The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-01
NO ONE WAS TO BLAME
Investigation Into the Death of
w. G. Tucker.
AN UNFORESEEN ACCIDENT
fuckers Partner Did Not Consider TIT
Ground Safe and Warned Him.
Paid No Attention to
the Caution.

Tht accident in the Blue Jay mine on
Thursday, in which W. G. Tucker was
killed " a fall of ground. was officially
Investigated at an inquest held by Coro-
ner Julien at Richards undertaking
rooms last evening. From the evidence it
was clear fuckers death was due to an
unforeseen accident, for which no one was
to blame, and the jury returned YER
dict to that effect.
Edward Conner, who worked as Tuck
er's partner, was called as the frat wit
ness. In stating his recoIlections he said
that he and Tucker Were working in the
twelfth chute on the fourth floor of the
700 foot level; that they had gone in to
pick down after blast; he did not con-
slider the ground safe, though Tucker did.
He said to Tucker at one time that they
had better put part of the set before
clearing out for full set Not far from
2 O'Clock in the afternoon a fall of
ground came down from the hanging wall
at which Tucker was picking. He was
knocked down and piece Of rock about a
foot in thickness and two feet long fell
| on his body. Tucker had a better oppor-
tunty to escape than witness did, as he
had solid floor to stand on and some feet
of room to turn around in, while witness
stood on a narrow board. Had he been
duly cautious. therefore, he should not
have been caught.
A few minutes before the accident wit
ness said to Tucker. THAT hanging wall
looks very bad Tucker paid no heed
and shortly afterward the witness thought
he saw the ground coming and shouted
Look out. Tucker" but he evidently did
not hear or o.. not have time to get away.
After the fall witness called to Tucker
and asked if he got caught. Getting no
reply. he went up and found Tucker lying
with the rock on his body STOPPING down,
witness heard a grating sound in the
body and knew Tucker was killed. Wit
| ness said the blasting that had been done
had nothing to do with the ground falling
but that it was due to Tucker taking
down too much ground from the hanging
wall.
James B. Furey one of the miners at
the Blue Jay, was familiar with the
ground at the place where the accident
occurred. He did not regard it is espe-
cially dangerous. He knew nothing of the
circumstances Immediately surrounding
the accident.
| T. Fl. Gale, also employed at the Blue
Jay. assisted in removing fuckers body
| from the mine and was present when DR..
Schwartz, who was summoned, stated the
nature of the injuries the man had sus-
| tanned. DR.. Schwartz had said the ribs
were crushed in, the limbs had been bro
ken and that deceased had received q. blow
| on the head sufficient to have caused
| death Witness was familiar with the
| character of the ground and did not re-
| gard the place as an especially hazardous
| place to work
Homer C. Emerson, shift boss at the
| Blue Jay, was called. He said he had re-
garded Tucker as a very capable miner
and fully competent to take care of him
self. He did not consider the ground par
tiCularly unsafe. However, it was not
customary in this particular ground to cut
| out ground for a full set of tmbers.
| Tucker understood the mine Well had
worked on nearly all the levels and had
worked in much worse ground.
Deputy Mine Inspector Frank Hunter
| testified to having investigated the acct
dent He had found the ground to be of
| a character to require considerable cau-
ton on the part of the miners, as it was
| liable to slack off. The proper precautions
! had evidently been taken, with the eXcep-
| ton possibly. that fuckers partner, who
| said he knew the ground was unsafe,
should have seen to it that the dangerous
ground was taken down. He saw moth
| ing to indicate negligence on the part OF
the mine management.