Coroners Inquisitions

Coroners Inquisitions are investigations into the deaths of individuals who died by a sudden, violent, unnatural, or suspicious manner, or who died without medical attendance.   The coroner would summon a jury of twelve white men, usually prominent citizens of that locality, to assist him in determining cause of death.   Additional information may be found in Judgment Records, Liber 22.

UNKNOWN, man - near Hancock
- 4 Sep 1886 - by N. M. McKINLEY, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from accidental drowning.
  Description:  white male, age about 18, 5'6", light complexion, 
  sandy hair; known by name of OWAU by fellow workers.  
  No personal effects found on him to identify him.
  - Dr. W. H. PERKINS
[Book 8, 21-22] (Filed 7 Sep 1886, Judgment Liber 22, 333)


UNKNOWN, woman - at the house of Dr. D. W. JONES 
on West Franklin St in Hagerstown.
- 5 Nov 1887 - by J. Irvin BITNER, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from congestion of the lungs superinduced by unknown causes.
  - Dr. D. W. JONES, Dr. J. McP. SCOTT
  Witnesses:  William HARPER, O. H. W. RAGAN, E. A. WAREHAM, William 
  MINGEL, Alex WAGONER, William S. HERBERT, George L. FISHER, O. H. 
  AHLER, John BROWN, W. S. WILHIDE, John MALLORY.
[Book 8, 53-58] (Filed 6 Dec 1887, Judgment Liber 22, 356)



BLOOM, Samuel - at Two Locks on the C & O Canal
- 31 Jul 1888 - by T. Belt JOHNSON, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from accidental drowning.
  - Dr. Scott H. GARDNER
  Witnesses: Luther TICE, Amanda SNIDER, John D. SHANK, 
  William D. WEAVER, Andrew HAMMEL.
[Book 8, 65-66] (Filed 4 Oct 1888, Judgment Liber 22, 369)


BOHRER, Benjamin F. - at James ROWE's, near Rowe's Culbert.
- 29 Jun 1890 - by Van S. BRASHEARS, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from accidental drowning in the Potomac River.
  - Dr. Samuel H. GARDNER
[Book 8, 89-92] (Filed 3 Jul 1890, Judgment Liber 22, 400-401)


BOWMAN, Samuel - at Farm View
- 18 Apr 1887 - by T. Belt Johnson, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from self extinction(?); no marks of violence.
  - Dr. Scott H. GARDNER
  Witnesses:  Firey SNYDER, Charles GROSH, Clinton RHODES.
[Book 8, 27-28] (Filed 28 Apr 1887, Judgment Liber 22, 347)


BOWSER, Abraham L. - at Hagerstown
- 6 Apr 1887 - by J. Irvin BITNER, J.P., acting coroner
- Death by a self-inflicted wound from pistol on the right side 
  of the head, a half inch above the ear, on 5 Apr 1887.
  - Dr. J. McP. SCOTT and Dr. A. S. MASON
  Witnesses:  Walter WOLFF, Ira W. HAYS, Samuel JACQUES, Rufus 
  HAYS, M. L. KEEDY.
[Book 8, 37-39] (Filed 12 May 1887, Judgment Liber 22, 348)


BUCHANAN, George - at Hagerstown
- 17 May 1889 - by T. Belt JOHNSON, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from accidental gun shot wound by Thompson LEITER Jr.
  - Dr. (not listed)
  Witnesses:  11, but not listed
[Book 8, 67-68] (Filed 18 May 1889, Judgment Liber 22, 370)


CANTNER, Louisa - near Cavetown
- 9 Jun 1886 - by D. W. BLESSING, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from suicide by hanging herself to a rafter in the 
  house of Daniel BEARD.
  - Dr. C. A. BALDWIN
  Witnesses:  Mrs. Fred MILLER, C. C. BEARD, G. A. BEARD.
[Book 8, 25-26] (Filed 24 Feb 1887, Judgment Liber 22, 345)


