FATAL ACCIDENT.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 268, 17 November 1874, Page 5

FATAL ACCIDENT.

One of those unfortunate occurrences which form a part of the experiences of every raining community, hut which happily have not been so markedly prevalent in this as in some other goklfields districts, took place on Saturday last at Pipeclay Gully, Bannockburn, by -which Samuel Bottrell, a young man in the prime of life, being only twentyeight years of age, lost his life. Bottrell was an old resident in the district, and was well known as a quiet, decent young man ; and what makes his death in so sudden a manner all the more deplorable is the fact that only eight weeks ago, his brother and sister arrived in the district, having newly come from the Home country. The brother, a lad about sixteen, was working in the claim with him at the time of the accident, himself running a very narrow escape. The circumstances of the accident were shortly as follows :—Buttrell and his brother were engaged on Saturday, about 12 o'clock, in clearing away a slip of earth which had taken place in the face of the claim, the lad being working closer to the face than the deceased. Without the slightest warning,—the lad being unable to say whether it came from the slip, twenty or thirty feet up, or from a higher part of "the face, —a lump of earth, about four or five cwt. in weight, came roiling down, and bounding over the lad, struck Bottrell between the shoulders. Bottrell was in a stooping position, and was- knocked into the tailrace, where he lay with the water running over him, underneath the lump of earth, which spanned the race. The lad tried to extricate his brother, but failing, went for assistance, and while he was away, a man named Graham, passing to his dinner from his work in the next claim, saw the gum boots above the edge of the race, and found Bottrell lying there quite dead. He managed to roll the earth away, and got deceased out ; Mid when assistance came, the body was conveyed to Richards's Hotel. Word was brought into Cromwell, and Dr Stirling and Sergeant Cassels went out* The Sergeant took steps to have an inquest hold, and in the afternoon the Coroner, James Corse, Esq., M.D., proceeded to hold the same. The young brother and Mr Graham were examined, and Sergeant Cassels, and a verdict was returned to the effect that " the deceased, Simufd Bo+.trslt, was accidentally killed bv a fall of earth while working in his claim at Pipeclay-terrace, oa. November 14 1874." The in which wis held was well evidenced at his funeral on Sunday afternoon, when a very large attendance followed his remains to the Cromwell Cemetery. Bottrell was a member of the Cromvell Lodse of Oddfellows, and the brethren followed the corpse in procession.