THE DEATH OF MICHAEL CADDIGAN.

Kumara Times, Issue 3108, 19 October 1886, Page 3

THE DEATH OF MICHAEL CADDIGAN.

CORONER'S INQUEST. Au inquest was held at the Court House this morning, at eleven o'clock, by H. Burger, Esq., J.P., and a jury of six, touching the death of Michael Caddigan, who was killed in a claim near the Dillman's Town road, yesterday morning. The following jurymen were sworn in :—Louis Ziegler (foreman), Henry Fitzsimmons, Bazi'e Bremond, Edward Seddon, John Murphy, Jean Spindeler. After viewing the body of deceased, which lay at Mulvihill's Court House Hotel, the following evidence was taken:— Maurice Joyce, sworn, said: I am a miner, residing at Kumara. I have seen the body of Michael Caddigan, deceased. I was working in the same claim with him. I last saw him alive at about half-past niue o'clock yesterday morning. I was at work by myself in our tunnel; and the deceased came in to assist me. There was water on at this time, to clear away some dirt and stuff from the head of the tail race. After clearing the stuff we agreed to Btop the water, and my mate, Michael Bourke went to do so. Michael Butirke is a mate of mine. Caddigan then went with a pick in his hand ; he went up to the face. When I saw him doing so, I said to him "If you touch that, it will be a case !" He made no reply. He did touch the stuff either at the side or in the face—T am not quite certain which; and when I saw him doing so, I tried to clear away. A rush of stuff and water then took place, which must have caught the deceased Michael Caddigan, and smothered him. I got pretty well thrown down myself, being taken off my feet; but I recovered myself. By the quantity of Stuff with which I was surrounded I came to the conclusion Caddigan must be smothered. I went to get assistance, and John O'Connell, and, I think, another man, went into the tunnel, and found deceased laying in the debris. He was then dead. By a Juror: It was not a. jump-up, but an old tunnel that the rush of water and debris came from. John O'Connell, sworn, said : lam a miner residing at Kumara, and a mate of the deceased. We were at work yesterday morning in Murray and party's claim—our own claim. I last saw deceased alive about nine o'clock yesterday morning. I was working with Maurice Joyce in the tunnel on Monday, the 18th inst., at about nine o'clock. Deceased was also then working inside the tunnel, farther in than me; it was an old tunnel. A rush of water and stuff took place, and passed me. Maurice Joyce called out to me. He and I went into the tunnel, and we found the deceased lying (load. He was dead when we came up to him, the body being partially smothered. "Walter Williams, sworn, said : I am a constable, stationed at Kumara, At about eleven o'clock yesterday forenoon, I was informed that a man had met with a fatal accident in a tunnel tailrace on the Dillman's road. His name was stated to be Michael Caddigan. I ' went to the place indicated, and found a number of people at the mouth of the tunnel. I went into the tunnel, and found some men bringing the deceased down. He was then quite dead. I brought him down to Mulvihill's Hotel. He had no property on his person. After a short deliberation, the jury returned a verdict that—" Deceased came to his death on the 18th October, 1886, by being smothered with a rush of water and debris in his tunnel tailrace, Dillman'a road, accidentally and not otherwise."