The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-12-06
DAWSON TAKES Ex-
CEpTION TO CRITICISM
CONSTITUTES o'BRIENs WRITING THE
ATTY. GENERAL AS CRITICISM
SAYS THAT HE SOUGHT HARMONY
He Brought Johns and Hamilton Together
For All Time--Fess 0'Brien Will
Kick Harmony 10 Smilhsreens

A few weeks ago some hitch arose
over the holding OF an inquest upon
the body Of man killed by the cars
on the North Western railroad near
Beechwood The hitch was between the
undertaken and Coroner Hamilton.
The reporter for the Iron River Re-
porter wrote up the matter in hu-
morous vein. Mr.. Hamilton took ex-
ception TO the article to which Mr.
O'Brien retorted and il was. supposed
that the incident was closed
However, in last weeks issue of
the Reporter. there appeared anoth er
article on this coroner matter and
included in il was letter received
from the attorney general in whicn
that official answered several ques
tions asked him by O'Brien concern
ing this matter.
II happened that couple of the
questions involved Coroner Dawson
Of this city and it rasped on his skin
40 hard that Mr.. Dawson thinks IL
his duty to step into the breach and
defend both himself and Mr.. Ham
iton. Hence the following contribu
tion.
Crystal Falls. Mich. Dec. /, 1918.
Editor Diamond Drill =:
/ notice that MIR. O'Brien,
Editor of the Iron River Stambaugh
Reporter, has taken il upon himself to
continue the coroner contention winch
aroused some little talk at Iron River
couple of weeks ago In Justice to
myself and Mr.. Hamilton. think it
proper for me to explain 10 the people
who may have seen Mr.. O'Brien's
comments my entire connection with
the affair.
TO begin my story at the beginning,
WAS called up by Mr.. Johns, the
undertaken at Iron River. about 8 80
p. m. of the day Macdonald was kill.
ed. Johns told me that an accident
had occurred and that he wanted me
to come over at once / told him that
/ couldn't get there until about noon
the following day.
went over there. | viewed the
body in Mr. Jones undertaking estab
4, lishment sat down and struck venire
for jury, leaving dates blank.
About the time / bad finished this
work, MIR. Johns told me Of Mr..
Hamilton's having refused to hold
the inquest because of his having re-
moved the body. then asked for
MIR. Hamilton as | wanted TO talk
with him before | went further.
told Mr.. Johns that If there was more
consideration used i'm cases ~ acci-
dents these Misunderstanding would
not occur as coroners want TO view
the bodies where theys-are found and
Mr.. Johns had no necessity for NOV
ing the body IN this case.
then called up Mr.. Hamilton but,
as he was not In, didn't get into
communication with him until after
dinner When called again told
him wanted 10 see him. He replied
that he wouldn't come over and for
\ me TO 20 ahead and hold the inquest.
insisted and finally Mr.. Hamilton
came over and told me his story. |
tried 20 smooth matters out. MIR.
Hamilton was insistent that the bodies
be not m owed and in order 10 pacify
everyone aud get the men working In
harmony / refused to act further In
the care unless Mr.. Hamilton posi-
lively refused to act. IL was here that
the matter Of jurisdiction came mp
aud while | knew that l mad as much
right rs Mr.. Hamilton 10 hold an i'm
quest over their, ] considered that IL
would be very discourteous TO him 10
act when he was nearest the scene and
IN fact he was involved lin the case
by this argument with Johns.
Learning later that the witnesses
couldn't be got around until noon the
next day. thought 10 folly for me to
be put 20 the Inconvenience and the
county 10 the expense OF my staying
ever there, 80 was more insistent
than ordinary that Mr.. Hamilton
should act
Mr.. Hamilton said. 'BiIly. IN do
anything for You but the way they
have treated me over here Is shame
and don't want IL 10 continue. !
replied that we ought to patch think-
up and start new ana as a means 81
getting them patched up 4 l>1} :
petition made out reauestIu1 ~