The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-20
CLEARLY HIS OWN FAULT
The Shift Boss Gave Orders tc
the Men to Keep Away.
COUGHLIN DIDN'T OBEY
He Climbed Up IN the Pile OF Rock
and When the Chute Began to
Run. He Was Drawn In.
Jury Finds Accordingly.

Sherman's undertaking rooms last even
ing at 9 o'clock on the body OF Patrick
Coughlin, the miner who was killed
Monday by falling down a chute In the
Anaconda mine. From the evidence, IL
appeared Coughlin. with others. was
working on the eighth floor OF the 200
foot level. The ground at the back.
where the men were working, was loose,
and to make 1t safe IL was necessary to
timber the back. To do this a run of
the chute had to be made to clear away
q pile of ground which had accumulated
over the mouth Of the chute and at the
spot where IL was desired to timber
Orders were issued by the shift boss TO
the men to keep ava till the run of
the chute was made. but Coughlin. for
some reason. d~isregarded the orders n
climbed up on the pile of ock He
stood in the center of the pile AMI
when the chute commenced to u was
sucked down into IL and the loose
ground around the sides ran down on
top of him inc smothered him to death.
The jury returned a verdict in accord
ance with the facts, and held that no
one was responsible for the accident.
Thomas Devine. the first witness. was
at work with C%oughlin when the acct
dent happened. He said he, Coughlin
and John McGovern were working on
the I, 200-foot level OF the Anaconda, on
the eighth floor. The chute leading from
the floor was supposed to be full and II
was the intention to run the chute in
order that the mouth Of the chute
might be covered and the back, which
was bad, might be timbered. They all
| received orders from the shift boss to
stop work till after the run was made,
but Coughlin got up on a pile of rocks
! over the chute to look at the back. Wit
ness and others called to him to keep
away, but he did not heed, and when
the chute. which was not full. but only
clogged. commenced to run and Cough
lin could not save himself. he went
down the chute and was covered up by
the ground n a followed.
John McGovern related the circum-
stances of the accident. He said lac
was working with Coughlin and Devine
and they got notice 10 quit work, as II
was intended to run the chute. The
chute was covered with a pile of rocks
and Coughlin climbed up on top of 1t
1t started TO sag and the witness and
Devine called to him to get off, but ne
stayed too long and when the chut
commenced to run went down with the
rock.
f. j. Morgan, a timberman at Tho
Anaconda. received orders to timber 9
set. He and his partner got ready ano
waited, under instructions from Shift
Holland, till a run of the chute could
be made. Coughlin asked the witness
to go in and look at the place. and thu
witness said mo. l have no business
there yet" Coughlin was then on tor
of the pile OF rock with a pick in hi'
hand and the witness called to him t'
get away, but he failed to do so. TIT
witness knew Coughlin had orders e
keep away from the place.
Dan Harrington, Morgan's partner
testified TO the same facts as Morgan
and said all hands had received specia
orders TO keep away out of the plac'
till II was made safe.
Shift Boss ]. j. Holland testified tina
the chute was filled with ore and Their
was a pile of rock about five feet deel
over the top of the chute. 1t was hi
purpo TO run the chute and then pu
in timbers over the chute to make !
safe to work. The witness gave order
to the men to keep away from the place
but supposed Coughlin was anxious I
get the timbers in and thought h
would not wait. The witness was a
the foot of the chute when Ccughli
came down.
Frank Hunter, deputy mine inspector
investigated the accident. He ~testiie
that 10 or Is ions of rock covered tn
chute. and from what he could lear
Coughlin got on the pile Of rock, sup
posing the chute was full. and when tn
chute commenced to run went down. 7
a certain extent. he regarded the acc
dent due to Coughlin's carelessness
The Jury returned a verdict as given.
A telegram was received yesterda
from Coughlin's sister. who lives at Ish
peming. Mich, containing instruction
to have the remains buried here, an
accordingly the funeral will take plac
Tomorrow.