The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-05-01
WARNS AGAINST
TOUCHING DEAD
Molestation of Scenes of
Violent Death Often
Works Injustice.
SU M MON OFFICIALS
Persons Discovering De a d
Body Should Call Police,
Prosecutor and Coroner.

A warning against molestation of
scenes of violent death, was issued
today by Morris Barnett, district at
torney. Careless handling of a body,
or the disturbance of various objects
by unauthorized persons often results
in an injustice either to an individual
or to the state, he added.
Mr.. Barnett then pointed to the
case of H. Benjamin Eichelman. He
stated that had the police department
had an opportunity of making care
full survey of the scene, it is high
ly improbable that the state would
have had to go through three days of
preliminary examination.
There would have been the finger
prints on the trigger of the death gun,
which would have absolutely told who
fired the fatal shot. There would have
been photographs of the exact posi-
tion of the body, which would also
have revealed much. The result would
have been that either the husband
would have never been placed under
arrest and subjected to the humilia-
ton of being jailed and forced through
days in court, during his hours of
sorrow or his guilt would have been
established beyond reasonable doubt.
Public Should Know.
eve all live our days in uncertain
ty," Mr.. Barnett said. "None of US
can tell when violent death will reach
into our lives, and it is well that we
all know what to do in the case of
such an emergency. If case is hand
led by the method prescribed by law,
there is little chance that an injus-
tice will be worked on anyone.
"When body is found, the police,
the district attorney, and the coroner,
should all be notified as soon as possf-
ble Until they arrive, nothing should
be disturbed at the scene. Everyone
should refrain from even touching
anything lest finger prints become
obliterated before the police have an
opportunity to take what they can find.
People should even stay away from
the immediate vicinity.
statutes says: When the district at
torney has notice of the death of any
person in his county, and from cir
cumstances surrounding the same, has
good reason to believe that murder or
manslaughter has been committed, he
shall forthwith order and require the
coroner or some justice of the peace
therein, to take an inquest on the
view of dead body of such person. For
the purposes of taking such inquest,
coroners may perform all the duties,
and exercise all the jurisdiction and
powers preferred on justices of the
peace Section 1896 reads:
Whenever any justice of the peace,
or coroner, shall be so ordered as pro-
vided in the preceding section, he
shall issue a precept to the sheriff or
any constable forthwith to summon
"a jury of six good and lawful men
of the county to appear before him,
at the time and place specified in
the precept'."
Satisfied With Decision.
The district attorney stated that he
had absolutely no fault to find with
the decision of Judge Slater rendered
yesterday following the preliminary
examination Of Eichelman.
He pointed out that he had not is
sued the warrant for murder until the
coroner's jury had listened to all the
testimony presented at the inquest
and recommended that the husband
be held. Then, he said, it became his
duty as prosecutor of the county
to present all the evidence he was
able to obtain.
Mr.. Barnett stated that he felt he
had done his duty to the best of his
ability, with such evidence as was OBJ
tainable, and with no thought to other
than an impartial administration of
the law.