Gilpin observer., 1906-12-13
MINER KILLED
IN ACCIDENT
william ciolWofthy Loses His Life al Lillian
Nine.
FRANK PAou FATALLY IAluaEp-MM DIE

VIM. Clotworthy was killed and Frank
Paoli perhaps fatally injured IN an &C.
cident in the Lillian mine in Russell
Gulch last Friday afternoon. The exact
cause Of the accident could not b. learn
ed, as the man who survived was injured
in such manner that his senses were
effected to such an extent he could not
give a connected account Of the affair.
1t is supposed though, that a missed
hole was drilled into, causing an ex.
plosion. Clotworthy, from the nature Of
his injuries, must have been killed out
right. He was badly torn and lacerated
about the head and body. There was q
large hole in his heart which looked as
though drill or scraper, forced by the
explosion, had penetrated the breast and
struck that organ.
An inquest was held over the remains
OF Clotworthy Saturday afternoon by
Coroner Asquith. Several witnesses who
visited the mine shortly after the acci-
dent, testified. Wm. Hughes, engineer
at the Lillian mine, who was the only
person around the mine at the time with
the exception OF Clotw orthy and Paoli,
was the first to testify. He said the men
had gone down the shaft after the din
ner hour, at about 1:30 o'clock. They
sent up some drills for him to sharpen,
which he returned at 2:3O. He let the
bucket hang in the shaft until $3.50 when
he again brought it to the surface. The
drills were still in the bucket end he re-
moved these and placed some powder
and fuse in sack to send down to the
men to use in firing their round OF holes.
At about four o'clock when he had re-
ceived no signal from the men to hoist
when they should have fred their holes.
he thought something must be the mat
ter and went down the ladder-wsy to
investigate. On the stand the engineer
stated positively that when he reached
the bottom Of the shaft that both men,
while badly torn and bruised, were still
living. While it didn't seem possible to
some that Clotworthy should still be
alive after being torn and cut as he was,
the engineer insisted that he was alive,
and asked him il he could not get up.
He went to where he was sitting and at
the request Of Clotworthy Strengthened
his arm which had been twisted by the
force OF the explosion. Hughes claimed
that Paoli asked him to give him some
matches. The candles were out in the
shaft and the engineer lit q candle and
then climbed back up the lsdder-way to
summon aid. He got three men from
the Pewabic and they went down the
shaft. Before they reached the bottom
they saw Paeli jumping about the bot
tom OF the shaft like an insane man and
decided to go back and get some men
who could talk his language. They got
these and went down and managed to
pacify the injured man. Paoli was placed
IN the bucket but did not want to come
to the top without his partner. He was
sent to the surface and then the body Of
Clotworthy was brought up.
Engineer Hughes said the last firing
done in the shaft prior to the accident
was on the Saturday preceding. These
were fired by Clotworthy and Paoli, and
as far as he knew all had gone of. Mon.
day morning Paoli and Clotworthy
cleaned out the dirt and rock broken by
the shots and got the shaft in shape for
timbering. They did not resume drill
ing until the Friday morning Of the &C.
cident.
Hughes said the powder and fuse he
had sent down to the men had not been
taken from the bucket and was there
when he hoisted the bucket after the &C.
cident.
After the taking Of the evidence was
concluded, the jury returned the follow.
ing verdict: "That VIM. Clotworthy
came to his death at the Lillian mine on
December 7th from an explosion, the
cause OF which is unknown to the jury
and that we exonorate the compan,
from all blame"
James G. Clotworthy, brother Of the
man who was killed, arrived from Long
mont on Sunday and took the remains
to that city for burial Monday morning
Paoli was taken to Denver on Monda,
morning and placed in hospital. HI
was in very bad shape and it is doubt
ful IL he will recover.