CUMP, Carlisle - at Hagerstown; house of Catharine CUMP
- 30 Apr 1887 - by J. Irvin BITNER, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from pistol shot on the right side of the head, 
  fired by some unknown person on 23 Apr 1887; he died from 
  the effects on 29 Apr 1887.
  - Dr. J. McP. SCOTT
  Witnesses:  Jesse BEITLER, Charles RIDENOUR, William FLOOK, 
  George PETRIE, Mrs Catharine CUMP, F. Scott ZEIGLER, John E. 
  BENNER, Jonas MARTIN & father.  Emanuel KUMP was also summoned.
[Book 8, 29-33] (Filed 12 May 1887, Judgment Liber 22, 348)


FUNKHOUSER, Belle V. - at Hagerstown
- 19 Nov 1887 - by M. L. MIDDLEKAUFF, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from unknown cause on 18 Nov 1887.
  - Dr. J. McP. SCOTT, Dr. A. S. MASON
  Witnesses:  Mrs. William FUNKHOUSER, William FUNKHOUSER, William 
  H. ALBERT & wife, Cora FUNKHOUSER, M. L. FUNKHOUSER, Mrs. Milfred 
  SCHRADEL.
[Book 8, 47-49] (Filed 26 Nov 1887, Judgment Liber 22, 354)


HARRISON, George W. - at Sandy Hook
- 9 Apr 1886 - by John E. BROWN, J.P., acting coroner
- Death by accidently backing his horse and buggy over the high 
  canal wall north of the Baudle Rail Road bridge at Harpers Ferry 
  and between said RR bridge and the first lock above; thus striking 
  the wall before hitting the water on 7 Apr 1886.
  - Dr. B. B. RANSON
[Book 8, 11-16] (Filed 13 Apr 1886, Judgment Liber 22, 325)


HERR, Rudolph Jr. - near Four Locks, Clearspring
- 3 Mar 1888 - by L. Belt JOHNSON, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from being struck by a stone at the hands of Charles 
  SAUNDERS, alias Charles GIBSON, on the 22nd of Feb 1888; 
  Rudolph died 28 Feb 1888. 
  Others aiding and abetting Charles SAUNDERS/GIBSON were Charles 
  MILES and Edward CHACE of Clearspring and Lee HAMILTON of Wilson.
  - Dr. Scott H. GARDNER, Dr. John KREPS, Dr. MASON
  Witnesses: Charles L. SMITH, Robert TURNER and many others.
[Book 8, 59-61] (Filed 7 Mar 1888, Judgment Liber 22, 363)


KLINESMITH, William H. - at Hagerstown
- 7 Feb 1889 - by J. Irvin BITNER, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from congestion of the brain on 5 Feb 1889.
  - Dr. J. McP. SCOTT
  Witnesses: George HARRIS, Eugene LYDAY, Mr ROBERTSON, Henry MILES.
[Book 8, 62-64] (Filed 7 Feb 1889, Judgment Liber 22, 369)


McPHERSON, Frank - at Smithsburg
- 8 Feb 1886 - by P. OSWALD, J.P., acting coroner
- Death by suicide from shooting himself in the abdomen, 2 1/2" 
  above the navel and lodging in the spinal column, causing an 
  internal hemorrhage and death.
  - Dr. C. A. BALDWIN
  Witnesses:  his parents claimed he had been irrational and 
  was of unsound mind and earlier had threatened to commit suicide.
[Book 8, 7-10] (Filed 9 Feb 1886, Judgment Liber 22, 309)


MUNDY, George H. - at Brownsville Station, District #8
- 27 May 1886 - by Josiah BUCK, J.P., acting coroner
- Death by being struck by the train on the B & O Branch Rail Road, 
  running from Hagerstown to Weaverton.
  - Dr. J. T. YORTEE
[Book 8, 17-20] (Filed 3 Aug 1886, Judgment Liber 22, 332)


