The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-09-14 00:00:00

THE SHOCKIRO COLLIERY FATALITY AT

QUARRY BANK.

On Monday afternoon an adjourned inquest was held
at the Elephant and Castle Inn, Quarry Bank, on the
bodies of Benjamin Homer (20), and William Clayton
(21), who met with their deaths by a fall of coal in No. 2
Pit, Saltwelis Colliery.
Mr. Clulow watched the proceedings on behalf of the
Miners Union; and Mr. Homfray on behalf of the but-

_
ties of the pit.
The evidence taken at the previous hearing was read
over, which was ia effect that in the opinion of the wit.
flosses the fall of coal was purely an accident.
The following additional evidence was taken on Mon.

day :
Wm. Cox, pikeman, deposed that he went to the pit as
usual on the day in question, and he learnt that some
vein coal had fallen, and had killed two men. Ho at-
tributed the fall to its being cut on one side, and the
other aide being left without any support, because the air
head was there. The doggy and manager, Wm. Bann,
was present when witness was in the pit. He considered
that the men were working under " hanging coal.' He
never saw it done before that day. He did not consider
that it was right for men to be set on loading there ; the
coal should have been down first.
By Mr. Baker : There was no timber under the roof
at the time of the accident. There were no spores left
in the cuttings. There was timber up to the runs the
night before, and it was removed so as to get the coals
down. The grouud bailiff, Mr. H. Fletcher, ordered the
timber to be placedup to the ruins the day before the Sc.
eideut. He never before saw men work under the
" hangings."
By Mr. Howl ray: He saw the dangerous position of
the men before the coal fell, but be did not call any-
one's attention to it, as he did not think it was his place
to do so. The doggy called him to put a shot in the air
head over the coal to get it down. The custom was that
after the fall of the coal and the floor was cleared, to
proceed to timber. If the place was dangerous, timber
was used before cutting coal, and even when the coal was
on the floor.
By Mr. Clulow: The coal fell without the shot.
John Hall deposed: I live at Saltwells. I was work.
jag in the pit the day the two men were killed. They
were engaged in loading tubs when the coal fell. I did
not see the doggy (Bunn) set them on; but he was stand.
ing near them when they commenced to work, and could
see what was being done. They were at work in a danger-
outs place: the coal was cut on one side, and broken
down on the other. I did not consider that it was a
right thing for men to be loading in such a place; it was
illegal. I made no remark about the danger; it was not
my place to do so. I had never before seen men in that
pit working under ant coal. If the coal would not come
by "pulling," it ought to have been timbered. The
doggy, William Bunn, said it was not safe, and he or-
dered a shot to be patio. Of course the men would be
brought back before the shot was fired. Bunn had been
manager of the pit for years. Never on any previous or-
casion has any complaint been made against Bunn.
Mr. Homfray remarked that Bunn was deputy for
David Skelding, the real doggy.
Mr. Fletcher stated that Buun;s name was not identi•
fled with the colliery management.
Hall, cross•egranined by Mr. Baker: Had not read the
colliery rules. Was not aware that it was the duty of all
miners to report to the peasons in charge of any insecur-
ity noticed by him in the pit.
Mr. Baker here read the 29th rule, which was as fol.
lows :
.` Every workman employed in any pit shall inform the
person in charge of the workings of the existence of any
fire-damp, or of any insecurity of the roof, shaft, er other
Facts of the workings, or of any air door being left open,
immediately on its being observed by Lion."
In reply to Mr. Clulow, Hall stated that the doggy was
down the pit when he got there. He was in a safe place.
There was no timber about that he saw when he assisted
to get the two men out.
Daniel Cox, miner, Saltwells, said he saw the pit before
the accident. Ile was engaged there as a pikeman. He
noticed that there was no timber to support the hanging
wall. He was of opinion that it was highly improper ti
set men on to load the coal snider the circumstances. It
was no basinesa of his to warn the men. Had he done
so, the chances were that lie would leave been a marked
man, and he would have suffered for interfering, as many
a poor man bad beforeanow. The doggy ought not to
have allowed the men to go under the cut coal. He had
never seen anything of the kind done before in the pit.
The Coroner: It is strange that when you saw such
an unusual thing done, you made no remark about it.
Witness: It was no business of mine.
The Coroner: I think, Mr. Baker, the colliery rules
ought tube more extensively circulated, as miners did aot
appear to understand teem.
Mr. Baker was sorry that men did not understand the
rules in force at the colliery, especially as they were liable
to all pains and penalties attached to those rules.
Mr. John Hughes, one of the Earl of Dudley's mining
surveyors, stated that it was customary at all his lord'
ships pits to read over the rules to the men when they
were engaged.
At this stage it was stated by Mr. Homf ray that lie had
four or five witnesses to call who would rebut the evi•
dears of the witnesses heard that day, and the inquiry
was adjourned until Monday next.