The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-27
DEATH WAS ACCIDENTAL
Inquest Into the Death of julius
Vieborg.
HE FELL DOWN A SHAFT
Guard Rails Were in Place-He Nav
Have Taken Hold of the Rope OF
the Cage and Have Been
Pulled Down.

Coroner Julien held an inquest at
Sherman's undertaking rooms last
evening on the body of Joseph Weller.
or Julius Vieborg, as his right name ap-
pears to be, who lost his life Friday
afternoon by falling down the shaft of
the Parnell mine. From the evidence
OF the witnesses examined it was quite
apparent death was due to wholly &C.
cidental causes, and the jury returned
verdict to that effect
Jerry sullivan, a carman at the Par
nell mine, was working on the 400 sta
ton at the time of the accident. Just
after dinner he met Vieborg, who
asked him if he had seen a bucket, de-
scribing it. Witness told him he had
not seen it. Nieborg was coming out of
the drift. Witness did not see him again
alive. Witness said he loaded a car on
the cage just before meeting Vieborg,
and was positive the guard rails were
in place.
William Shovel testified that he and
his partner took a timber to the 600 and
just as they stopped at the station the
body came down the shaft and struck
on the bonnet. Witness climbed up on
the cage and held the body till more
help came. The body was then re-
moved to the station and word sent on
top. The body was then taken to the
surface. Witness stated that the bon
net of the cage was badly bent and a
guide broken by the body in falling,
The only signs of life in the BODY after
witness reached it were a few convul-
sve movements of the muscles. After
taking the body to the surface witness
found a tin bucket in the shaft, which
deceased had used for holding water
for drilling. Witness could only ac-
count for Vieborg falling down the
shaft by the theory that he must have
attempted to step across the shaft
while going for water and have taken
hold of the rope to steady himself, and
the cage starting down probably threw
him into the shaft. There was no rea-
son why he should have crossed the
SMART, as there was paSsageway
around. When witness visited the 400
level Immediately after the accident he
found the guard rails in place and the
station was lighted as usual
Lawrence Scott, who was with the pre-
ceding witness, gave corresponding tes-
timony
stephen Klph, station tender at the
Parnell, was next examined, but his
evidence threw no new light on the in
quiry.
John Birmingham, foreman at the
diately after the accident, but was I'M
able to ascertain the cause of Vieborg
falling into the shaft. He went at once
to the 400 and found the guards down
and the station lighted. Vieborg was
working single-handed and it was i'm
possible to learn anything to indicate
how he got into the shaft. He could
only form an opinion and that was Vie
borg must have been trying to cross
the shaft for some reason and somehow
fell. There was no reason for his
crossing that way, though men were
often foolhardy enough to do so. Wit
ness knew of absolutely nothing to give
Vieborg any occasion either to go
around or across the shaft. If it was
water he was after he could have got
ten it where he was working.
Bernhard Baurschmidt was called to
give testimony concerning the deceased.
He said he had known Vieborg for four
years in California and here and knew
he had had experience at mining. His
home was in Germany and he had no
relatives in this country. Witness I'M
derstood deceased went by the name of
Weller because he came of a highly
connected family and had had some
misunderstanding with lbs people and
did not care to have them know where
he was.
Deputy Mine Inspector Frank Hunter
testified to investigating the accident
and expressed the opinion that Vieborg
was looking for water bucket to hold
water for drilling and crossed the
shaft to find one. He probably found
the bucket and in crossing back missed
his hold and fell. Instead of crossing
the working shaft he should have gone
around, as there was a passageway for
the purpose.
a nd