MYERS, George, colored - near Hancock in C & O Canal
- 5 Oct 1887 - by N. M. McKINLEY, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from accidental drowning; while steering a canal boat, 
  he was accidentally knocked overboard by collision of two boats.
  - Dr. V. W. GAYLE
  Witnesses:  Daniel NUSE, Joseph SHUES, John WILSON, colored.
[Book 8, 40-42] (Filed 12 Oct 1887, Judgment Liber 22, 353)


PAULSGROVE, Rudolph A. - at Hagerstown
- 18 Aug 1888 - by J. Irvin BITNER, J.P., acting coroner
- Death by a self-inflicted wound on 15 Aug 1888, while under 
  mental aberration; he died on 17 Aug 1888.
  - Dr. C. B. BOYLE
  Witnesses:  John WALTEMEYER, Augustus WHITMORE, Mrs. SPRECHER, 
  George W. PAULSGROVE, Mrs. R. A. PAULSGROVE.
[Book 8, 34-36] (Filed 20 Aug 1888, Judgment Liber 22, 366)


PICKETT, James M. - at Hagerstown
- 5 Jan 1887 - by J. Irvin BITNER, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from being shot by Delaware Thomas BROWN on the left side 
  of the head, in the breast and stomach with a revolver.
  - Dr. E. A. WAREHAM
  Witnesses:  John WILES, Jacob KENDALL, John CURRAN, William SCLEIGH.
[Book 8, 23-24] (Filed 20 Jan 1887, Judgment Liber 22, 344)


REYNOLDS, John E. - at Hagerstown
- 27 Nov 1887 - by M. L. MIDDLEKAUFF, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from self-inflicted pistol shot to the temple on the 
  right side of his head.
  - Dr. A. B. MITCHELL, Dr. A. B. MITCHELL
  Witnesses:  Ellen FENMAN.
[Book 8, 50-52] (Filed 3 Dec 1887, Judgment Liber 22, 555)


RIDENOUR, infant child of Elizabeth RIDENOUR - at Edgemont
- 29 Jan 1886 - by P. OSWALD, J.P., acting coroner
- Death - newly born infant was exposed to the inclement weather 
  by the mother, she being irrational or of unsound mind. 
  - Dr. C. A. BALDWIN
  Witnesses:  Daniel RIDENOUR, Mrs. NOLE 
  Testimony from:
  - Mrs. NOLE - stated Mr Ridenour had called on me that morning 
  to come down and assist his sister in childbirth, but when I got 
  there, the child was already born but was no where to be seen.  
  Lizzy told me there was nothing of it, but I told her not to tell 
  me that as I was too old to be fooled and asked what she had done 
  with it.  She then told me she had hid it in the doghouse because 
  she didn't know what to do with it.  
  After Daniel and his wife found the baby, I tried to revive it 
  by putting it in warm water and rubbing it and warming it by the 
  stove, but was unable to revive it.  I thought the baby must have 
  been outside for an hour or an hour and a half.
  - Daniel RIDENOUR, brother of Elizabeth, stated his sister had 
  seemed restless and went out of the house several times.  Seeming 
  odd, his wife told him to get Mrs. NOLE, a midwife.  After Mrs. 
  NOLE arrived, he and his wife were directed by the midwife to hunt 
  for the child and found it in the doghouse.
  All of them stated that Elizabeth's mind was very much impaired.
  - Dr. C. A. BALDWIN - stated he was summoned by a messenger to 
  Daniel RIDENOUR's house and was informed, when he got there, that 
  the child was dead.  He asked if the child cried when it was born, 
  said it did, but was born on the outside of the house on the porch.  
  There were no marks of violence on it, but there was a spot on its 
  knee which he thought might have been made when the child fell to 
  the floor of the porch.  The navel string was ruptured; the mother 
  was standing up at the time.  He determined the infant had been 
  exposed too long for it to have benefitted from Mrs. NOLE's efforts 
  to revive it.
[Book 8, 1-6] (Filed 2 Feb 1886, Judgment Liber 22, 308-309)


