The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-22
HIS LIFE CRUSHED OUT
swift and Terrible Was the Death
of John Mowrn.
KILLED IN THE BELL MINE
h Unfortunate Miner Was Caught
the Cage and the Wall
Plates-Death Was Almost
instantaneous.

Death came swiftly and in terrible
form to John Mowrn, a miner emploved
In the Diamond shaft Of the Bell mine
yesterday morning about half past IL
o'clock. He was caught between the
cage and wall plates and his life was
crushed out almost nstantaneousl
me accldent was purely Mowrn's own
iault, as he got aboard the cage 10 go
u the surface and then tried to get off
aiter the signal had been given IN
hoist. s''" W
Mowrn worked on the 1000 level He
went on shift at Z o'clock in the morn
Ins. FOR some reason he left off work
at the hour mentioned and started to
go on top. Whether ne had been taken
SICK or was discharged or WHY he anti
work at h a unusual time was nor
stated, but that he had left off WORK
mere appears no doubt. as he had his
ulhnef bucket with him. He went 10
tne station where Con Ryan and
FRANK ,onley We're tending station
ana told them he was going on ton
Ryan and Conley accordingly put no
car on the upper deck of the cage. hui
Ieit II unoccupied for him to ride IN
NIoWfn got on the upper deck and one
Oh the station tenders rang to hoist the
up 10 the lower deck so they couId
put a car on that deck.
After the signal had been pivap
moWrn, either having forgotten some
tnlng or prompted by some motive
when neither of the station tenders
were able to explain. tried to get off
me cage: Miners frequently take that
but il is always highly dan
gerous, n the two station tenders At
tempted To prevent Mowrn from carry
ing out his intention. As the cage was
taken up, however. he succeeded i'm get
.lhs party or the cage and instantly
was carried against the wall plates.
III occurred so suddenly that the sta
ION tenders were unable to EXPLAIN lust
'Xactly how 1t did happen. but Mowrn
IN such a position that he was
aught at the breast against the wall
yates ana life was crushed out of him
'elore the cage came to a stop and the
oWer ueck rested on the chairs and be-
ore the station tenders could give the
anger signal and release him from his
.wful position.
instantly the danger signal was rung
the cage released sufficiently to en-
Die the station tenders TO remove {
lowrn' but 1t was too late. life was ex- !
net Inc body was placed on the {
age ana taken to the surface. Coroner ,
'remblay was notified. and after he 4,
al viewed the remains, the body was !
iken TO Duggan's undertaking rooms .
Information was received late last Z
Nehlng which seems to indicate
towns death was a deliberate case
suicide. 1t was learned that the rea-
IN ne was quitting work was that he
been discharged. and it is thought \
Q became respondent over the loss of I
is JOB and purposely threw himself off n
he age. lie undoubtedly had a strong s
nrpose in mind, as he fought desper- p
iely with Ryan and Conley when they z
led 10 keep him on the cage. The Ii
onion that Mowrn committed suicide a
very general with those familiar
TN the facts. Mowrn was a single
an and was % years Of age. He was r
austrian birth. Very little is known 8,
'ncerning his antecedents. and IL is
u known whether he had any rela-
IN his country or not. Coroner -
'emblay will hold an inquest this ~
.ening, when it will doubtless be es- =.
whether death was due 10 y
iCide or accident.