Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-02
TWO MINERS Killed.
One Falls Through . Shafs-Another Has
His Life Crushed Out.

One Falls Through Shaft-An0tller Ha
Els Life Crushed Out.
The Coroner held two inquests yesterday
one ON tho body Of B. Hawley, a miner il
the Katie Morris mine, about couple o
miles west OF Butte. who fell fifty feet
through the shaft from the 15O-foot level
the other on John Webb upon whom 400
pound rock fell at the 50O-level OF ths
Mountain Consolidated, both accidents oc
curing on Wednesday night. The testi
mony taken in the case Of B. Handley was
to the following effect.
Z. B. 6paulding, partner Of the deceased,
testified that ne had known the deceased
about four months, and knew him by the
name Of b. Handley. He was about 3S OF
40 years old and came from Idaho. They
were at work together in the Katie Morris
mine. About hali-past q, on February az,
they were working on the 150ioot level in
the mine. Witness went down the shaft to
the 20O-foot level for some water and be-
fore gring he raised q trap door to get
doWAs While witness was gons deceased
came along with the truck which would lead
over the shaft over witness head. When
deceased was about fifteen feet from
the top witness heard him coming, and
hallooed to him to look out, trying to get
the deceased to stop. He could not
have heard, for he came right
along. The car fell down by witness, and
the deceased followed. Did not know how
deceased fell in. It was the custom OF the
men to open the trap door to 60 up and
down the shaft every night. The deceased
fell about 80 feet, and after he fell witness
got light and went down to him. He was
lying on one side, and asked witness to
raise him up, saying his right leg hurt him.
Witness then went to the 1O0-foet level,
got help, returned to him and brought him
brought him to the Sisters Hospital,
where he died yesterday. He regarded it
as an Unforeseen accident.
W. F. Sinsel testified that he ia working
the Katie Morris mine under lease in the
name of Sinsel & Co. Deceased was in his
employ at the time of the accident. He
was not at the mine when the accident oc-
Cured. When informed OF it he went at
once to the mine and saw deceased after
he lad been brought to the surface. He
had him taken to the hospital, and called
DR.. Johnston to attend him. There were
only two men working on the $50 level
where this trap door was, and as DO others
except himself were passing up and down
through this trap door, he supposed they
would understand what they were doing,
and hence would be in no danger. There
was always light burning at the trap.
From what he knew of the custom of those
working on that level, he could not think
that there was any criminal carelessness Cd
the part OF any one. It was the custom of
the deceased to 60 down the shaft twice
each night to start and oil the pump.
Gus johnson and Christ Boegli also tes-
titled but their evidence threw no more
light on the accident.
The evidence of DR.. Johnston described
his condition when seen at the hospital
and his opinion was that the deceased
came to his death from shock and loss OF
blood.
The jury had some difficuley inlframing a
verdict. but finally subscribed their names
to one to the effect that B. Handley came
to his death on the 2Sth day Of February,
1889, in Butte from injuries received while
night OF February 27, by then falling down
the shaft about SO feet. They also found
that the trap door through which the de-
ceased fell had been carelessly left open,
but since it was the custom for the men to
90 up and down said shaft through said
trap and leave it open they could not at
tach any blame upon any one, ,butsuggested
gre;l ssf care and caution in the future in all
similar cases.
The funeral will take place tomorrow at
3 O'Clock, from Sherman's undertaking
rooms.
THE WEBB INQUEST.
From the testimony given at the inquest
held by Coroner Howard on the remains OF
ohm Webb it appears to have been one of
those unavoidable accidents that put the
life OF a miner constantly in peril, owing to
the possible occurrence of which at any
time his life may be said to be hanging by q
thread. 1t occurred on the second floor in
the 5OO-foot level of the Mountain Con.
solidated about II o'clock on Wednesday
night. The foreman, ] os. Laird, testified that
be had been in the level the day before the
accident, and had carefully examined it.
finding it properly timbered and appar-
emily in safe condition. The shift boss,
W. Moylan, had been in the level only
lew moments before the occurrence, and ss
lar as he could judge, there was no appear
ance OF impending danger.
ael HALEY, John Hanley and James Fer
ris, all working on the same level, was to
the effect that they had heard Webb cry
out, and hastening to the spot, where he
was on the second floor they found him
lying under piece of rock Of about 200
pounds weight that had fallen from the
hanging wall. He had climbed up man
way from the level of the second floor, and
was Just emerging his head and shoulders
out Of the hole when the boulder fell
upon him and crushed his
chest against the timbers, appar-
emily in an instant. He was brought to
the surface. One and all regarded the mine
and the level on which the accident occur
red perfectly safe.
The jury to satisfy themselves visited the
mine and went down to the spot where the
accident took place with the result
that they were satisfied no necessary
precaution had been omitted and returned
a verdict to the effect that } ohm Webb came
to his death "by a rock falling or rolling on
him from the hanging wall OF the Mountain
mine; that the same was an
unavoidable accident, and that no blame
can attach to to the owners or manage.
ment of said mlne."
The company takes charge OF the re-
mains, and the funeral will take place at
2 O'Clock to-day, from Joe Callaway's res
idence in Centervile. Deceased did not be-.
long to the Miners Union.