SHEHAN, Charles - at the Cumberland Valley Rail Road Depot
- 21 Mar 1890 - by J. Irvin BITNER, J.P., acting coroner
- Death - He was killed on the morning of March 20, 1890 at the 
  junction of the Western Maryland and Shenandoah Valley Rail Road 
  while making up local freight #9 of the SV Rail Road on the WM 
  Rail Road track.  When killed, he was engaged in uncoupling cars 
  and his foot got caught in the switch rail.
  Witnesses:  Charles HARRIS, Charles MURRAY, Harvey GARDNER, Jacob 
  UNDERDONK, Victor GRUBER, Jacob MULLENIX, Joseph SMITH, John D. 
  WISE, Filmer REYNOLDS.
[Book 8, 82-88] (Filed 24 Mar 1890, Judgment Liber 22, 377)


SLICK, Robert B. - at Leitersburg
- 4 Aug 1889 - by Peter MIDDLEKAUFF, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from wound inflicted on his left side by a sharp 
  instrument by the hand of Michael ZIMMERMAN.
  - Dr. J. H. WISHARD and Dr. C. W. HARPER
  Witnesses:  Frank HAYS, Daniel BAKER, Freeland ANDERS, John 
  DONAHUE, William F. SLICK, Lewis MILLER, Emanuel MARR, Robert 
  H. SLICK, B. Frank SLICK, Michael J. NUFER, Charles LOWMAN, 
  Charles H. SMITH.
[Book 8, 69-79] (Filed Aug 1889, Judgment Liber 22, 374-375)


STEPHENSON, Frank, colored - at Creek Bridge near Williamsport
- 15 Aug 1889 - by James E. HAWKINS, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from being struck by lightning.  He lived in Williamsport.
  - Dr. E. L. DUIERIS
  Witnesses:  Abraham LEVI.
[Book 8, 80-81] (Filed 26 Sep 1889, Judgment Liber 22, 374)


SWARTS, Charles William - at Sharpsburg
- 16 Oct 1887 - by William T. BLACKFORD, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from a mortal wound, 5 1/2 inches on the left side of the 
  abdomen, inflicted with a knife or some other sharp instrument 
  at the hands of some unknown person or persons.
  - Dr. A. A. BIGGS, Dr. C. F. RUSSELL
  Witnesses:  Joseph F. STAUBS, William RENNER, Amanda HATSON, 
  Eliza HATSON, Mitta HEBB, J. R. EDMONDS, William DELAUNEY, Alfred 
  HIGHBARGER, George SWAIN, Charles WADE, Clint EAVEY, Edward DUN, 
  Aaron KNODE, Jacob MYERS of John, Vick DELANNEY, William H. STULL, 
  Eli BUSSARD, Henry MYERS, George SMITH, Joseph HIMES, Daniel S. 
  MUMMA, J. O. B. FELLERS of Cable Town, WV.
[Book 8, 43-46] (Filed 21 Oct 1887, Judgment Liber 22, 354)


THOMAS, William - at Hagerstown
- 3 Oct 1890 - by Van S. BRASHEARS, J.P., acting coroner
- Death from a gun shot wound in back of the head on the 
  right side; accidentally discharged by John EICHELBERGER.
  - Dr. J. McP. SCOTT - Sheriff B. F. NEWCOMER
  Witnesses:  John EIKLEBERGER, William EIKLEBERGER & wife, 
  Jacob THOMPSON, Charles POTTER, Tilden DONAHUE, William DONAHUE.
[Book 8, 93-95] (Filed 8 Oct 1890, Judgment Liber 22, 401-402)

 

The End of Book 8 of Washington Co, Maryland Inquisitions - 1886-1890