The Paducah sun., 1904-12-06
CAPT. JAMES +. CROW
YHE NEW CORONER
Was Appointed Today by Judge
LightfOot.
He VIII Inaugurate Reforms, and
Bury the County's Pauper
Dead Himself.


Captain James F. Grow was this
morning appointed coroner of Nc
Cracken county to FIJI the vacancy
occasioned by the death OF Coroner
VIM. Peal several weeks ago. The
appointment was tipped yesterday in
The Sun. but 1t was not made by
County Judge Lightfoot, who was
too busy yesterday. until today.
This forenoon Captain Crow re-
oeived his official appointment and
gave bond. and is now the coroner
until next January. A year, at which
time the coroner to be regularly
elected next November will assume
the duties OF Office.
Captain Crow stated this morning
relative to the requirements of his
ofice: 81 am to be coroner)and to
attend to the burial Of the paupers
OF the county. II you will remember
the fiscal board decided that the
price of $40 was too much for the
burial Of a pauper corpse, and the To-
cal undertakers refused to touch a
body for less than this amount. The
matter was referred TO a committee
to investigate and secure a carpen-
ter 10 make che cofiins in which to
bury the bodies. but nothing has ever
been done about Il. l have rented me
a place near home, in the Warner
veterinary stable. and will make my
own cofiins. being a carpenter. and
will have a credit of 81 each for ev-
cry coffin / make for the burial of
paupers. This is the lowest bid plac-
ed by any one. will take my dead
10 this place and look after the bur
ial myself"
Captain Grow, because of his fit
ness for the place, and formerly be-
ing a carpenter and willing to take
the office at the multiplied duties,
was considered the best man possi-
BILE for the place. He is having his of
fee in the Warner stables fitted out
and will enter into the duties of cor
oner as soon as he is officially APP
pointed.
Soon after the committee was APP
pointed by the board to look after
the manufacture of collins, lumber
was purchased and sent to the court
house, but has never been touched.
The county will not buy the lumbar.
Capt. Crow is TO do this himself. He
will also hook after every detail Of
the work. IL is expected that this
economical step will save much for
the county.
Captain Crow promises to inaugu-
rate some needed reforms in the dis
charge of his duties as coroner.
Heretofore scores of bodies have
been buried in this county without
any sort of official investigation,
simply to save some ones feelings.
or to keep from incurring. notoriety.
Cases that would have justified and
received the most exhaustive inqui-
ry in the big cities. where every case,
no matter whom it affects or whom
'it exposes to public scrutiny or dis
grace. is thoroughly investigated,
have In Paducah been ignored. Men
are killed by cars and die in other
ways and no inquest held in great
many cases but Capt. Crow says
that It will now stop. That there will
be an inquest in every case of violent
death or death resulting indirectly
from violence. accident, poison, and
such things.
Capt. Grow is not only capable
man. but popular one as well, and
the forecast in yesterdays Sun that
he would be appointed today was
well received by the public.