Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1891-02-26

DuIiIS lue past week nearly all the
bodies of the men who were imprisoned
IN the Jeanesville mine by the recent
catastrophe there have been taken out
A search was made of the mine on We'd.
nesday last but only one BODY was re.
covered-that of Edward Gallagher
A party again went down the mine on
saturday and after searching about fol
some time in various places they came
upon the body of Patrick Kelly. They
next found James Ward and then Jake
Mlsto and Samuel Porter.
The four men were found in separate
places and each showed symptoms of
how they had met their death The
body Of Kelly was found on a higher
elevation than either of the other three,
height which the water had not reach
ed, and it was evident he had been over
come by gas. Ward and Msto were
found in the formers breast and Porter
was standing on his head in the breast
where the water had broken through.
Each of the bodies showed signs of
drowning and were slightly decomposed.
Another rescuing party searched the
mine on Sunday and four more dead
bodies were recovered They were Law
renee Reed, Harry Ball. Michael Smith
and James Bullock. These were found
IN Reeds breast lying on small plat
form. The foamy marks on the sides of
the breast indicated the highest point
the water had reached and left no doubt
as to the fact that the men had been
starved to death. Large pieces were
eaten out of the faces of each of them
and the supposition is they had been
attacked by rats after death
Monday morning four more bodies
were found, being those of Bernard Nc
Closkey, James Griffiths, John Housan
and John Thomas. These men were
found in different parts of the gangway,
and when they were brought to the sur
face it was thought that they had been
dead for some time, as their bodies were
in an advanced stage of decomposition
These also showed signs of drowning.
All the bodies were inferred shortly after
being taken out.
The rescuing party of Monday con-
tinued their search with the hope of
recovering the bodies of four Hungarians
who were known to he yet in the mine.
They proceeded to the breast of Joe
Mautchwtch but found the black damp
so thick they could not get through.
They commenced to brush out the bad
air when suddenly one of the party
heard sound which did not seem to
have come from the seachers. They
ceased work and heard the sound again.
One Of the rescuers shouted and received
an "hello' in return. Another exclaim-
ed who's there" and the answer came,
"Me, Joe Mautchwitch." The work of
brushing out the black damp was i'm
mediately pushed and the reschers were
Soon able to go up the breast They
n n MI of hln
the four men all huddled together They
were John Tomaskusky, Joe Mautch-
witch, Bosso Franko and John Berno;
all four alive. The men were taken
down and given stimulants, but were too
weak to be taken up the slope. Physi-
clans were Immediately sent for. Drs.
ID. w. Mears and j. w. Bowman were
hastily summoned from Audenried and
j. w. Cole, of Hazleton. These with
Rev j. j. Cummiskey, of Hazleton,
were at once lowered into the mine.
The men were then removed to the
pump house at the bottom of the slope
and placed on beds of straw, wrapped in
blankets and cared for by the physicians.
In the meantime the news was made
known through the town and the excite
ment of the people cannot be described.
That four men imprisoned in mine,
with no possible means of escape, could
survive twenty days without food was
beyond all expectations, and no one had
hoped to see any of the seventeen men,
who were caught in the terrible flood,
alive again. As it is, however, it is to be
recorded as the greatest mystery of the
Anthracite coal fields. The men were
hoisted up the slope at five o'clock Tues
day morning and taken to the Sons of
Temperance Hall, where they are re-
ceiving the full attention of the physi-
clans. All are gaining strength rapid
ly and will be able to be about in a few
waakS