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 [Book 22].

UNKNOWN, infant female - at Hagerstown
- 27 Feb 1899 - by J. A. YOUNG, J. P., acting coroner
- Death - by some unknown person.
- Witnesses:  Harvey SMITH, Cleveland SMITH.
[Book 10, 56-57] (Filed 26 May 1899, Judgment Liber 22, 560)


BLAIN, S. W. - near Sharpsburg
- 9 Mar 1898 - by John L. CRIM, J. P., acting coroner
- Cause of Death - Accidental fall off a scaffold while working 
  on tower located at Bloody Lane on Antietam Battlefield.
- Dr. Dr. S. Howell GARDNER
- Witnesses:  Harry SMITH of District 1.
[Book 10, 23-24] (Filed 11 Mar 1898, Judgment Liber 22, 546)


BOSS, George - in Hagerstown
- 11 Apr 1899 - by John N. RIPPLE, J. P., acting coroner
- Death - Killed 10 Apr 1899 by William H. LOVETT, alias William 
  H. GLUVEIS.  He was shot in the back with a pistol.
- Dr. WAREHAM and Dr. O. H. W. RAGAN
- Witnesses:  Sarah WILLIS, James WILSON, Minnie LEE, Edward GREEN, 
  John HARPER, David G. REEDER.
[Book 10, 43-48] (Filed 9 May 1899, Judgment Liber 22, 554)


BOWERS, Victor - at Hagerstown
- 26 Jul 1900 - by Ernest HOFFMAN, J. P., acting coroner
- Death - from being accidentally shot in the left eye with 
  a cat rifle by Roy BOWERS.  It was recommended to the 
  legislature to pass stringent laws to restrict sales of 
  cat rifles to minors.
- Witnesses:  Claggett BOWERS, Roy BOWERS.
[Book 10, 69-71] (Filed 31 Jul 1900, Judgment Liber 22, 584)


BOYLE, Charles - at Hagerstown
- 8 Dec 1900 - by Ernest HOFFMAN, J. P., acting coroner
- Death - from electric shock and fall from a pole near the 
  Cumberland Valley Rail Road watch box at the corner of Walnut 
  and Washington Streets.  
  The employees stated the electric wires are in a dangerous 
  condition as they are too close together and not properly 
  insulated.
- Dr E. A. WAREHAM
- Witnesses: Samuel HURD, James E. HUGHES, Jacob BRAUNGAST, Max 
  GOSSARD, Charles BISTLE, George MURRAY, William HELFESTAG, Mr 
  ULRIDGE, Mrs TEETS, George RIDGLEY, Cal BOREU, Charles SUTE.
[Book 10, 76-78] (Filed 10 Dec 1900, Judgment Liber 22, 590)


DENNIS, Jasper - at McCOY's Ferry
- 17 May 1897 - by John MYERS, J.P., acting coroner
- Cause of Death - He fell off a canal boat into the C & O Canal 
  near the fooot of Big Pool and, being unable to swim, drowned 
  on 16 May 1897.
- Dr. H. C. FOSTER
- Witnesses:  Luther G. SHULL, Owen STICKLE & wife.
[Book 10, 1-5] (Filed 7 Sep 1897, Judgment Liber 22, 510)


DYE, Richard - at Hancock
- 10 Jun 1900 - by Charles H. SUTTEN, J. P., acting coroner
- Death - from a blow to the forehead by some unknown person; found 
  in the Potomac River on 9 Jun 1900.
- Dr James A. WEST
[Book 10, 65-68] (Filed 13 Jun 1900, Judgment Liber 22, 579)


EARLY, Walter Rice - at Hagerstown
- 23 Jan 1899 - by John N. RIPPLE, J. P., acting coroner
- Cause of Death - Murdered by deliberate gunshot wound by 
  Edward ORCUTT on 22 Jan 1899; he died on 23 Jan 1899.
- Dr. WAREHAM
- Witnesses: Percy SEIBERT, Charles ALEXANDER.
[Book 10, 29-32] (Filed 24 Feb 1899, Judgment Liber 22, 551)


FOWLER, Charles W. - at Hagerstown
- 12 Mar 1898 - by Peter B. SMALL Jr, J. P., acting coroner
- Cause of Death - Suicide by shooting himself with a revolver 
  on 11 Mar 1898; found in stable of Emory McCLARY.
- Dr. Christian R. SCHELLER
- Witnesses:  Emory McCLARY, Cyrus SHIPP, Michael K. SMELTZER, 
  Constable George BRILL, Thomas A. NOCK, Mrs. Michael K. SMELTZER,  
  Jacob H. SCHINDEL, Joseph J. KERSHNER, Mrs. Elisabeth MAY, Bessie 
  GOOD, Andrew SMITH.
[Book 10, 25-28] (Filed 4 May 1898, Judgment Liber 22, 546)


FREDERICK, John D. of Waynesboro, PA - at Highfield
- 2 Jan 1897 - by C. D. McCAULEY, J. P., acting coroner
- Cause of Death - He fell from a vehicle, dislocating his neck 
  and dying, at Highfield on 1 Jan 1897.
[Book 10, 16-18] (Filed 5 Jan 1897, Judgment Liber 22, 491)


