Evening star., 1909-09-12
Total of 358 in District the
Past Fiscal Year.
REPORT OF THE CORONER
Of Aggregate Noted, Eighty-Six
Persons Committed Suicide.
FIFTY-FOUR WERE DROWNED
Suggestions Made for the Better
ment of the Service-Salary
Increases Recommended.

AAVAC CoSCS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
There were 35s violent deaths in the
District of Columbia during the fiscal
year ended June 80 last, or almost one a
day. according to the annual report of
the District coroner. DIR. j. r. hewitt
submitted to the Commissioners yester-
day afternoon.
Eighty-six persons the report shows
took their own lives in the twelve months,
225 met death in accidents of all kinds,
Is were accidentally poisoned. was legal
ly executed and 81 died as the result of
homicides. In addition to investigating
these cases, Coroner Nevitt reports that
he was called upon to conduct Inquiries
into the deaths of 745 persons from nat
ural causes.
Among those who ended their lives dur.
Ing the year. the report states, asphyxia-
ton by Illuminating gas was found to be
the most popular means, twenty-nine of
the eighty-six choosing that method Sew
enteen suicides were credited to gun shot
wounds. Carbolic acid was used, with
fatal results, in fifteen cases-six cut
their own throats, five sought watery
grave. four found death in jumping from
high places, three used the hangman's
moose. two took potassium cyanide. one
burned himself to death by setting fire
fatal results. another died by opium pois-
oning. Still another swallowed strych-
nine, and the eighty-sixth victim crossed
the great divide through the aid of
bichloride Of mercury.
Heads List Of Accidents.
Drowning is listed in the report as the
cause OF the largest number Of accidental
deaths. ffty-four persons losing their
lives In the waters Of the District in the
year. Coroner hewitt puts accidental falls,
blows and similar causes in one class
and charges ffty-eight deaths to such
accidents.
Thirty persons were burned to death
in the Capital city the year covered by
the report. some meeting their death in
the flames of burning dwelling. others
setting fire to their clothing accidentally
by matches and still others being caught
In the flames Of burning Oil.
The toll OF the street railway operations
IN the city during the year was twenty
five deaths and two others died in the
District from similar causes outside
Eleven others died in steam railway acct
dents In the District and two succumbed
to injuries received in steam railway ac-
cidents outside the District. having been
other causes of accidental death are
given as follows: Tetanus or lockjaw. 13:
| wagon accidents In the District. 6; wagon
accidents outside the District, 4; electric
car pit 1: steamboat collision. /; elevator
accident. 1; electric shock, 8: accidental
gunshot wounds. 2: gas tank explosion 1 !:
scalds, Z; smothering, babies, and
spinal meningitis. 3
Poison Claims Fifteen Victims.
Fifteen persons were accidentally poi
| soned during the year. being asphyxi-
| ated by Illuminating gas. being killed
by monoxide gas. 2 dying from chloro-
| form used as an anesthetic, from alco-
| hol, from ptomaine poisoning and 1
from carbolic acid.
OF the 81 deaths in the District due to
| homicides % resulted from crimes COM
| mitted in the District and from inju-
ries inflicted outside of the District
Heat exhaustion caused 16 sudden
deaths in the District in the year COW
cred by the report, according to the sec
tion devoted to deaths from natural
causes which the coroner was called upon
to investigate. In IA other cases the
coroner attributed death to alcoholism.
In other cases exposure is officially
designated as the caue of death; malnu-
triton In p cases, senile debility in 80
cases and miscellaneous diseases as the
causes of the others. There were 300
stillbirths, the reports states.
Needs Of the Department.
Increases of salary Of the morgue keep
er and his assistant from $50 and $40 to
$76 and $50, respectively, and the en-
ployment of a stenOgrapher for the coro-
ner to make records of inquests and do
other clerical work at salary of 81, 900
per annum. and of hostler or janitor
for the morgue, at a salary of $500 per
annum, are urged.
Regarding these needs Coroner hewitt
says:
Il desire also to call your attention to
increase In the salary of the morgue
keeper and his assistant from $50 and
$40 a month to $75 and SEQ per month, re-
spectively. In this connection please note
that during the past year there was an
increase Of more than 60 per cent in the
number OF bodies handled by these men.
Il respectfully direct your attention to
data relative to the item of stenographer
at salary of $1,000 per annum. Permit
me to repeat that this office has no means
OF recording the proceedings of inquests
except by lOnghand notes. The average
expense entailed by the occasional en-
ployment Of contract stenographers is
approximately equivalent (plds the cost
of longhand work. to the salary OF the
stenOgrapher applied for. Also there have
been cases before the eoroner's jury
where the interests of the District could
not haye been anticipated, but which
nave DccH uiSCiOSSU Dy the testimony.
Revision of Methods. :.
Furthermore, the present method Of
keeping statistics in the office of the cor
oner should be revised by substituting
a more comprehensive and up-to-date
system. At present, in order to inaugu-
rate such a change, with his manifold du-
ties. the coroner (who has no assistant)
would be obliged to take up still greater
part Of his time from the more important
branch Of his work, /. e., the medico-
legal investigation Of sudden deaths, for
which service he Is compelled to be ready
at all times.
THE stenographer could also. act as
bookkeeper and attend to the increasing
correspondence of the Office.
IT, too, recommend the appointment of
a hostler, or janitor, for the morgue at
a salary of $3.50 per annum. Two men
are required to go with the morgue
wagon. as it is impossible for one person
to remove body from the upper floors of
high buildings. Response to such ser
vice by the morgue keeper and his as
sistant would leave the morgue building
entirely unattended, and as 1t is visited
every day and at all hours by those.
seeking information concerning the dead
and missing. some reliable person should