The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-08-14
IT WAS A CASE OF ACCIDENT
Result of the Inquest in the Richards
Case.
HOW THE YOUNG MAN WAS KILLED
witnesses Say That it is Necessary to
Make Slope Repairs During Working
Hours, u it is Not Allowed While
the Cars Are in Motion.

Deputy Coroner Marley and a jury com
prising F.. J. Brennan, John Seaman, James
j. Powell, Patrick COnnOrs, Joseph Marley
and P. J. Flaherty, held an inquest in the
case of William c.. Richards, Jr, the young
man who was killed in the slope of the West
Shenandoah cOlliery by being struck by a
car while engaged in doing some repair work.
The Deputy Coroner and Mine Inspector
William Stein conducted the examination of
witnesses and directed the line of inquiry
as to whether the performance of repair
work in the slope during working hours was
not "A great danger in that eolliery. The
witnesses said hat no work was done while
the rope was in motion in the slope, but
while the car was at the top, and the instruc-
tons of the inside foreman were that when
the rope was in motion the repairsmen should
either step behind the column pipe, or into
some heading, or other convenient opening.
School Director David Morgan was the first
witness. He has been inside foreman at the
colliery for about II years. He said Richards,
the victim, worked in the slope about two
years. George Lorah, who has been engaged
at the same work about IL years, was close
to Richards at the time of the accident. The
repairmen are instructed to keep out of the
road and if they see anything wrong with
the pullies to attend to it while the wagons
are stopped ON the slope. Mr.. Morgan said
he had frequently warned the men to keep
out of the road Of wagons,
Q. Do you think it is right to have men
employed on the slope during hosting hours,
or do you think it is a violation of the mine
law in doing so?
A. l don't think it was wrong to have
them there. Very often things go wrong on
the slope and we nave to repair between
trips.
Q. What was the cause of the accident ?
A. That is something ! could not say.
Richards and Lorah had agreed to pull out
pullies between trips. Lorah was up the
slope about 30 feet above the young man and
had his pulley out and got out Of the way
and didn't take notice whether Richards
was or not. The car passed him and struck
Richards. Lorah turned to look down and
saw a light, but could not see Richards. He
rang the bell and stopped the wagon.
George Lorah testified that he has been
employed oyer 20 years on TIE repairs in the
c~olliery and nearly 8 years regularly in the
slope. Richards worked with him since
April, 1895. They were supposed to keep
the pullies in the slope in repair. Men are
not allowed to walk up and down the slope.
The place at which Richards was caught was
about So yards from the top Of the slope.
Lorah was 81 feet above the young man.
The slope is 500 yards deep. Lorah said he
had taken out a pulley and Richards was to
take one out, but for some reason he didn't.
Both men were working on the same track.
Lorah left the track as soon as the car left
the top.
In answer to a question by Mine Inspector
Stein as to what chance of escape the men
would have if the car should leave the top
without being attached to the rope and leave
the track in the slope so as to be diverted to
the place where the men would stand for
safety, Lorah said the chances would be all
right, as there would be the column pipe be-
tween the track and the men.
Mr.. Morgan said they never had a car
jump the road in the slope in going down.
There are guide rails there, He said he had
seen a car go clear from the top to the bottom
even before the guide rails were in and the
car did not jump the track.
Thomas Mccormick, a contractor, said he
had worked in the coliery for % years and
had worked ON the repairs off and on. He
said he wouldn't consider it safe to work in
the slope during the hosting and the men
were always instructed to leave when the
hosting was going on.
Mccormick was asked if he was not hurt
in the slope some time ago, and upon answer
ing in the affirmative, gave this version of
it II was going dow the slope in the morn
ing before we started to hoist. They were
lowering men on one side and empty cars on
the other. | was examining some repair
work that had been done when a wagon
struck and knocked me down. | had no
time to get out Of the way. | had no bust
ness to walk down at ALL" Mccormick
added that men who did not keep off the
slope while coal was being hoisted violated
the law themselves by failing to obey the
instructions of the officials.
Christ. Berner, Franz Gilbert and Reuben
Rose were also examined, but their testi-
mony was not of a material character.
Just before the inqust closed William c.
Richards, ST., the father of the victim, ap-
peared before the jury and said, II hope
there will be no blame attached TO anyone,
l don't, for my part, see where there can be
any blame"
The jury rendered the following verdict;
THAT the said William c. Richrrds, Jr.,
death was caused by being struck by an
empty trip of cars, while they were descend
ing the slope az the West Shenandoah collieryi
and was the result of an accident"
At Kepchinsld's Arcade Cafe.
Clam SOM for free lunch tonight.