HOW A HERO DIED.

Grey River Argus, 26 June 1908, Page 1

HOW A HERO DIED.

On the resumption of ..the,,, Home 1 ( Office inquiry into the causes and 1 ; circumstances of t-he ; Ham stead col- ii jliery disaster'^'btrikirig' evidence was -j iffiyen-by Whrftjingham, ' who \vas t jwitP'.KelshV-WhW <iAfe .latter met his \ jdeathTr.^i l^- '-"•■■■ '■'-«'^" ; •' ;, \ . a ;graphic- ■acc^uht. of I jh,©^ his: /comrade was '\ .' bverqorn^, ( 'When VVelsby's' oxygen gave out Whit-" a tingha^m^ried.toTdfag WaJsWrlsWar i as hisi^li^Pfefewed.^Hfrf 'was, < not sufficient height to \valit r " iv aione,' 1 and be^i^^rej^was , the heat -and a 1 hill td climb to get to the .pit. bottom 1 agate o WV§?sA tlmg ! tTiey 'stopped' Wels- i ( by started to use his extra supply of < joxyg-en, ihough he tried to. prevent him . !from doirfgfßhat. The oxygen went I jst*sight intotthe mouth, he said, and 1 ;wa-, like having a drink when one 1 1 'was thirsty. ( ' "I could not pull him many yards," : continued witness, "H c was conscious . and spoke to me up the hill. He was using his by pass, and I kep? shoving Ins hand away from him and would not let him. I was with him till all hi; oxygen was used up, I kept with him, hoping that Th'orn c would come 1 and help me, because we might have • been able together to drag, him to the . bottom. . ' . "I said what am I t 0 do? Am I : to stop .with \yoii or go fof help?" He 1 told me to go off but I said. "I don't > like going on. ' . My. best plan ■ .is. t. ) unii.ose your mouthpiece." and I e: % .;nvci (: his mouth and left him 'v. Vi kneeling 1 position with his electric light on ? : that everybody could see him." As Whkting-ham co-'cu-'ecl I's story th c Commissioner shook him by I the hand and said. "I must congratulj ate you. on the way-.} you gave your i evidence, and I am proud to have met I you " There were hearty cheers in i court.