A MOTHER'S STORY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3651, 28 March 1883, Page 4

A MOTHER'S STORY.

It seems that the safety of the chimney at Bradford which fell and caused su'-h loss of life and propci-ty was often questioned. The fear and trepidation with which the poor operatives had for some time past gone to their work in the mills was touchingly described by a bereaved mother iv her evidence before the coroner. This poor woman, named Hancock", whose son, her only solace and help, was killed, said: ' : On Thursday morning he woke shortly before six o'clock, and, as there was a strong wind blowing, the poor little fellow remarked, ' Oh, mother, I don't want to go this morning. There'll be sure to be someone killed at yon place.' The mother made answer : ' But, lad, this week I've rent to pay, so tha' niuugo.' The boy cheerfully obeyed, and called ' Good morning ' to his mother, and disappeared in the darkness of the morning. She did not again see him alive." In answer to the Coroner as to whether the boy said anything about the chimney previously, the mother stated: " On the evening before it fell my poor lad was at tea, and lie commenced talking about the chimney; he moved his head backwards and forward, and said, ' I seed it sway this way and that way to-day.' I said, 'James, lad, don't talk on that way :' and he replied, ' Well, mother, you'll see the chimney will be down before twentyfour hours.' I then answered, ' No, lad : master will know better than that, and will never let you work in danger.'" As this 21001- creature was giving this narrative she broke down more than once, and before she had finished several of those present had to dry their cheeks.