MINING TRAGEDIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3614, 19 June 1923, Page 21

MINING TRAGEDIES.

REMORSE THROUGH FATAL ACCIDENT. LONDON, June 15. An inquest at Frome (Somerset) revealed a shocking underground mining tragedy, a collier committing suicide because he had accidentally killed his mate. A blaster named Berryman fired a charge in a lonely part of the workings which accidentally killed Button, who wag working with him. Distracted with grief, Berryman took the battery 40 yards from the dead man, placed the detonator in his mouth, and exploded it. The tragedy was revealed by a note in Berryman’s handwriting to the colliery manager. “ I met with a misfortune. Poor old pal! Not knowing he had the cable connected I connected too at the end. To cause no trouble I take my own life. I can truthfully say it was an accident. All my belongings go to my wife and children. God bless them all, and forgive me.—B. Berryman.” SOLDIERS INTERFERE WITH THE PUMPS. SHANGHAI, June 16. Three hundred Chinese coal miners were drowned at Tsaochwang when meddlesome soldiery cut off the electric power, thus stopping t-he pumps.