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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1215, 20 June 1872, Page 3

From the Castlemaine Representative we learn that an inquest was held at Maldon lately, on the body of William Watts, miner, who was killed in the Troubadour Company's claim on the preceding day. The evidence of the two mates of deceased was taken, and their statements appear to indicate that gross negligence, to say the leait, had been displayed as regards attention to the signals. William Morgan deposed that the deceased, William Watts, was nineteen years of age, nnmarried, a sober steady young man, and a good workman. It was optional with the miners to go down by the ladders or in the buckets. Deceased got into the bucket, witness and William Tamlyn stood on the edge of it. The bucket ras raised to the surface. The bucket reached the surface. Tamlyn and Morgan stepped out on to the solid ground, and deceased stopped in the bucket to hand up some cans to his mates. At that instant the bifeket descended without any signal having been given for that purpose. Tamlyn descended after deceased by the ladders and found the unfortunate fellow dead, lying partly on his face with blood oozine; from his nostrils. Tamlyn believbd that deceased must have fallen from the bucket before it reached the bottom. The bucket went down with unusual rapidity. Both Morgan and Tamlyn declare that no signal to lower the bucket was given, and that when the signal to stop and the shout that a man was in the bucket was raised, no attention was paid, and the break was not put on. They further stated that had the engine-driver been in his place he could have seen the mouth of the shaft and the bucket there, This evidence having been given the inquest' was adjourned in order to afford the enginedriver an opportunity of obtaining counsel to watch on bis behalf.