An act for further regulating the duties of the office of coroner.

 

Enacts, Clause 1.--- “That, from and after the passing of this act, the owner, manager, or overseer, of any property, who shall omit to inform the coroner of the parish wherein such property is situate, or, in the absence from home or sickness of such coroner, any justice of the peace of such parish, of the death of any slave or other person who may suddenly die, or be slain, drowned, wounded, or poisoned, or may die by any cause or in any manner otherwise than according to the common course of nature, on such property, shall be indicted as and for a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof in the supreme or assize court, shall be subject to such punishment by fine or imprisonment, or both, as the court may award: Provided, That such fine shall not exceed the sum of five hundred pounds current money of this island, and such imprisonment shall not exceed the space of six months.”

 

Clause 2.--- “That the supervisor of every workhouse, and the keeper of every gaol, who shall omit to inform the coroner of the parish wherein such workhouse or gaol is situate, or, in the absence from home or sickness of such coroner, a justice of the peace of such parish, of the death of any slave or other person who may die in such workhouse or gaol, by any cause, or in any manner whatsoever, shall be subject to such prosecution and punishment as is hereinbefore mentioned.”

 

Clause 3.--- “That no body of any slave or other person, which may suddenly die, or be slain, drowned, wounded, or poisoned, or die by any cause or in any manner otherwise than according to the common course of nature, shall be burned or removed in less than twenty four hours after such body shall have been found dead, unless it shall be ordered so to be by the coroner for the parish, or justice of the peace acting in the absence of such coroner; and any person or persons burying or removing any such body, without its being so ordered, shall be subject to such prosecution and punishment as is hereinbefore mentioned: Provided nevertheless, That no body of any slave or other person, who may die by any sort of death in any place of confinement, other than a workhouse or gaol, shall be buried or removed until an inquest be held thereon, and any person or persons, burying or removing such body as aforesaid, shall be subject to such prosecution and punishment as is hereinbefore mentioned.”

 

Clause 4.--- “That notice from any slave shall be deemed and taken to be sufficient to ground an inquiry, and such coroner shall forthwith proceed to hold an inquest in the regular way, and, in case of omission or neglect, shall be subject to such prosecution and punishment as is hereinbefore mentioned.”

 

Clause 5.--- “That no master or owner of any slave, or any attorney to such master or owner, or any servant to such master, owner, or attorney, shall be a juror at the inquest held on the body of such slave, and any coroner, who shall knowingly permit such master, owner, or attorney, or servant to such master, owner, or attorney, to be a juror on such inquest, shall incur the penalty of one hundred pounds.”

 

Clause 6.--- “That whenever it may be necessary to hold an inquest on the body of any slave, the property of any coroner, a justice of the peace shall be called upon to act in all respects as the coroner should have done.”

 

Clause 7.--- “That no coroner shall receive any fee or mile-money unless he shall have held personally an inquest on the body for which such fee or mile-money is charged, and unless he shews to the magistrates and vestry the inquisition, signed by all the jurors forming such inquest, that the body, on which such inquest was held, was a fit subject for an inquest, and that the coroner himself held the same personally, and every magistrate and vestryman, consenting to pay such coroner, without his producing such inquisition, is hereby made subject to the penalty of one hundred pounds.”

 

Clause 8.--- “That, whenever any coroner cannot collect that number (twelve) he shall annex to the proceedings an affidavit of his having used his best endeavours to obtain a full jury, but could procure the number only named in the inquisition.”

 

Clause 9.--- “That nothing herein contained shall be construed to alter, vary, or annul, any of the acts of this island, or the laws of England, respecting coroners and their duties, or any proceedings against them, or touching their office, save and except as such acts and laws, or any parts thereof, may be varied or altered by this act, but the same shall be and continue as heretofore in full force.”

 

Clause 10.--- “That all penalties by this act imposed shall be recovered in the supreme court of judicature, by action of debt, bill, plaint, or information, except the offence shall be committed in the counties of Surrey or Cornwall, in which case the action, information, or proceeding, shall originate in the supreme court, but sent for trial to the county where the offence was committed, and when such penalty shall be recovered, it shall be applied, one half to the use of the government of this island, and the other half to the informer or prosecutor, who shall also be entitled to have his full costs out of purse repaid him by the offender, under order and process of the supreme court.”