The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-25 00:00:00

The Late Shocking Death of Steeple Jack,

An inquest was held in the grand jury room, in Garrick-
street, Wolverhampton, before Mr. T. M. Phillips, borough
coroner, on the body of John MiCann, better known as
" Steeple Jack," aged 37 years, who resided in Dudley-
street, Bilston, and who died in the South Staffordshire
Hospital at half-past two on Monday morning.
Thomas Hacking stated that he was a repairer of chim-
neys, and lived in Bilston. He worked for the deceased, who
was a repairer of chimneys, like himself. On Wednesday
week they went to work at the Wednesbury Oak Iron
Works, belonging to Messrs. Williams, where the deceased
had engaged to repair the top of a chimney. It was an
engine stack they were repairing, about 100 feet high. Wit-
ness assisted the deceased to fly a kite and put the ropes
over the chimney. They fixed a piece of timber as a seat to
one end of the ropes for the purpose of the deceased being
drawn up to the top of the chimney. A 561 b. weight was
then attached to the other end of the rope at the bottom
Before the seat was drawn up a pulley was attached to the
top by a line. Everything was ready for deceased to go up
on Wednesday, but he did not because the chimney was
too hot. On Saturday witness went up to take the mea-
surement of the angle iron. The rope was securely tied
four men could not pull it away. The deceased helped to
pull witness up on the Saturday, and was also on the top
of the stack himself. On Sunday witness went up about
11 o'clock, and fixed a portion of the scaffolding. The de-
ceased went up in a state of intoxication before the scaffola
was finished. When the deceased was up witness came
down. The deceased remained up about an hour and then
came down. The deceased could come down himself, be-
cause he was heavier than the balance weight. When ho
came down they went into a publichouse called the Mitre ;
this was about half-past 12 o'clock. Tho deceased called
for a glass of whisky, but was too drunk to drink it. They
remained in the house until half-past 2. The deceased had
his dinner while in the house. The deceased then went to
the top of the chimney again, and afterwards pulled wit-
ness up. They remained at the top of the chimney till
about 4 o'clock doing the preliminary work. They then
came down, and deceased, when about nine yards from
the bottom, slipped down the rope. They then went again
to the publichouse whore they had a gallon of ale be-
tween four of them, and the deceased had a glass of rum
and was smoking. They left the publichouse about half-
past 8, and went on to the roof of the mill. Tho deceased
wanted to go up, but witness and another man prevented
him for about an hour. After the other man had gone
deceased shoved witness on one side and pulled himself
up by tho ropes. When he got to the top of the chimney he
lay down on the scaffolding with his legs partially hanging
down. Witness called to him several times, but he would
not answer, and he thought ho was asleep. The deceased
did not dance on the chimney. About half-past 10 the de-
ceased called to witness, and he then saw him stand upon
the stack. He walked forward on to the casting, which
projects over the top of the chimney about seven inches.
Whilst in this position he seemed to put his foot too for
ward and fell down through the roof of the mill, adistance o
about 80ft. from the top of the stack. An alarm was given
and Thos. Lovatt came to the assistance of witness, and
they found the deceased covered with slates from the broken
roof. They got him out as quickly as they could. The de-
ceased's leg was broken and he was badly hurt about the
body. Two surgeons were sent for, and they ordered the
deceased to be taken to the South Staffordshire Hospital,
where he arrived about half-past 12 o'clock.
Thomas Lovatt said he was employed at the Messrs.
Williams's works, as a mill furnace man. On Sunday ho
saw the deceased on the stack several times. He was told
a little before half-past 10 that the deceased was again on
the top, and witness said ho would go and see. He went,
and heard the last witness call to the deceased. The de-
ceased said ho was coming, and immediately fell down
through the roof of the mill.

A nurse from the hospital stated that deceased was ad-
mitted there about half-past 12 o'clock on Monday morn-
ing. He was badly hurt. The bone was protruding from
one leg, and the other was cut. T hero were several cuts
and bruises about his head and body, and a cut in his
throat. He was very much intoxicated.

The jury, after hearing the evidence, returned a verdict
of " Accidental death." It seems that deceased was in the
habit of taking stimulants when employed at work of this
kind, as he alleged, to " give him nerve."