Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-23
MUST SUMMON Jury
Coroner Required to Hold In
quests Over Suicides.
CERTIFICATE NOT ENOUGH
Opinion of Corporation Counsel
When Asked to Interpret Law.
ADDED EXPENSE TO DISTRICT
Believed That Increased Appropri-
alton Will Be Needed-Nor-
val Harris Case.

Under a decision given by Corporation
Counsel Thomas, Coroner hewitt will call
in the services of jury in all future in
quests over bodies OF suspected suicides
The decision was reached following Dr.
Nevitt's request for information on the
law.
Heretofore. in cases where the coroner
has been satisfied in his own mind the
death under consideration was the result
of suicide. he has followed the federal
code and conducted the investigation
without the services of jury 1t is
found, however, that the code requires a
jury.
Coroner Submits Query.
DR.. hewitt submitted the following
query to the District Commissioners, and
the latter referred it to the corporation
counsel:
Where the coroner is satisfied from
the investigation Of death that the de-
ceased committed suicide, as a matter of
law Is he required to summon a jury
and proceed with an inquest?'
The decision of the corporation counsel
Is as follows:
cit is the opinion Of the corporation
counsel that the coroner would be re-
CURED to hold an inquest over the bodies
of all suicides
Added Expense to District.
A member of the police force will be
detailed to assist the coroner in procur-
ing witnesses to appear before the sui
eide juries. Health Officer Woodward,
Coroner hewitt and Police Chief Sylves-
ter all realize the increased work which
the decision entails on them, and it was
decided this morning that the aid of a
policeman detective would be necessary
to the coroners oflce.
Each suicide here will hereafter cost
the District at least $50 more than hereto
fore.
There were eighty-two instances last
year, according to the records of the
coroner, in which certificates were given
to show that death resulted from self-in-
ficted wounds or from the effects of
poison or other agency of self-destruction.
Had the recent ruling of the corporation
counsel been in effect during the year the
District would have had to expend about
800 or more to investigate them.
This decision, 1t Is believed, will necessi-
tate the asking of an additional appro-
priation for paying the expenses of the
ditional compensation for the coroner and
his assistants in keeping with the in
creased work put upon them.
Inquest in Harris Case.
The decision Of the corporation counsel
will necessitate the holding of an in
quest in the case of NorNal T. Harris,
whose death was recently passed upon
by Coroner hewitt as having resulted
from a self-inflicted wound.
Norval T. Harris, who was employed
as a street cleaning inspector by the Dis
trist government. was found dead on I
street between Sth and 9th streets south
west the morning of Sunday, August %,
with bullet hole in the back of his
head.
Following the finding of the body by
an unidentified colored man, who report
ed the discovery to two residents of
Southwest Washington, and who later
notified the police of the fourth precinct,
central office detectives and police Of the
Acting Capt Father, conducted an in
vestigation which resulted in Coroner
hewitt issuing certificate Of death by
suicide. The revolver with which Harris
is said to have killed himself. and which
was later identified as having belonged
to him. was recovered from second
hand store in Southwest Washington,
where it had been sold by a colored
man.
The Coroner's Comment.
later investigation was conducted by
detectives Weedon and Burlingame, who
had been assigned by Maj. Sylvester.
After their report had been filed and SUBJ
mitted to Maj Sylvester and later to
Coroner hewitt, the coroner returned it to
Maj. Sylvester with the following state
ment:
II am unable to appreciate whereby
this case could be more thoroughly in
vestigated If brought to the attention of
coroners jury or any deduction made
than is implied or set forth in the origi-
nal certificate of DEATH"
The coroner then submitted to the Com
missioners his question as to the law re-
eartling inuueStS