The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-28
PINE BROOK Fatality
Evidence Of Morris Steel Who Was Injured
Given Last Evening.
HOUSTON Was NEGLECTFUL
Inquest was Twice Adjourned.
George Houston Gives Evidence.
Steel Denies All knowledge of the
Charged Hole - Mine Foreman
Powell Explains How Neglectful
Miners Cause Accidents--Verdict
Rendered by Jury.

The adjourned inquest into the death
Of Thomas Ryan who died from the
effects ofEinjuries sustained.in an explo-
sion in the Pinebrook shaft on Sept. /
was held last night at the Court house.
The inquest was adjourned from Sept.
20 when the jury dispersed without
the Coroner's permission. The principal
witness in the inquiry, Morris Steel.
who was with the deceased at the time
Of the accident was sufficiently re-
covered to attend last night and gave
his evidence as follows:
II was working with Thomas Ryan
on Sept 1, the day of the accident,
on the afternoon shift He asked me
for the needle" which we used to test
the depth of the holes for blasting. He
looked around and saw hole and
knelt down to put the needle in. AS
soon as he put it in, the explosion oc-
Cured. That's all l know"
Coroner-What was the depth of the
hole2
Steel-Eighteen inches.
Coroner-Do you know the amount
Of powder that was in the hole2
Steel-No, sir.
Coroner-Were you or Ryan inform
ed of the hole?
Steel-No, sir; I didn't know any
thing of the hole.
Coroner-Did you meet the opposite
shift when you went to work?
Steel-Yes. George Houston was
talking to Ryan, but ! didn't notice
what he said.
STEEL DID NOT KNOW.
Coroner-Did you know anything OF
this hole before going to work.
Steel-No; / did not know anything
at all.
COroner-Whati is the rule, should
the opposite shift tell you of the hole2
Steel-Yes if the hole was there.
Inspector Blewitt-Did Houston tell
you anything about the holeP
Steel-No. Sir.
George Houston was recalled and
denied that hs or bis men had left any
holes charged. Three charges were
fred that day and in reply to the in
spector he swore that he heard three
distinct and separate reports. Ques.
toned as to whether any piece of the
hole remained uufred, he stated that
he could not explain that.
He was asked by the jurymen as to
whether 1t was rumored that on the
Saturday evening that a shot missed
and he replied that it was not 80, but
there might be piece in the hole
which had not gone off.
Steel was recalled and stated they
were in the place but five minutes
before the explosion occurred ana no
holes had been left by Ryan unfired.
John H. Powell. inside foreman,
gave evidence that George Houston
was drilling hole on the Saturday
morning which corresponded with the
hole in which the explosion occurred
Mr.. Powell then explained that some
OF the miners charged the holes with
the cap and cartridge and inserted the
black powder afterwards and from re-
cent Investigations he found that at
times, owing to sawdust from the
packing which was not cleared off the
cap and cartridge, the black powder
would explode removing the rock and
leaving the cartridge unexploded, II
men were not careful in removing the
sawdust 1t would prevent the cartridge
exploding and that he thought was the
only explanation Of the explosion in
the case.
HOUSTON IS CENsURED.
Hugh James, miner in the same
shaft, corroborated Mr.. Powell's evil
dence and explained his experiences
confirming his statement. The jury.
after some deliheratiou. returned Il
verdict as follows: I'VE do hereby
find verdict of neglect on the part OF
George Houston of the death OF
Thomas Ryan" The jurymen were
Patrick Prendergast, John Golden, ].
G OToole. Michael Mclean. Michael
Dougherty and Patrick Hindley.