The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-04
CORONER WANTS ID KNOW WHAT IS GOING ID BE DONE FOR HIM Spain Calls Attention to h. adequate Provisions For Maintenance of Office OFFICE IS OBSOLETE
 AT PRESENT TIME Points to Fact That He Is Paying the County $500 Year For Privilege
 of Filling Office-Investigat-
 ed 800 Deaths

Is the Jefferson county legislative delegation going to do anything for Coroner Charles l.. Spain? This is a question that is perplexing that over worked public official.
 During the past week stories have been printed regarding the changes in salaries for county officials as soon as the legislature convened, but mention was omitted of what would be done for the coroners office. Coroner Spain commented on this yesterday in his characteristic manner.
 T read in the newspapers" said the coroner, that the Jefferson county leg islatiye delegation has agreed that they can change the basis of remuneration for the sheriff while in office. If that is the case the legislature can also change my salary, so that I can get some material benefit before I go out of office. I am not bashful about ask ing for what I want, and I do want more money from the county, because l am earning it.
 'I have been coroner for nearly two years on a $10O month salary. Out of that munificent stipend I must pay my expenses. If I am concientious in the discharge of my duties I find that I pay Jefferson county citizens something like $500 a year for the privilege of being their coroner No fair minded cit izen will deny that my job is under paid.
 Has Pr0bed 500 Deaths
 "As coroner in the past two years have investigated over 800 violent deaths, the great majority homicides, and few of the investigations have been complete. I cannot complete an investigation at the present time because other deaths con tinually take up my attention. Thus in many cases the law is cheated and this always encourages the lawbreaker. It seems at times as though the office of coroner were purposely made obsolete in order that pistol 'toters could kill at will and get away with it.
 At the present time the office of coro- ner is practically obsolete. I cannot at- tend to all the cases that am summoned upon, therefore death certificates are given out with little discrimination, and mur- derers have excellent opportunities to es- cape the penalty of their crimes. call attention to this that the Jefferson coun- ty legislative delegation may take my office into consideration in making up their programme. I hope they will do so before I go bankrupt paying the county for working at Investigating it's homicides.
 The coroner's office is the most im- portant in Jefferson county. It should pay good, substantial salary and also salaries for assistants, such as physicians and detectives The office of coroner should be maintained in order that it would be open "A hours of the day, that the moment any murder or fatal accident happened the coroner or deputy coroner could be on the scene in a few minutes to protect the interest of law and or der This cannot be done under the pres ont law.
 There should also be allowances made to maintain clerks in the office of the coroner in order that all records might be kept accurately for future reference. At the present time records of fatal &C., cidents and homicides are slovenly kept which is probably just as well as Jeff ferson county can have no pride in keep ing an accurate check on her murder orgy of the past half dozen years.
 Deals With Real Crimes
 'They talk of paying man 5000 a year to raid negro dice games and such. That is tommyrot. And 1t does not com pare we'll with my $100 month I don't investigate dice games. My busi- ness is always to investigate real crimes And I've been Investigating real crimes for nearly two years despite my limited resources with more or less success, and l am going to continue do- ing SO. However, I sincerely hope that the Jefferson county legislators will give my case their serious attention and improve the efficiency Of my of- flee by making allowances for much needed assistants-even if they can- not see their way to increase my sal- ary. But I hope they will not alto gether be blind to my needs"
 Although little has been said about tho matter 1t Is generally understood that Dr. E.. F. Hogan and Isadore Hhap- fro have considered the office of cor oner in their legislative programme The difficulties of Coroner Spain have been appreciated by the public for several months and pressure will undoubtedly be brought to bear on the delegation to give the coroners office of Jefferson county their serious attention. It Is gen. |erally conceded that this Is one office &ln the state that is underpaid and in- ! hdeQuate for the duties that fall upYn it.