The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-20
YELLING GIVES
PLEDGE THAT
HE'LL reform
Coroner Tells Officials of
County That He viii
Stay Inside Law
STATE INQUIRY STARTED
Fee Claims to Be Probed;
EmbaIming Rush Act
Is Stopped.
BY DICK MILLER

VIII Tile SOdtS DOdIQ OF 6CCOuIlJS
opening an investigation today in
the Office of Coroner Fred w. vehl-
ing, county officials were told by
Vehliug that he intended to operate
his Office lin strict accordance with
the law in the future
Officials said that without The
Times expose of conditions in the
Office it was probable that the I'M
ethical practices revealed would
have continued indefinitely.
The Times has showed that many
bodies were rushed by Vehling to
his own undertaking establishment
and that claims were fled for serv-
ices in subpenaing persons as wit
nesses in death cases when, in fact.
the persons appeared either volun-
tarily or were called by phone.
Autopsy Fund Exhausted
1t also was revealed in The Times
inquiry that Vehling had exhausted
his annual autopsy appropriation
of $1,000, and already had sought
to have an additional $50 claim
paid. He has been in Office only
since Jan. 1.
In a conference with Herbert
Wilson, county prosecutor, Vehling
is said to have told the prosecutor
that ur1ethical practices would not
occur in his Office again. He also
said that he and Hugo Sommers,
ETC N1n -
the law set out so they might not
overstep their authority in any line.
Sommers is alleged to have COL
lected the service fees without Civ
ing personal service OF subpenaS to
witnesses. Vehling countersigned
and attested the claims as true, &C
cording to records.
Serving to BE Done Legally
Indianapolis police today we're
notified by Yelling and Sommers
that they will be served with sub
penas today at their legal resi-
dences. The inquiry revealed that
claims. were made for service when
all attaches of Vehling's Office had
done was to gather up the reports of
officers on death cases and, after
copying them as inquest evidence,
returned them to officers for sig
natures.
The accounts board will check, as
best as can be done in view of the
incomplete bookkeeping in the cor
oner's office, to determine the num-
Der Of cases in which witness Serv-
ice fees were collected illegally and
the number Of autopsies for which
the, county paid without reason.
The law says the coroner shall not
conduct an autopsy unless evidence
Of the death indicates the person
was q victim Of violence or cas-
ualty.
New System Ordered
The accounts board also Will
place into operation a complete
bookkeeping system in vehling's
Office, following completion of the
probe. County commissioners said
they will take. further check Of
records into their own hands after
the recording system is installed
Harvey Grabill, county attorney,
will make demand on William
Hamilton, former constable under
DR.. Charles H. Keever, predecessor
Of Vehling's, for an accounting of
his mileage and service claims dur
ing his period in Office.
Civil suits to obtain for the county
money that has been collected in
Illegal fees, should the accounts
board probe reveal such cases, will
be filed against either the tncum-
bents or officials and employees Of
the former administration, or both,
by Grabill.
Funds May Be Repaid
vehling and sommers may offer
voluntary repayment of funds,
should the investigation reveal IL
legally collected amounts.
Police records reveal that since
the results Of The Times investi-
cation have been printed, vehling
has abandoned his practice Of rush
ing bodies to his undertaking es-
adjustment.
All bodies now are being sent to
the city hospital morgue by the
coroner and no reports have been
received Of Vehling insisting on
burial rights or embalning corpses
before relatives had opportunity to
make arrangements with the UNI
dertakers.
Previously, Vehling often had the
bodies embalmed within two hours
after death, and, if he was not given
burial privileges, would charge rela-
tives $25 for the enabalning.
Would Quit Moving Bodies
Commissioners Saturday were
asked by Othniel Hitch, attorney, to
take over control Of moving bodies
from places in the county. He said
Yelling had told him he had no de-
sire to continue this work.
City health board officials today
requested Clifford Askin, president
Of the Indianapolis School Of EN-
balming, to draw formal contract
for the proposed embalming Of bod
les by members Of the school at
the hospital to prevent any COM
DR.. Herman c. Morgan, health
board secretary. said Vehling and
Askin said a SIS fee would be
charged for the service.