The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-01
BUTTE News.
II PARAL YzEO THE BRAIN
An Embolism Caused the Death
of Frank Switzer.
INQUEST BY THE CORONER
he Was Injured in the Rarus Mine
Fatty Matter Escaped From
Broken Bone and Clogged
the Arteries.
INQUEST BY THE CORONER

Coroner Julien held an inquest yes
teruay on the body of Frank Switzer
whose death, under very extra ordinary
circumstances, occurred at Murray r.
Freunds hospital Thursday. as the in
direct result of injuries he sustained in
an accident in the Rarus mine on Tues
day. From the evidence 1t appeared
there was no doubt death was pro-
duced by clogging of the circulation,
called an embolisna the result of fatty
matter escaping from the bone by rea-
e son OF the fracture of the bones of his
leg. and being carried into the veins, ar
resting the respiratory and heart cen
tiers and paralyZing the BRAIN The jury
returned a verdict finding death TO have
been due to the cause stated, which
was the result of an accident in the
Rarus mine on March 2S, and that no
one was responsible for the accident.
e Charles Kosanka, who was working
near Switzer. said it was about 1 o'clock
Tuesday that he heard cry for help
and went to Switzer's assistance. He
found a, large rock lying on one foot. A
piece of rock about four feet square had
fallen away from the breast and had
broken in two, a half of the rock falling
on Switzer. Witness procured help and
released him and he was taken on top
Deceased was working on the 400 level
on the fourth floor When witness got
to him he lay over the handles of his
WheelbarroW as though he had fallen
over it. Witness knew deceased 10 be
powerful, healthy man up to the time
he was hurt.
Patrick J. Morgan was working on
the third floor, one floor beneath Swift
ger. About l o'clock he heard a fall Of
ground and heard a man cry Hurry
up. hurry up He ran for the place
from which the call for help emanated
and found the preceding witness trying
ha fl,+
Switzers leg. The rock weighed about
300 pounds. Switzer seemed half UNI
conscious. Witness helped remove the
rock and take Switzer to the surface.
He knew deceased well; had heard him
complain on the previous day of having
a cold; saw the rock after the accident;
1t was about two-thirds of a cubic yard:
through the rock ran tale seam; under
ordinary circumstances while it had
been in place witness would have re-
garded the rock perfectly safe
DR.. j. D. Freund of Murray &
Freund's hospital testified relative to
the treatment of deceased. A fracture
of the bones of the right leg was the
only injury. In stating the case, the
witness said the marrow becoming ex-
posed allowed the escape of the fatty
globules of the marrow. The veins we've
much lacerated near the fracture and
undoubtedly particle of the marrow or
blood clot got into the circulation
through the laceration of the veins, and
being carried to a blood vessel too small
for 1t to pass through, produced an
embolism, para1yzing the respiratory
and heart centers at the brain and pro-
ducing death.
John Mills a miner at the Rarus, was |
working in No. 1 stope, just below
where SWitzer was working. He heard |
the cry for help and made his way to
where Switzer lay in a reclining posi-
ton over the handles of his wheelbar- |
row. He had previously visited the |
place and had observed a seam in the |
rock wall. indicating to him the rock
might come loose when the fine ground |
underneath it had been shoveled out.
Witness spoke to Switzer and advised
him to be careful.
John K. Pomeroy, timberman at the
Rarus, related the circumstances of the
accident as given by the other witnesses
and said he timbered the place where it
occurred. He regarded it as a. perfectly
safe place to work.
John OBrien, another timberman at
the Rarus, was called, but was unable
to throw any new light on the inquiry.
Shift Boss Claude Harness and Fore
man Nicholas Treloar were examined
without eliciting anything new, except
that Switzer had stated to Foreman
Treloar that he had been aware of the
seam across the face of the breast, but
had considered it perfectly safe and
had decided to clean up before taking
the rock down.
Deputy State Mine Inspector Frank
Hunter told of investigating the acct
dent and said the facts had been accu-
rately stated by the preceding wit
nesses. In his judgment every precau-
ton was taken and the injury to Swift
ger was purely accidental
A verdict was returned in accordance
with the testimony