INQUEST.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XI, Issue 792, 20 July 1878, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest was ."held on the body of the unfortunate man, Patrick Bickard, before Jno. Beightori; Esq.j acting Coroner, on the 13th inst., at deceased's residence, at the Island, near Roxburgh. John Borland, on being sworn, deposed as follows : "Yesterday, about half-past ' tbree o'clock, I was working in the claim with Patrick Rickard, when a fall of earthj came down frpm. the north, side of the~olaim. 1 aa df*.' na j' s&cape, and on looking ro,und, 6b' served Rickard running, but lie was caught by the fall, andwas covered completely by ■the earth. I worked ~with the shovel and got -his head, clear. He spoke to, me. I asked him if ne could breathe freely ; he replied, "Yes." He said he was crushing. I kept talking to him for a few minutes. He then said " God have mercy on my soul," and did, not speak agatn after. I then observed that he had apparently expired, and' I then went for assistance. I assisted to get him out. There was a second fall of carth — a small one. I hare been acquainted with deceased for ten years or more. I worked as a mate with him for nearly four years Wtien-we* recovered the body, he had some scratches about the forehead. Byjihe Jury: TEebank showed no signs of giving way before the accident j there was a fair slope. The nature of the stuff was a loose shingle. . • By the_Police : .1 consider the claim was safe-; and the deceased expressed himself so previously. Owing to the^fiarrow cut, it was dangerous in the event of a slip. After the accident,- all possible means were. resorted to to relieve the deceased. x v John James Harris, on oath, deposed: I am a miner, working at the Hercules Flat. About four o'clock_y;eß.terday afternoon, John Borland came running, and called me from my claim, and said poor Pat was buried. I asked, him if he was dead ; he said, " Yes." I Went along with John Spencer £o the claim, and found deceased covered "with earth, excepting his head. He appeared to be dead. After we had cleared a part, of the gravel away, we endeavored to lift him, but could not. . Further assistance came. We shovelled for about ten minutes, and had him all clear | but his legs, and again tried to move 1 him, but could not. We got further help and got the body out, and brought it to where it now lies. I think it a very dangerous place to work in. My opinion is that the boxes should hot hare been set so close to a high bank : it should have been stripped further back. lam working in a claim of a similar description, and we are in the habit of stripping wider than in this claim. Thomas Rickard deposed as follows: I hare seen the body of the deceased, and recognise it as my brother Patrick. I heard yesterday evening of his having met with an accident. Deceased was 39 years of- age-; a married man ; and leaves a widow and four children. Thomas Mcc, Police Constable, stationed at Roxburgh, deposed that: Between fire and six o'clock yesterday erening I receired information that Patrick Rickard had been killed in his claim at the Hercules Flat about four o'clock that erening, by a quantity- of earth falling upon him. I proceeded to the house of the deceased, and saw the body lying quite dead. I examined it, and found a bruise or mark on the forehead, and marks on both legs below the knees. I hare since visited the claim where the accident happened. The claim, as pointed out to me, is a cntting, on the face of which there is a quantity of earth, having the appearance of a slip. I also saw a hole, from which I was informed deceased was extricated. From what I have seen and heard, the deceased met his death in the manner as Btated by the witnesses. From my own observations, lam of opinion that the place where the accident happened was rery dangerous, owing to the high bank and limited space at the bottom. A verdict of "Accidental death" was recorded. The deceased (Patrick Rickard) was an old resident of Roxburgh, and highly respected. His itomams were interred in the cemetry on Sunday last. The Loyal Roxburgh Lodge. M.U.1.0.0.F. (of which deceased was a member), in funeral regalia conducted the corpse to the cemetery, followed by a numerous procession of friends. This unfortunate affair cast quite a gloom over the town, and much commiseration is felt for Mrs Rickard and family.