INQUEST.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 194, 15 November 1872, Page 5

INQUEST.

An inquest was held at Cogan'a Melbourne Hotel, before H. W.\ Robinson, Esq., Coroner, on Saturday last,, on view of the body of William Bardsley, a miner, who was that alternoon killed in his claim on Surface 1 Hill by a fall of earth. George Garth,' being sworn, said: I am a miner, and reside at Naseby, and know the deceased William Bardsley. To-day, about three o'clock, I was working in my claim at Surface Hill. The deceased- was working in the claim for George Brownwas also, working for wages. Deceased was about to cut ahead race down inthe, face. I told him not to- go there,, as it" was' not safe. He went away from that place. I was directing the hose on the face, and George Brown was beside me. I happened to look behiDd?ine down'the tail race, and saw a slip of earth fall in from the side of the race. I was not certain whether Bardsley was down the race or not. I sent Brown to see where he was. I looked round myself also, and not seeing Bardsley, I ran to the spot where the fall had taken place. I looked down into the race, and saw the deceased in a standing posture, leaning against the side of the race. There was some, earth piled up in front of him. I jumped down and laid hold of him, and raised his head, and blood spouted out of his mouth. I exclaimed to Brown, " The man's dead." With Brown's assistance I quickly got him out. lie never breathed after I touched him. I watched him for about ten minutes. I then went for assistance. I had previously sent Brown for help. His skull was broken, and a portion of the brain was but and lying-on the cheek. He must have been killed instantaneously. I have known him for the last two years. I believe he was about sixty years of age. He was an Englishman. George Brown gave evidence corroborative of the above.

John Hick, being sworn, said : lam a legally qualified medical practitioner, and reside at ifaseby. I was called to-day to Surface Hill, and saw the body of deceased. He appeared to have been dead about half an hour. The bones of the left side of the head were driven in. The temporal bone was quite shattered. There was also an exteusive wound on the right side of the head, leading down to a fracture,, and it seemed to me that the head had been crushed. The brains protruded. The wounds were such as would have caused immediate death.

The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."