Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-19
SUICIDE: ON INCREASE
rSl-. So
gt-A.a%
+ DIS.
Coroner Reports 80 Per Cent
tfAs-,o
More Thai Last Year.
MORE VIOLENT DEATHS
MoRTA11TYssMufH eREArER-a1s
DEATHs'FRoM ACCIDENT.
Ten Persons Used Opium to Accom-
plish Their End - Fifteen
Honicides Recorded.


According to the annual report of Cor
oner ]. Ramsey hewitt which has just been
submitted to the Commissioners, the num-
Der of violent deaths occurring In the DIS
trict during the year ended June 80 last IN
creased about thirty per cent over the num-
Der occurring in the preceding fiscal year.
The number of suicides during the past
fiscal year also increased almost thirty
per cent over the number recorded IN the
fiscal year ended June 80 1903. The coro-
ner viewed ten per cent more bodies TINS
year than last, and held twenty-five per
cent more inquests
DR.. hewitt mentions that the new morgue
has been erected during the year at cost
of $4,000. This Is now occupied by the
coroner, who states that the new morgue Is
well equipped for present purposes. Inc
force, however. DIR. hewitt says, Is insult
ficient to properly care for the building and
for the work of the coroner's office. He
suggests that the office be furnished with
hostler, and also that stenographer be
appointed for the Office, since the work has
steadily increased in the past few years.
and besides 1t Is deemed advisable that the
proceedings of the inquests be accurately
reported.
Some Interesting Figures.
According to the report the number of
deaths reported to the coroner during the
past fiscal year was 1923. as against OFT
last year. There were 5O7 deaths from nat
ural causes reported, as compared with 514
last year. The coroner reports 213 deaths
from accident during the past year, as
against 154 during the year previous.
The number Of deaths resulting from
steam railroad accidents in the District in
creased during the year nearly threefOld.
the preceding year there were but ten.
Street railways were responsible for seven
deaths, as against eight the year before.
Burns of body We're responsible for the
death of thirty-seven persons, as against
twenty-three the year preceding. The
causes follow: Falls and blows, 81: gunshot
wounds A: steam railroad accidents in the
District, ~, ard out of the District / ;;
street railroad accidents, :: elevator acct
dents. 3; electric shock. 1; lightning, l.:
burns to body, 81: drowning, 26; scalds, 2;
smothering, .; strangulation, 1; tetanus. H.
There were twenty-five cases of accidental
poisoning, ten being due to Illuminating
gas, while the year before there were nine
teen.
Seventy Suicides.
During the past year there were seventy
cases of self-destructfon recorded. The year
previous there were, but fifty-four The
means employed by the seventy persons in
accomplishing their death were as follows:
Gunshot wounds, 29;' jumping, 2; hanging
8; cutting throat, 9; steam railroad. 2;
opium poisoning. 10: rough-on-rats. /: H.
Illuminating gas, 1; drowning, 2; carbolic
acid, 10; arsenic, 2.
The number Of vhom1cIdss during the past
year was fifteen. a decrease of three over
last year. The, number of autopsies in Dis
trict cases was fifty-two; in United States
cases, twenty-fopr; shumber of inquests.
forty-seven, and the number Of bodies taken
to the morgue, 342, s..
It is understood that the Commissioners
in their next estimate to Congress will ask
for additional force for the new morgue.