Biography

James Clarke and Sebastiano Pinselli had to attend to a water pump at the No 4 level (400 feet). At about 6 pm he attempted to go down to the No 6 level through a mullock pass instead of the ladder way, at the same time advising his mate to use the ladder as the pass was very slippery. Pinselli followed the advice and Clarke started to descend by means of the pass. When Pinselli arrived al the No 6 level, he could not see Clarke. He then came to the surface and notified Mr A. Long, the underground manager, who went down the shaft accompanied by two shift bosses. On reaching the 600 feet level, they went up to the mullock chute and there found the body of James Clarke embedded in mullock from the head to the waist. Attempts to extricate the body, which, naturally was lifeless, failed until further assistance was secured and it was then brought to the surface. The inquiry into Clarke's death was opened on the Sunday afternoon, when the jury examined the body before burial, and the inquest was adjourned until the following Wednesday evening. At the reconvening of the inquest, Dr. Stenning, medical officer, sworn, stated he held a post mortem examination on J. Clarke and found that the base of the skull was fractured and the neck was broken, also slight abrasions on the shoulders. The organs of the body were sound with the exception of the lungs, which were badly pitted with miners' phthisis and the right lung was tubercular. The injuries he found were consistent with what he would expect being caused by a fall. A verdict of accidental death, with no blame attachable to anyone, was recorded by the Jury.