FUNK, Mary E. - at Hagerstown
- 3 Dec 1897 - by J. A. YOUNG, J. P., acting coroner
- Cause of Death - Suicide by hanging herself.
- Dr. J. C. PITSNAGLE
- Witnesses:  Mrs. George BUSH, Mrs. John LAURANCE, Mrs. John 
  WALTERMYER, Philip H. FUNK.
[Book 10, 19-22] (Filed 10 Dec 1897, Judgment Liber 22, 545)


GROVE, John Jr - at Indian Springs
- 15 Apr 1900 - by David L. HOUCK, J. P., acting coroner
- Death - from gun shot wound at the hands of Rall Reiff KLINE in 
  a reckless impulse on 14 Apr 1900 at the house of Samuel PENNER, 
  District 15.
- Witnesses:  Charles PENNER, Edward PENNER, Lizzie PENNER, Leonard 
  FORSYTHE.
[Book 10, 62-64] (Filed 17 Apr 1900, Judgment Liber 22, 578)


HARBAUGH, Joseph - at Highfield
- 31 Jul 1900 - by A. P. CONNER, J. P., acting coroner
- Death - from being run over by a train on the Western 
  Maryland Rail Road.
- Witnesses:  W. D. GULDEN, J. H. DISENBERG, E. LOCHMAN, J. M. 
  GULDEN, L. MANTZ, Henry WILLIARD.
[Book 10, 72-75] (Filed 1 Aug 1900, Judgment Liber 22, 585)


HARRISON, Charles - at Williamsport
- 17 Apr 1897 - by John Q. MILLER, J. P., acting coroner
- Cause of Death - Apoplexy, caused by excessive use of intoxicants 
  on the evening of 15 Apr 1897.
- Dr. S. K. SNIVELY
- Witnesses:  Albert GELLER, Frank NEWCOMER, John YOUNG, Richard 
  COPSE(?).
[Book 10, 10-15] (Filed 19 Apr 1897, Judgment Liber 22, 491)


HOUSTON, James - at Bellvue Asylum in Hagerstown
- 3 Aug 1898 - by Peter B. SMALL Jr, J. P., acting coroner
- Death - Murdered from being hit in the forehead with a stone 
  thrust by Amos LAVENDER several times, on the 22nd of July 1898.
  He languished until 2 Aug 1898 when he died.
- Dr. Christian R. SCHELLER
- Witnesses:  Ephraim ORCUTT, Dr. E. A. WAREHAM, Dr. Roscoe 
  E. SCHINDLE, Albert ORCUTT, Oley ASHBY.
[Book 10, 39-42] (Filed 7 Apr 1899, Judgment Liber 22, 552)


HOWARD, Eugene - at Two Locks in Little Slack Water
- 7 May 1897 - by John MYERS, J.P., acting coroner
- Cause of Death - He fell overboard off the wall below lower lock.
  (Another page lists an unknown colored man was found drowned 
   in the C & O Canal; but appears to be same file.)
- Dr. H. C. FOSTER
- Witnesses:  Edward BAIR, William GLOSS, Frisby RENNER.
[Book 10, 6-9] (Filed 7 Sep 1897, Judgment Liber 22, 510)


KEIFER, John A. - at Hotel Hamilton in Hagerstown
- 18 Aug 1899 - by J. A. YOUNG, J. P., acting coroner
- Death - from suicide by revolver; found in Room 11.
- Witnesses:  H. H. MILLER, C. E. KANAGA, William BYRSTER, 
  Henson BROWN.
[Book 10, 49-50] (Filed 24 Aug 1899, Judgment Liber 22, 559)


STINEBAUGH, Harry - at Hagerstown
- 8 Mar 1899 - by John N. RIPPLE, J. P., acting coroner
- Death - He was killed after being struck and run over by a 
  locomotive on the tracks of the Western Maryland Rail Road 
  Company.
- Doctor MORRISON 
- Witnesses:  Rosina JUDD, Hattie CRAMER, Jacob THOMPSON, William
  STINEBAUGH Jr, William STINEBAUGH Sr, Andrew CALMESE, William 
  CRAMER, William SMALL, William FULL, Michael FULL, Harry SPURRIER 
  (engineer), Harry W. MARSHALL (fireman), Dr. CHRISINGER.
[Book 10, 33-38] (Filed 9 Mar 1899, Judgment Liber 22, 551)


STRUMMEL, Eurias - at Hagerstown
- 28 Oct 1899 - by J. C. WARD, J. P., acting coroner
- Death - by suicide from taking poison.
- Dr MORRISON
- Witnesses:  Jonas H. ROWLAND, Maurice CAMBELL and many others.
[Book 10, 58-61] (Filed 30 Oct 1899, Judgment Liber 22, 570)


THOMPSON, Gilbert - at house of Henry THOMPSON
- 11 Sep 1899 - by John N. RIPPLE, J. P., acting coroner
- Death - Came to his death  on 9 Sep 1899 by coming in contact 
  with a telephone wire, belonging to Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone 
  Company, and was charged with electricity by coming in contact with 
  an electric light wire.  Telephone company was found to be grossly 
  negligent.
- Dr. E. A. WAREHAM
- Witnesses:  Charles CREW.
[Book 10, 51-55] (Filed 22 Sep 1899, Judgment Liber 22, 560)

 

The End of Book 10 of Washington Co, Maryland Inquisitions - 1897-1900