St Helens fatalities
At 8pm on Monday a shocking accident occurred in the Higher Florida mine of the Bold Colliery, St Helens junction, belonging to the Collins Green Colliery Company, by which Hugh JONES, aged 33 of Earlestown was instantly killed and a contractor named WALL sustained dangerous injuries. WALL and a man named WILLIAMS were engaged tunnelling down the mine when a large quantity of stones and dirt fell from the roof on the three of them. WILLIAMS succeeded in extricating himself and with considerable difficulty released WALL who had sustained fractured ribs and a scalp injury. A search was made for JONES and when his body was recovered it was found he was terribly crushed and life was extinct. The body was removed to the Boundary Vaults at Sutton to await the inquest, whilst WALL was removed to his home in Foster St, Parr, where Dr JACKSON, assistant to Dr GASKELL, attended to him. Yesterday he remained in a precarious condition.
Level crossing fatality
Yesterday Mr S. BRIGHOUSE coroner, resumed an inquest at St Helens Town Hall, touching the death of Jane FAIRCLOUGH, aged 9, daughter of Robert FAIRCLOUGH, collier, 74 Back Grove St, who was killed at Marsh’s level crossing, Grove St, while on her way to school, yesterday week. The inquiry was opened last Thursday , when, evidence having been given that it was the duty of Thomas BARLOW, gatekeeper, to keep the gate closed when a train was passing, and on the occasion in question one of the gates was left open.. BARROW requested an adjournment in order that he may get legal assistance. At the resumed inquest yesterday Mr J. O. SWIFT appeared on behalf of BARROW, Mr PRESTON and Mr BLAND represented the London and North Western Railway Company.
The deceased girl’s father and Thomas DICKINSON a number-taker in the employ of the railway company, repeated their evidence, and the last named in answer to Mr SWIFT said, it was usual to keep the gates closed when any train was passing along the lines. On the occasion in question, the Grove St, gate by which the girl got on the crossing was open. BARROW attempted to save the girl and was himself caught. Witness thought BARROW was pulled under the train until it passed. There was a lot of traffic over the crossing every day and BARROW had always been a most careful man. The engine used on the lines crossed the road about 100 times a day.
Michael HEBEY the driver of the engine said, he always understood that when the engine was crossing the main road the gates had to be closed. He had known BARROW for some time and he had always been a careful man. He had seen people often rushing across the front of the engine.
Police Sergeant STRONG, deposed that on the morning of the accident he spoke to BARROW, who stated it was against the rules to leave the gate open when an engine crossed the road.
Thomas BARROW, the gatekeeper, then gave evidence that before the engine reached the crossing he looked round and saw everything was clear. He did not think there was any necessity to close the gates. There were printed rules in the cabin, but, there was no reference to closing the gates. The rules stated it was his duty to protect the crossing, and no vehicles must pass when a train was approaching. There were no express words that he should close the gate.
The Coroner in summing up said it was up to the jury to say whether or not BARROW had been negligent, and whether the negligence was censurable or culpable. The way in which BARROW was to protect the crossing was not stated in the rules and he had courageously attempted to save the girl, to the danger of his own life.
The jury returned a verdict of accidental death. And adding that the railway company did not supply sufficient appliances for opening and shutting the gates, BARROW did all in his power to prevent the accident and was not to blame, the only efficient way of working the crossing with safety for the public would be to provide a bridge or subway.
The fall of a works chimney
Mr BRIGHOUSE also held an inquest at the Town Hall yesterday on the body of Thomas ERLAM, aged 53 of 26 Havelock St, engine-tender of the Ravenhead works, of the London and Manchester Plate Glass Company, who was killed by the fall of a chimney during the gale on Friday morning last. Mr J. O. SWIFT attended on behalf of the firm and Mr J. P. MEARNS on behalf of the relatives of the deceased.
Before any evidence was called Mr MEARNS asked if it was not unusual for the Government inspector to attend inquiries of that nature - The Coroner said, he did not think it had anything to do with the manufacture of any substance - Mr MEARNS said, he thought it had, and he should have thought it was the inspectors duty to attend and make inquiries - Mr SWIFT stated notice of the accident had been given to the inspector.
Moses WYNNE was then called, he said, he was near the engine house when the chimney fell. He did not see it fall as the bricks knocked him down before he knew where he was.
