment. which was signed by f.. W.
BIoominrIaIe as foreman. was handed in on
! September 90 1898 1t recommended the aoo'isn-
ment Of the whole office. saying: The abuses
are apparently the result Of a long-exsting lack
o. system and habit Of delay on the part Of the
| Coroners and those subotdin nate TO them III 'he
business Of that Office.
One open and ong-coninued violation OF the
law WAS thus described by the Grand Jury:
The law contemplates that all suspicious deaths
! should be promptly and thoroughly investigated
! by the Coroner The evidence before the GRAND
+, Jury as taken from the records OF the Corohers
/ office shows tina; the Coroners 10 not promptly
investigate such deaths. by provision
Of the New-York city Consolidation act. each
of the Coroners is required To file with the clerk
Of the Board Of Coroners in all cases that may
com. before them an abstract Of the testimony
1 taken by him and copy Of the verlict rem
! dercd by the jury. and the clerk Of the Board OF
| cor,nars is required to keep the same on file
until IL Is turned over 10 the Board OF liealth
and n receipt taken therefor except In homicide
cases I'm which the same must be transmitted
without delay 70 the District Attorney. These
/ mandatory provisions ~ the law have long been
ignored by the Coroners."
As 10 the delay I'm sending pape-s 10 he Dis
| trict-Attorney. the Grand Jury made this as
founding discovery:
The examination by the Grand Jury II the
records ~ the Coroncr's office for the hrs' nine
months II 1899 showed that in almost every
case there was considerable delay in nolli1g the
| Inqucsis and IN sending the papers 10 me us
frlct-Attorney In almost half the cases no
| papers had been transmitted to the District
Attorney Six months had elapsed In some n
stances since death. and no inquest MAI been
| held AImos, no attention had been paid 10
the ordinance directing the Coron"rs eve
notice f. the Board Of Health Of the time OF
I holding inque7ts
THE OFFICE SHOULD BE ABOLISHED.
The conclusion reached 10y the Grand jury was
as follows:
W. believe nat ne loas,aniI9s m1 HADN'T
cause 81 embarrassment 10 the interests Of puppnc
justice AMI that more satsi- ciory m'ans G'
| charging the important functions no" u.,c'D ,P
| upon me Coroners Office. namely. hrSt ih''S1IGat
ton Of sudden and su-plsi.ns neanS r amn cnarwe
| with causing such deaths, ought 10 De p'''''' ~
The latter function could be reformed by the
ordinary comm.tilns magistrates who nov nav CGn T.
| csse- and the preliminary inquiry AZ 10 ths eau eau,
| Of death could be- satisfactorily coniu.'rIr ny az,
| medical examiner ~ other official appointed oy ap-
''yir c1rnesiV recommend that the subjec, We
have treated be- brought TO the attention Of the Con-
| s,ltuff.u,l Convention now soon 10 b" conNeNi IN
49, I'M th~ constitution may be amended that
ho', , ,Lc ~ coroner 49, IL now exists should bc
abolished and IN IT, pnce sha,, o. i,b ,b views
method Of procedure In accordance WIZ" 'N' '""'
above expressed
The same recommendation was made by the
! Mciico-Icgdl Society ON November y lA'" MS
organization Is Interested IN ~ n'Iu 81 hnuM
with which the Coroncr's office is directly CON
cernel 4 committee ~ seven was appointed ID
bring the subject To the attention 81 the LeS'S-
laturc and the constitutional ConVtn'i"h. A.
A week later 4 report on the coroner One
WAS read before the Academy OF Medicine ny IT.
John H. Gardner the signers, besides hmSe'l p,-
ing Drs. y Jacob ana ;. / Atihs'ronb ,h hs
committee referred 10 the performance Oh .ne
duties Of Coroner by young men with no I'pu'd-
ton for unusual skill learning or pra'Urnl rNr,
rlcnce" \ resolution was adopted as lo''""S ~
a practically unanimous vote: 1890
That a medical man OF mature years csivs In
character broad mind and sound ana eNtas,s' r -,
formation IN h hnac Of foTensc medcinc must
he the responsible occupant OF an o,' =, hc indi-
vdnai and OF the community and to nm Soh, , nc
delegated the initiative power 10 Criminal Oct
rt s"nrmsion being reported to the once oil tnc
District Attorney.
Attention called to the Massacnus,e,,' ~ wss
tenn and the Constitutional ConVehuo,' ma'
| urged 70 ADOPT IL. The plan in vogue III Hi"HSa
chusct,s has worked well. All the medi'ai par
or Tho coroner's work is turned over 10 uistfi',
Il. Al axa,n,rer who must be an experienced
nhvsIcIan The legal functions are vested III the
ordinary committing magistrates
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENr
That the Constitutional Convention, after
long debate In which the advantages Vi '"'
Massachusetts, system were thorous"'s '"''
vassed decided to give the Legislature po"e.
TO abolish the Coroner's office. Is well KNOWN anu
Of course the amendment was adopted 'aS' w
vcmber. ,,,,, ,he Car
onor', ofIico has been conducted with a sha"eIu'
disregard Of the pubc's interests ionar,
reasons FOR asserting thd' even ,, !, n,n,aged II
ment were honestly and efficiently nahas'u. :,
has outlivcd It's usefulness ana sh.ulu sNe
TO a less cumbersome and AWKWARD ~ S'v,' n,n
account Of the workings II the Once VIII nnU"
Just how many Of ts functions are superuo tor
There are four Coroners elected 10 Sea
three wears and receiving S1.ooo !"ao ~ en'" ,
c"roncrs nhvsic,an nominay at $4,000 year
and clerk or messenger. at ST. 'aiso non MI
nally). are appointed by each ln9n Rnvnoids
n chief clerk OF the board Edward +. Reyno'us,
who is we'll spoken Of by those VINO coine III
contact with him. at $500 year; a s u, ,bt
ranher at s. 500 a year and three cerkS u ''e
rho duties OF the Office are thus divided Ihere
are four tours of duty Tour NO Is 'ne M 1;ha
| watch lasting from IL D. III. To IL a. III. ~
Cronor Who stands this IL supposed to answer