In New York the powers and duties of coroners are defined by statute. Coroners in the city of New York are governed by a special act relating to that city exclusively. For the State at large it is provided that whenever a coroner is informed that a person has been killed or dangerously wounded by another, or has suddenly died under such circumstances as to afford a reasonable ground to suspect that his death has been occasioned by the act of another by criminal means, or has committed suicide, he must go to the place where the person is, and forthwith inquire into the cause of the death or wounding, and summon not less than nine nor more than fifteen persons, qualified by law to serve as jurors, if such death or wounding be of a criminal nature, to appear before him forthwith at a specified place, to inquire into the cause of death or wound, and if it appears from the evidence taken or during the inquisition, that any person or persons are chargeable with the killing or wounding, or that there is probable cause to believe that any person or persons are chargeable therewith, and if they are not in custody the coroner must forthwith issue a warrant for the arrest of the person or persons charged with such killing or wounding, who must be arraigned before the coroner for examination, and the coroner has power to commit the person or persons so arrested to await the result of the inquisition. A coroner is disqualified from acting as such in any case where the person killed or dangerously wounded is a co-employee with the coroner of any person or persons, association or corporation, or where it appears that the killing or wounding has been occasioned, directly or indirectly, by the employer of the coroner.[534] It is further provided that whenever a convict shall die in any State prison, it shall be the duty of the inspector having charge of the prison and of the warden, physician, and chaplain of the prison, if they or either of them shall have reason to believe that the death of the convict arose from any other than ordinary sickness, to call upon the coroner having jurisdiction to hold an inquest upon the body of such deceased convict.[535] The New York Criminal Code further provides that when six or more of the jurors appear, they must be sworn by the coroner to inquire who the person was, and when, where, and by what means he came to his death or was wounded as the case may be, and into the circumstances attending the death or wounding, and to render a true verdict thereon according to the evidence offered to them or arising from the inspection of the body.[536] The coroner may issue subpœnas for and summon and examine as witnesses every person who in his opinion, or that of any of the jury, has any knowledge of the facts; and he must summon as a witness a surgeon or physician, who must, in the presence of the jury, inspect the body, and give a professional opinion as to the cause of the death or wounding.[537] The