John ASHCROFT, 8 Mill Rd, Ravenhead, a foreman at the works said he had been there for 8 or 9yrs, and the chimney was always considered safe. It was lengthened about 12mths ago.
Leonard WEST, manager, said the chimney had been 20 to 23yrs in existence and was originally 35yds high. About 18mths ago it was considered desirable to raise the height in order improve the draught to the boilers. Before the work was commenced the base and foundations were examined by himself and the foreman brick setter, Andrew FORBER. The brickwork was thoroughly sound and good. The work was afterwards carried out by Joseph BALL of Oldham. - In reply to Mr MEARNS, the witness said there never was any doubt of the stability of the structure. He had heard an observation made that the chimney was crooked, but, it was always found to be perfectly straight. The engine-house was at the root of the chimney, but the vibration was very slight, if any.
Joseph BALL, chimney builder and repairer, Oldham, stated, that before he carried out the work of increasing the height of the chimney 10yds he examined it and informed the firm it would be perfectly safe to build it 20yds higher. He never had any doubt about its stability, and he durst have lived on it. He could not explain why the chimney should have come down. It had stood very strong storms and high winds during its construction - Mr MEARNS, said he had intended to call one or two other witnesses as to the condition of the chimney, but on consideration decided not to do so.
The Coroner in summing up said, if the jury considered the chimney was safe in ordinary gales, then the firm had done every thing expected of them. On the morning in question the gale was running at 75mph, if they thought the proprietors had done everything expected of them, then the man had come by his death accidentally - verdict accordingly
Sudden death
An inquest was then held on the body of Margaret Susan CREGAN, infant daughter of Michael CREGAN, a teaser in a glassworks, of 28 Mount St. On Friday morning the child coughed badly and was carried to Dr KNOWLES’S surgery by her mother. On examining the child the doctor found her to be dead. A post mortem was made by Dr F. KNOWLES, who stated the lungs were in a state of acute bronchitis and collapse sufficient to account for death - verdict accordingly.
Death under chloroform
Mr BRIGHOUSE also held an inquest at the Town Hall yesterday on the body John GOULDEN, aged 7, son of John GOULDEN, a joiner, of 190 Westfield St. The Coroner informed the jury that the deceased had been under the care of Dr MASSON for some time and it was considered necessary to perform an operation on him On Sunday in the presence of Dr MASSON, Dr SCOTT and Dr REID the boy was put under chloroform but expired before the operation could commence. Without reflecting upon either of the gentlemen named he asked Dr KNOWLES to make a post mortem examination as an independent witness.
Mrs Mary GOULDEN then gave formal evidence and stated that after hearing of the condition of their son she and her husband did not object to administration of chloroform or the operation.
Dr MASSON deposed, that the deceased had formerly suffered from typhoid fever and in March last commenced to suffer from a diseased knee joint. It got worse and the boy had been under chloroform three times to have the abscesses opened in attempts to save the leg. He came to the conclusion that the only chance to save the lad’s life was to amputate the leg and on Sunday he in company of Dr’s REID and SCOTT attended the boy’s home for that purpose. They administered two drachm’s of chloroform by inhalation and shortly afterwards it was noticed that he looked pallid, his heart was rapidly failing and they used every means to try to restore consciousness, but, were unable to do so.
The Coroner asked if the number of such deaths was increasing - witness replied it seemed to be in that neighbourhood - The Coroner said he did not mean just in that locality, but according to statistics - Witness said he had not seen the statistics. Dr SCOTT assistant to Dr MASSON gave collaborative evidence - Dr F. KNOWLES, deposed that yesterday morning he had made a post mortem examination. The boy was much emaciated and thin, all the organs were more or less diseased. The child was in a very unhealthy condition, the lungs being especially so. Judging from what he saw he considered that amputation of the boy’s leg was necessary and he thought there was every justification for the administration of chloroform.
The Coroner in summing up, said, that unfortunately cases of this kind were on the increase in that particular locality and in the district where he had control. But an anaesthetic was a very great relief and saved suffering humanity a great deal of pain. In that case the boy was in a very bad state of health and the medical gentlemen had done everything they possibly could under the circumstances. - The jury returned a verdict of “death by misadventure” everything having been done that was possible.
Copyright 2002 / To date