FATAL FALL DOWN WELL

Stratford Evening Post, Volume IV, Issue 160, 18 June 1936, Page 5

FATAL FALL DOWN WELL

SHOCKING ORDEAL. Death Of Farmer At Huinga. INQUEST YESTERDAY. ,:>q-j;..A -HAfdict was : clue to injuries receive*! when he fe!i 70ft. clown a well he was digging on his farm at Huinga, wr.s returned by the Coroner., Mr W. L. Kennedy, at the inquest on John Joseph Scheuber, aged 47, yesterday. L" : ■:"••) i W\ Medical evider.ee [nrnisMbd by Dr. Brown, medical superintendent at the Stratford Hospital, showed tkat Scheubor's death was attributable to his. injuries, shook and general contusion oi' the trunk and chest. Janiey Felix O'Hanlon, who was working- at the well with Scheuber, explained the details of the accident. Schouber had straddled the bucket to descend into the well and the inefficient construction of the windlass had caused the fall. The winding spindle allowed the bucket to fall with increasing velocity. O'Hanlon f.a.id the failure of the windlass surprised him, as previous 1 }- that morning he had used the same instrument in digging another well and it had operated properly.

When Schouber fell there was only a little water at the bottom. He fell from the top, the well being GS fee*t deep, but he was able to call to O'Hanlon that he feared his leg wat broken. O'Hanlon then went for assistance and lowered a neighbour, Malcolm Charteris, but not by means of the windlass.

Charteris wa.r unable to a'ffix a securing rope, but another neighbour, John Muster, succeeded. Scheuber was then carefully raised, while Isbister remained at the bottom of the well, being subsequently raised after the injured man had been made comfortable. A doctor was called from Stratford and on his arrival the ambulance was.ordered. Helpers in the interval started* to bring Scheuber to the road. It was just after dark, about two and a half hours after the accident, that the ambulance arrived. Scheuber was in hi&i usual good health te the time of the accident. Kenneth John von Sturmer, working on Miss Ley'don's property across the river, heard O'Hanlon's cry for beip and he and Charteris hurried to the well. Scheuber called for haste agi he said neufoas growing weaker. After Charteris' unsuccessful attempt to affix a rope to Schuber von Sturmer hurried for Isbister and made arrangements with Miss Leydon to telephone for a doctor. Isbister drove his car to the well, but Scheuber appeared to be in considerable pain, and at his own request was not placud in the car. Scheuber was found in an upright position leaning against the side of the well with his 1 feet in some inches of watery slush and his hands hrmly gripping the edge of the drum. He complained to Isbister of pain under his left ribs, an injury to his thigh, and »f a broken left leg. His. l right eye was bruised. Scheuber was fully conscious and discussed with Isbister tke best way of fixing the hoisting straps.;. When about to be raised he took a' firm grip on the rope to steady himself. He was hoisted in an upright position.