Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-04-26
Testimony Before the Coroner's
Jury.
FELL FIVE HUNDRED FEET
AngOve'S Presence of Mind Deserted
Him and He Did Not Give
the Bell Signal.

Coroner Phil Jullien's investigation OF
the death of Richard H. Thomas, the
pumpman who fell 500 feet in the Leonard
shaft Monday, was held last night IN
Richards Undertaking rooms.
John Angove testified that he was en-
ployed with the deceased at the Leonard
on the day of the accident. The witness,
Thomas, and a man named Tregoning
were at work on the water column about
As feet above the 500 station; witness was
standing directly above Thomas when
something came down the shaft, a piece
of timber, witness thought, striking
Thomas on the head and knocked him
down; witness called to Thomas and got
below, where he found Thomas pinned
in the manway, with his head and legs
in the hosting shaft; witness gave the
danger signal to TregOning, but almOSt
Immediately afterwards the cage came
up the shaft and Thomas was pulled into
the shaft and fell to the stump: witness
! then went above and notified the fore
man.
Cross-examination When witness
found Thomas he was lying on his back,
and was bleeding from a cut on his fore
| head; witness was of the opinion Thomas
was conscious and spoke to him but re-
ceived no reply. Tried to raise him up
to get him out of danger, and Thomas
tried to assist by putting one arm around
the ladder rung, and just at this time
the cage came along; it was possible that
the age, in going down had struck an
end of a stay projecting from the pump
shaft, causing Thomas to fall, blu he was
certain Thomas fell on the staging and
was drawn into the shaft by the cage;
did not attempt to reach the bell cord to
give the signal; could not have done so
without standing on the body of Thomas;
his idea was to get Thomas out of the
way of the cage.
Alfred Tregoning testified that he was
working with Thomas and Angove above
tho 500 level; he was at the station when
he heard someone grooming, and called
to ask what was the matter but got no
answer; Immediately afterwards saw the
flash danger signal, he repeated the sig
nal, and almost Immediately afterwards
the cage came up; then he heard some
thing fall down the shaft.
w. J. Bullock, who vas working near
the collar of the pump shaft, was certain
that nothing had dropped down the shaft.
w. f. Ruggles, the engineer, said he
did not see the danger signals. and would
not have paid n attention to them, as
they were always given for the station
tenders benefit.
John Miles, foreman Of the West
Colusa, testified that he made an exam
ination of the cage after the accident and
found the bonnet had been crushed in,
Indicating that it had encountered some
thing on it's trip up the shaft.
c. r. Davis testified to finding the body
of Thomas in the stump of the east COM
partment.
Frank Hunter, deputy mine inspec-
tor, testified to an examination of the
premises Immediately after the accident
occurred. Did not understand how
Thomas could have been struck with
anything without anyone hearing it; he
thought Angove must have been very
much excited else he would have given
the bell signal.
The verdict was as follows: "That de-
ceased came to his death in Meaderville
township. Silver 0 county, Mont. o.
the Gath day of April. 1899, by falling
down the shaft of the Leonard mine as
the result of an unforeseen mishap, the
exact facts in connection with which this
jury is unable to determine, the deceased
sustaining fatal injuries in said fall
~ L 49,