The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-12
BUTTE News.
DEATH Of ARTHUR JOHNS
Coroner Julien Begins His In
vestigation.
IT WAS NOT CONCLUDED
The Miner Was Fatally Injured While
Timbering Some Ground in the
Rarus Mne-Evidence in
the Case.

Coroner Julien began an inquest last
evening to inquire into the accident at
the Rarus mine last Tuesday in which
Arthur Johns was so terribly injured
that he died the following night at the
hospital. Johns received his fatal in
juries while engaged in timbering up a
piece of ground where an accident had
occurred Monday, in which Joseph Col
~ and John Coll were injured. AS the
coroner desired the testimony of these
men relating to the character of the
ground, he adjourned the inquest to
Monday afternoon after taking the tes-
tfmony of those employed at the mine
who had a knowledge of the accident.
Deputy Frank Hunter was present at
the inquest and took part in the eX-
anlina ton of the witnesses.
Richard Thomas, a timberman at the
Rarus, testified that he was working
with Johns during the forenoon secur-
ing piece of ground. They thought
they had it safe, and witness went to
dinner. When he came back the other
men were taking Johns out of the stope.
The accident occurred about a quarter
of l o'clock An accident had occurred
at the same place day or so before.
Johns and a man named Black We're
setting a post when a large piece of
ground came down and caught him.
Replying to Mr.. Hunters questions.
the witness said the accident occurred
in stope in the 400 level, and that
there was raise overhead. 1t was
impossible to reach the breaking to
sound it, but it was thought it was
safe. The ground came down and
broke the tagging overhead. The wit
ness thought the men were going about
the work right.
Hugh Black. who was working as the
partner of Johns. said on account of
the water coming down and fault
the ground would slack away and fall
down. Witness and Johns went in to
timber the place. They stood three
posts and put up three thicknesses of
plank. They thought then the place
was safe. After dinner they went in
and put in more posts. They were put
ting on the plank at the time of the
accident. Johns was holding up piece
of tagging for witness to nail when the
tale ground Stacked away and came
down. Witness jumped out of the way,
but Johns was not able to get away
and got caught. About a carload of
ground fell. Up to the time Of the fall
neither witness nor Johns had any
suspicion that the place was unsafe.
Witness thought every necessary pre-
caution was taken. Witness regarded
Johns as a very careful miner.
Hugh McNerny, a miner a the Rarus,
was working on the floor just below
where the accident occurred. Witness
and his partner were passing up the
timbers to Johns and Black. He heard
fall and saw Black come crawling
down TO the floor below. He said
Johns had been caught and witness
went and helped dig him out Witness
knew nothing further Of the accident.
Witness said a cave occurred in the
same place the night before, when
about 80 cars of ground fell
Mike Critko, a miner, worked on the
floor below with McNerny. He CHANGED
to be looking up about the time of the
accident and saw Johns holding
plank for Black to nail. Black re-
marked:
pieces of ground are falling; we had
better get out
Johns reply was: This ground is all
right go ahead and nail" A moment
later the fall came. Witness helped
dig Johns out and take him to the sur
face.
Alex Mcdonald. shift boss at the
Rarus, said there had been a fall at
the place where Johns was injured and
he selected Johns and Black as two of
the best men to go in to timber it up,
Witness saw the place shortly before
the accident and it locked to be in very
good condition. He instructed the men
towork carefully and as fast as they got
up timbers, to get up and sound the
ground above Blasting was done about
200 feet away from the scene of the
accident. The men We're taken out of
this place during the blasting but the
shots did. not loosen the ground. Wit
ness thought the men went about their
work in the proper way and that a diff
ferent method would not have prevent
ed an accident.
Nicholas Treloar, foreman at the
Rarus. stated that the ground where
the fall occurred was soft and needed
timbering up. Johns and Black We're
selected because of their experience in
such ground and We're instructed to use
every precaution and use all the timber
they wanted. Witness regarded the
manner in which the work was being
done was the proper one.
AT this time Coroner Julien stated
that two men who We're injured in the
fall of the day before Johns received
his injury, Joseph Colly and John Coll.
were at Murray & Freunds hospital
and We're unable to be present, but were
able to give their testimony, which he
desired, and he accordingly announced
an adjournment.
Paris of To- day-the handsonest nre-