Amador ledger., 1908-11-27
KILLED IN THE AR6ONAUT,
John Richards Falls to His Death.

! John Richards miner employed III
the Argonaut mine was instantly kill
ed Monday, about half past IL O'Clock
in the morning.. lie was helper to
Ben Fuller, and they we're engaged in
! mbering at point $50 feet above
the 1890 foot level. Having occasion
to go to the station below, Richards
took a short handle ak with him, aud
started downSthe raise on ladder.
This was the last seen of him alive,
/ for as the evidence at the inquest
showed he went to his death in trying
to cut away a projecting plank in
the track, or slide as it is termed by
the miners. Being gone an unusual
length of time Fuller sent another
miner to the top of the raise, calling
to Richards to learn of his where
abouts If possible. and received no
answer. He tried a second time with
the same result. A third call brought
a reply from S. Viekich, q carman
on the level below, who shouted up
the raise that Richards was dead.
This message being repeated to Fuller
was considered a josh by him, put
upon going to the place where the un-
fortunate man lay in a doubled up
position, it was apparent to all from
hasty examination that he had met
sudden death in descending the raise.
The body was Immediately brought
to town 20 await the action of the
coroner.
In the evening of the same Gay
Coroner Potter impanelled a jury TO
bring out all the facts surrounding
the death of the deceased. The
principal fact was brought out that
on the track or slide. 1t being V shap-
ed for the bucket to run in, there was
the projecting end of one of the
planks This would catch the rim of
the bucket in its up trip with the
probable result of throwing it off the
track if empty or splitting the load in
case it carried tim bers or tools. This
raise, $50 feet in height, is at an
angle of 10 degrees, and at the bottom
is an underground hosting engine.
1t has a ladder and everything in the
raise appeared to be in good condition
except this projecting plank. The
superintendent noticed this defect on
recent trip up and warned the men.
Richards also knew OF it, and on his
fatal trip took an ak with him to cut
away enough wood to make clear
passage for the bucket. He was en-
gagged in this work when he went to
his death. The marks of the ak were
to be seen and his candlestick was
in the timbers near by. The distance
was about 80 feet to the level below.
In his descent his right collar bone
was broken, cash cut across the left
cheek, the skull crushed in on the
right side behind the ear, and other
minor bruises about the face and
neck. The blow on the head would
of itself have been fatal. just how
he lost his balance or slipped can
never be known for he was at work
with no one near. He was considered
good miner and careful, although
but 10 years of age.
The deceased came here direct from
his home in Cornwall, and had been
living here about year and half,
and had been working in the Argon-
aut mine less than year. He was a
brother-in-law to Richard Nettle OF
this place, and leaves a mother, a
younger brother and three sisters in
England. to mourn his loss. lie was
an exemplary young man, a member
of the Methodist Episcopal church
choir, and we'll liked by all who knew
him. The funeral took place We'd
nesday under the auspices of the
local Miners Union from the resi-.
dence of Richard Nettle, the re.
mains being inferred in the Protest.