The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-20
COUNTY BOARD
DODGES ISSUE
ON CORONER
Charges of AutopSieS Made
Without Legal Right
Are Ignored.
FEES PAID ILLEGALLY
No Move So Far for Return
of Money Collected
by Constable.
BY DICK MILLER

performance OF illegal autOpSleS
have been hurled at Coroner Fred
w Vehling, county commissioners
today had made no move to demand
repayment of fees given Vehling for
post mortems.
For several months county COM
missioners have been aware Of
allegations of unwarranted autopsies,
and have the power to sue Vehling
on the bond he provides TO hold his
post.
Only step to block mounting fee
demands was taken by the county
council recently, when $3.50 claim
for post-mortems was denied Veh-
ling exhausted his $500 post
norton fund several weeks ago.
DR.. Charles Myers, Getty hospital
superintendent, today issued warn
ings to members of the institutional
staff to halt practice Of character
izing natural death cases as cor
oner's cases." to perform curiosity
autopsies."
THE records tend to show that
on occasions autopsies are obtained
by making coroner's cases" the
statement said 1T is requested
that in the future an attempt be
made to obtain autopsies by getting
the consent of the family or near
est relatives and, in event an au-
topsy is refused, it is requested no
attempt be made to force one by
making a coroner's case"
Return of fees paid constable in
Vehlings office, who later was dis
charged when attorneys could find
no law covering creation Of the post,
also has received no attention from
commissioners.
Fees Illegally Collected
During his employment as con-
stable, Hugo Summers collected fees
totaling several hundred dollars. 1t
was alleged that fee claims were
filed for subpoena service when writs
were not served, and for mileage
not covered in purported service of
the writs.
Many instances in which persons
were summoned to the coroners
Office by phone or came voluntarily
were revealed.
County commissioners George
Snider and Dow VorhieS asserted
they would file suits to claim the
alleged illegal fees, but this action
never has been taken.
Under the law, Vehling is not
supposed to conduct autopsies ex-
cept in cases of violence, or where
there are indications of criminal
action resulting in deaths.
Cite Court Ruling
In a ruling of the state supreme
court in an Allen county case, it
was held the coroner must form
his Judgment on the facts, and, if
the circumstances Immediately ac-
cessible are such as would have dis
closed there was no reasonable basis
for the suspicion, he can not recover
fees, where it turns out death re-
suited from natural cause"
The court also struck at perform
ance of autopsieS when there is no
evidence of violation or foul play,
in a case appealed from Morgan
county.
In this case the court ruled
the coroner's duties are ministerial,
and his power was limited by stat
ute directing him to hold inquests
and to direct autopSies only in cases
where death might be supposed to
have been brought about by vio-
lence or casualty"
Damage Suit Pending
Damage suit of $4,000 is pend
ing against the coroner for his al
legged removal of the body of Mrs.
Paula Steinberger, 908 East Iowa
street. and his purported abusive
treatment of her husband, Rudolph
Steinberger.
Steinberger AYERS his wife'S body
was taken from his home and rushed
to Vehling's undertaking establish
ment, 702 Virginia avenue, by Vehl-
ings employees while he was in an
other room of the house making
preparations for the burial.
Vehling, Steinberger said, was
called by neighbors, who believed
it was necessary to summon the
coroner in natural death cases.
For nine hours after Vehling is
alleged to have stolen" the body,
Steinberger claims he and friends
attempted to obtain release to an
other undertaken When they
finally obtained the body, Stein
berger alleged Vehling charged $87
for embalming, done without his
permisSion. Undertakes said $40 is
a fair price for embalming.
Abused, He Says
Steinberger said during the hours
he was attempting to get release of
the body, Vehling verbally charged
him with drunkenness and called
him a liar.
Suit to have Vehling return a
proper verdict in the case of Carl
Yoh, 81, of 1924 North Pennsylvania
street, auto accident victim, now is
being prepared by Walter Wickliff,
attorney and administrator of the
estate.
Struck by an auto. Yoh sustained
skull fracture, wounds and a leg
fracture Pneumonia set in after
the accident and Vehlng gave the
cause of death as pneumonia in
stead Of the accident.
For this reason an insurance COM
pany withheld double indemnity
but Wickliff said insurance officials
are convinced accidental death
should have been the verdict in the
case and may pay in full without