Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-08-20

An inquest was held at Dover on FRIDAY. on fhoh.,
OF John Oppey diver employed at the Admiratv by
Works Isaac Smale, mason by trade and beIm,eett
diver in the employ of Messrs Lee & Son. was the Sn
witness examined. He said: knew the deceased r usI
was also man employed upon the Admiratv p; uo
Works. Yesterday, about O'clock went dow tr
the ordinary diver dress for the purpose of se;r
1Snns5 for the pier was accompanied BY the
believe that that was the first time he had descarSoS
Before going down, established with him codO H.
signals he to make with his hands, whereby sbo9
know whether he required more or less air and w
pressy enjoined him by no means to NEEDLE with "a.
air valve, the consequences might be very seron0 re
he did so. also told him how to signal with his Et
line to those above, in the event Of his WISHING 70
taken up. On getting to the bottom, placed bD
against of the blocks, and pressing his hand mn
waving to him at the time convened TO him ti
he was not to move then left him for abont t t
minutes, but was not distant more than six Or e;rh
feet. l employed myself the time mentioned in Sott
one of the blocks and then returned to the deceased
found him at the place at which / had put him brt
holding in his hand tool called straightedge, with
which he pointed to of the blocks which was sobt
ly out of level. l pleased with that, as thoTgbt
it showed he getting on famously then rpnaanS
the signal to him not to STIR and again left him onS
employed myself at my work. In about ten minutes 7
went to him again, and he had then moved about onr
feet toward the spot at which had been emplovpd
examined the valve regulating the quantity of air SIM
piled 70 the diving apparatus, which was in the position
had placed it in previous to going down. and enonoJ
him by signals not to move. l then third time went
from him, and, on my return to him in about two ~
three minutes, he leaning with his arm upon tho
block and the straighedge in his hand He shook the
latter at playfuy, if he striking with sword
then again left him, and in few minutes on LOOKING
toward him. missed him. directly went to where he
had ought to have been but he had moved from the
spot about eight feet On getting to him, took him
by the arm, upon which he turned toward me- and made
the agreed signal with his hands that he should like TO
60 up directly snatched his lifeline giving the sig
nal to those above to lift him up, and at the same time
lifted my hand to snatch NINE when a signal came
down to me to come up myself gave the return sig
nal Immediately and was lifted to the surface. On
getting there looked about for the deceased expecting
to find that he also had been raised but was informed
that they could not lift him. | said, Pull him., and
they did so, but were still unable to raise him up.
then directed them to pass the line the staging so
to get the lift straight up and down. That was done
but still they could not get him up On learning this
went down myself directly, but unable to find the
deceased and thinking that he might have been drawn
to the surface as had gone down, again had myself
pulled up. Finding however, that they had still been
unable to lift him again descended by his life line,
and guided by that discovered him lying down with
his hand firmly clenchng rope. I then cut off his
weights, on which he lifted little, and augured from
, that that there was some hope. After some diff
cuty unclinched his hands, and he was then lifted up,
upon my making the necessary signal to those above
followed him to the surface and the glass in front of
my helmet being taken out asked if he was dead or
ave-the answer being l fear he is dead" l went
directly to look at the collar of deceaseds apparatus
and found the regulator quite open The valve being
opened water could get into the helmet do not think
the valve could have become open by accident but ms
have been designedy turned by deceased On the
sion of my first going down into the water diver
suffered extremely from pains in the head and beginners
often suffer in the way. Going down Immediately
after eating would cause the symptoms to be aggravated
The deceased had just from dinner when he descen
ded. In my opinion deceased began to feel oppressed
and Impressed and uncomfortable and induced to
turn the valve, thinking thereby to obtain relief The
opinion-Douer Chronicle.