Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-05

shall before entering upon the duties OF
ms office be 61iy sworn TO the faithful
performance of his duty. and shall make
examination as hereinafter provided up
on the View of the dead bodies OF such
persons only as are supposed to have
come TO their death by violence or I'M
lawful act.
Section 4. II shall be the duty Of any
one nndlng body OF any person who
may be supposed to have come to his
death by violence or unlawful act to
immediately notify one of the municipal
officers, police officer or a constable,
member of the board Of selectmen. or
a constable if III town, a member of the
and If in an unorganiZed place. the most
readily accessible of such officials in any
city, town or plantation within the
county, whose duty il shall be- at once
10 take charge of such body and retain
custody thereof without removal until
the arrival of a medical examiner, the
county attorney or the attorney gen.
eraI. The person so finding such body,
or the official taking charge thereof
snail then immediately notify the most
readily accessible medical examiner in
the county wherein the body is found
and the county attorney thereof who
shall at once notify the attorney gener-
al Upon notice that there has been
found or is lying within his county the
body OF person who is supposed to
have come to his death by violence or
shall forthwith repair TO the place
where such body lies and take charge OF
the same, and before said body is ro-
moved he Shall reduce or cause to be
reduced 10 writing description Of the
location and position of the body and
any and all facts that may be deemed
important III determining the cause of
death. lie shall then make an autop-
sy III the presence OF a physician and
one other discreet person sufficient in
his Judgment to disclose such facts as
may be aItainable thereby which would
be OF assistance In determining the
cause of death He may compel the
assistance OF such physician and per
son, by subpoena, if necessary and he
shall then and there at the time of said
autopsy reduce or cause TO be reduced
to writing every fact and circumstance
disclosed by such autopsy tending TO
show the manner and cause of death
Which record shall be signed by him,
self and the witnesses who have al
tended, who SNAIL in addition to their
names subscribe their address and place
OF business. In case at the time of
finding of such body there be no medi-
cal examiner within the county by rea-
son OF vacancy In the office, incapacitv
or absence from the county, any medi-
cal examiner in al adjoining county
may be notified whose duty it shall he
10 attend ana perform all duties pre-
scrlbed by this act as though he were
medical examiner within the county
personal inquiry or autopsy as is re-
CURED by the preceding section. the
medical examiner is of the opinion the
death OF the person was caused by yio-
fence, criminal or otherwise, he shall
at once so notify the county attorney
ana the attorney general, and file wirh
each d duly attested copy of the record
OF the case. he shall also make a re-
lurtl OF ne death ct such person TO the
fltN or Town clerk as required by law
Whlch shall be supplemented with
personal description of the deceased for
identification.
Section G. The county attorney or at
1orLey general may require the medical
examiner 10 perform an autopsy If in
lhelr judgment the same is advisable,
IL cases where the medical examiner
has not deemed i necessary TO do so.
and on receiving the report of d medi-
cal examiner or an autopsy made by
aim ID pursuance of the provisions of
this act and finding some person or per
SONS probably implicated may, when
deemed necessary authorize the medical
examiner to take an inquest upon the
view of the dead body Of the person
whose death is supposed to have been
"rcaSloned unlawfully, and such medi-
cal examiner Shall thereupon summon
70 appear before him such witnesses
as the county attorney or attorney gen
era! may direct who shall be examined
under oath by said county attorney or
attorney general All such testimony
snail he reduced to writing ny the med
ical examiner or under his direction and
snail ne signed by the Witness and
sworn TO. The medical examiner shall
preside IL such inquest and shall .report
IN writing his conclusions when ans
where and pN what means the person
camt 10 his death, to tile county attor
neT or attorney general ana If il ap-
lirafS 70 INN that II was 4 case Of
homicide. he Shall 50 state and NAV
star the name OF the person, who in
IL LloEh''nl IAere is probable cause
10 beteVe contributed TO such death. If
Known 10 him. The county attorney
ana Inc attorney general shall then pro
cfed t. execute the laws of the State
s"Eern'hs the office which they hold
and max direct tie holdings Ct witness
es a. they shall deem necessary.
Section :. If medical examiner re-
po'Ls thal a death was not caused bv
Violence ~ unlawful act ana the county
ar lofhe3 or attorney general is Of a
: i1al- ht construed 10 prevent either of
these officers directing an incuost in
accordance with this act
Section 3, The medical examiner
WIN the advice and consent Of the
county attorney or ATTORNEY general
may if he deems necessary caD a chern-
ISL OF other expert TO aid i'll the exam
NATION OF the body or OF substance SUP
poSeo 10 nave caused OF contributed to
tLte ueaill OF such person and such chem
; ucil COMPENSATION for his services as
me medical examiner and the county
attorney snail certify to be lust and
lefSoAAble. Any person employed "a
! euute 70 writing the results OF auy of
me proceedings provided for in this act
sA@I DC sworn and shall be allowed
reasonable compensation.
Section g. The medical examiner up-
on the completion of his examination.
autopsy or inquest shall deliver the
dead body upon their claim therefor to
one or more OF the persons hereinafter
named. and they shall he entitled there
TO as follows: First. the husband or
VIE, as the case may he; second, the
next o1 KIN; third, any friend of the de-
ceased. But II the dead body is uniden-
Tined or is unclaimed for q period of
MOI less than forty-eight hours follow
ing the view thereof the medical ex-
am1ner shall deliver the body to the
oNefSeefs OF the poor in the town or
II IN a plantation or unorganiZed place
10 the county commissioners who shall
decentlS bury the same, or shall deliver
IL TO the board of distribution as pro-
Nldeo IN section three Of chapter seven
Teen OIL the Revised Statutes The ex-
pellse OF burial shall be borne by the
municipality liable for the support of
lhe deceased if any within the State.
and II not by the State.
Section 10. In all cases arising under
the provisions of this act the medical
examiner shall take charge Of any mon
cy or any other personal effects Of the
deceased found upon or near the body
and subject 10 the right of the State TO
use the same as evidence, shall deliver
them TO the person or persons entitled
or if there is any doubt regard
ing 10 whom they shall be delivered