Coroner's Inquest.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3966, 14 September 1881, Page 2

Coroner's Inquest.

An id quest was held in the Cornwall Arms Hotel at 2 o'clock this afternoon on the body of Bobert Wiogate, who was accidentally killed in the Queen of Beauty mine last bight. Dr Kilgour was Coroner, and the following gentlemen were empannelled as a jury:-George Harcourt (foreman), Henry Fletcher, John Graham, Patrick Delahunty, Michael Conroy, John Marchant, Edward Lawrence, James Mclntyre, John Nicholson, Edward Healey, Joe Jennings, and David Edwards.

Eonald Macdonald, sworn, deposed^— He was managing director of the Queen of Beauty, and knew the deceased, who was manager of the mine. When Titness was down the shaft, about two months ago, all the timbering, &c, was in good order. Deceased was an experienced miner, and a steady man, and was not, so far as witness knew, given to drink. It was in deceased's power to repair any damage in the shaft. The shaft ladders had lately been shifted by deceased. He last saw deceased about ten o'clock yesterday. Ho did not know if the mine had been inspected since the ladders were shifted. The ladders are in the pump shaft, and are in 14 feet lengths. Ser&t. Murphy deposed that he was informed of the accident about 10.30 last night, and at once proceeded to the mine where he saw the boby of deceased lying on a stretcher. He examined the body, but life was extinct. He had the body conveyed to the Cornwall Arms Hotel, and it was placed in the room where it now lies. The crown of the head was smashed in. There was no money or "differ property on the deceased. A few minutes after the body was brought to the Hotel, Dr Huxtable arrived, and after an examination said deceased's neck was broken.. Frederick S tone and several other miners were at the mine when witness went there.

Frederick Stone, deposed that he was a miner, working in the Queen of Beauty, and had known deceased two or three years, he was an experienced mine. He saw deceased just before he went down the shaft last night, and had a conversation with him re some defects in the water pipes. Tue pump started, but soon after lost her water. He turned io deceased and remarked that he would have to go downy He did so,-deceased following him' down the ladders. When witness get downed; No. 1 pole, 180 feet down, he -was ahead, and waited for deceased. When he caught up, witness told him to stop there while he went to the bottom hole. He asked deceased if -be knew, how to turn the tap to give the pole the water, and he said he did. Witness then went 150 feet lower down the shaft to the lower pole, and while there he heard a noise as of a piece of wood striking some* where. He at once hurried up to .where he left deceased, and on him not,.coming when called, witness hurried to' the surface, surmising that deceased had fallen down the shaft. After some delay he, in company with Mr MoCabe, went down in the cage to No. 4> level. They wore looking about there for traces of the deneaspd when they heard a voice overhead. They, sprang to one I side, and the body of deceased fell at their | feet. They at once removed the body to the surface. Deceased was perfectly sober when he went down the shaft. 1 Everything was in good order at the No. 1 hole. Deceased knew how to turn the 1 taps. There is no danger of a person overbalancing himself in turning the taps if ordinary care is used. His opinion was that deceased had tried to turn the tap without having hold of anything, and the handle of th.c tap had come away, when ho fell backwards down the shaft.' The ladders were in one corner of the shaft, and were not used for regular traffic. By the plan, deceased had fallen 173 feet. He h.ad never seen the Mining Inspector down the mine. The shaft is now being enlarged, and every care is taken to make them quite safe. There were some boards placed across the shaft, and deceased must have caught upon them. John MiuC'abe, a uiiber working at the Que&a of Beauty, corroborated, l|tf

witness's evidence. On the body being taken to the surface, witness observed a cut on his head.

John Cullen deposed that he was a carpenter, working at the Queen, of Beauty mine. About 10 last night, he heard someone calling out. He went to the shaft where he found Mr Stone, who was very excited. In answer to questions Stone said he thought deceased had fallen down the shaft. He jumped into the cage, and by some mistake was lowered to No; 6. After a few minutes be was pulled up to No. 4, where he saw the body of deceased. He considered the stage quite safe where the deceased fell from. " :

The jury then returned an unanimous verdict of " Accidental death."