The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-29
ABSCESS ON THE BRAIN
Caused by a Blow From Piece
of Rock.
AN INQUEST WAS HELD
Patrick Connolly Was at Work in the
Mountain Consolidated Mine When
the Accident Occurred ver-
dict OF the Jury.

An inquest was held by Coroner Jul
lien last evening to inquire into the
death of Patrick Connolly, which &C.
CURED at st. James hospital last Mon
day morning from the effects of injuries
sustained in an accident in the Noun
tain Consolidated No. / mine on Aug.
is. Connolly and his partner were blast
ing a round of holes and stayed too
long. While getting away a piece OF
rock was thrown 200 feet by the blast.
1t struck Connolly on the back of the
head, fracturing his skull. Dr. Mac
Nevin expressed the belief that death
resulted from an abscess forming on
the brain, caused by the injury, and
the jury returned verdict to that ef-
feet and finding the death to have been
due to accidental causes.
Philip Walsh, who worked partners
with Connolly, was first called. He
said he and Connolly were working on
the / 300 level; had put in II holes and
prepared to blast; the place was wet
and as they got toward the end one of
the fuses refused to take; some time
was lost in recruiting it; witness in
quired if the fuses We're extra long and
Connolly replied they were not. I'VE
had better get OUT was the advice of
the witness. They did not stop to spit
the last two holes, but started out.
Witness was a few feet in the lead
and when they got to the air pipe they
had to stop to open the valves: the
wrench had fallen off and it was nee
essary to stoop down to get it; a few
seconds were thus lost and they did not
get more than 200 feet away from the
breast, not far enough for safety when
the first hole went off. The witness
heard Connolly cry out and at the same
time heard a piece of rock strike the
air pipe. He stopped an instant. but
knowing there were more holes to go,
he concluded the best course was for
him to go on. and did So On the way
out he heard the other holes go, but
did not hear any more rock come out
After it was safe to go back, witness
and Shift Boss John Keegan went in
and found Connolly standing up. He
said he had fallen against the side OF
the drift He had wound on the back
of the head. but did not appear to be
much hurt, and walked out of the drift
Replying to questions by Deputy Mine
Inspector Hunter, the witness said they
4 used the customary length of fuse
about GU feet, and that Connolly was
capable miner
John Keegan, shift boss at the Noun
tain Consolidated No. /, testified to be-
ing on the station when Walsh came
out and said his partner was blasted
Witness went in at once with Walsf
and other miners and found Connolly
stading up in the drift. He said he
was not much hurt, and witness die
not think he was. He walked out an6
when asked if the hospital ambulance
should be called, Connolly said no, tina
he was going home, and he did so
walking to the Dugan boarding house
il Dublin gulch. Witness said Con-
molly was an experienced man and tina
he did not consider the men were care
less but probably miscalculated the
time they had in which to spit The
holes and get away.
Thomas Foran, John Leary, Patricl
McNulty and John Lowney, all miners
who We're at the mine at the time, gave
evidence similar to that of the preced
ing witnesses. They were asked If i
was not unusual for rock to be thrown
as far as 200 feet and said it was, bu
and in their judgment Connolly re
ceived his injury by being hit by
piece of flying rock.
Deputy Mine Inspector Frank Hun
ter testified that he was notified of thu
accident, and made an investigation
He found the place where Connolly fel
to be about 210 feet from the breast
and that there was crosscut about
half way between the point and the
breast which the men could have gont
into and been safe if they had had suf
ficien presence of mind to do so. From
his investigation, Mr.. Hunter said h
found nothing to indicate negligence
he believed Connolly was struck by 6
piece of flying rock, and in his opinion
the injury to Connolly was due en-.
tirely to accident.
the deceased, stated that he found Con