CORONER’S INQUEST.
At Stuart’s Victoria Hotel, on Friday afternoon, an official enquiry was held as to the cause of death of James Beare, miner, Nevis. Dr Corse, district coroner, presided, and Mr Thomas Fergus was chosen foreman of the jury. After viewing the body, the following evidence was taken:
Hugh Hutchinson, miner, Nevis, deposed: I have seen the body on view, and recognise it as that of James Beare. Worked in the same claim with deceased, and was so working on Wednesday, 13th inst. About three o'clock in the afternoon of that day, I left the claim for the purpose of turning the water into the hose, leaving deceased in the claim fixing the hose and clearing up. After being away six or eight minutes I returned to the claim, when I saw the wife of deceased running towards the claim screeching. On arriving at the claim I noticed there had been a fall of earth, but I could not see deceased. The fall came from half way up the face. Deceased’s wife told me he was covered up. In company with others, I endeavered to find the body, and succeeded after at least half an hour’s work. Deceased was lying in the sluice, face downwards. Life was quite extinct. The body did not appear much bruised — there were no heavy stones in the face. There was about three feet of earth on the body. From the position of the body, I am of opinion that deceased was engaged clearing the sluice of stones at the time of acciddent, and seeing the fall coming, ran, but was overtaken. The height of the slip was just above 15 or 16 feet; the face was overhanging. We did not consider the work dangerous, but still kept a look-out. We had bhave nine weeks at work in the claim.
By a jury man: The reason it took half an hour to recover the body was that a large strip of earth fell, and we did not know the exact position of the body. There were four of us engaged moving earth,
Thomas Graham deposed: Am a miner residing at Nevis. Identify the body in the next room as that of James Beare. My claim adjoins the one in which he worked. About 4 o'clock on Wednesday, 13th instant, I saw the wife of deceased running towards my claim, wringing her hands, and crying “My husband!” In less than half a minute I was on the ground, where I found last witness engaged blowing the dirt away with the hose, in search of the body. There was about a ton of stuff lying on the body from the back to the head, which we had to pick away. It was nearly thirty minutes before we got the body out. It was lying as though deceased had been caught in the act of running - face down and arms outstretched. My opinion is that deceased had been trying to pick a stone from face previous to turning the water on, and seeing the fall coming endeavored to run clear, but was caught. I consider the claim dangerous - have known at least three men to be slightly hurt in it. Deceased man, Beare was well acquainted with the nature of the ground.
It not being considered necessary to examine any other witnesses, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased James Beare, met his death accidentally by a fall of earth in his claim at Nevis on Wednesday, 13th instant. -Cromwell Argus, 20/10/1875.
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