Biography

A Coronial Enquiry was held at Youanmi on 12 and 13 August before Mr J. Bryant, J.P., Acting Coroner, and a jury consisting of Messrs Flynn, McGlee and Dwyer. Daniel Buckley, sworn, said he was working with deceased on 9 August at the No. 2 level in the No. 6 stope north. He had worked five shifts with the deceased and considered him to be a good miner. They each bored a hole and fired them. Returning after the smoke had cleared, the deceased started to work his ground down. He had filled one truck and had another one about half full when Buckley heard a lump of stone fall and strike a tom. Cussens called out to him to get the lump off him. Cussens was then lying on his side, doubled up, and the lump of stone had him covered up. Buckley tried to get the lump off Cussens but he could not. He got a bar and eased it off him, then called to the trucker to give him a hand. When he did so, they were no time in releasing the deceased. He was brought to the surface and the doctor was called. Cussens was quite dazed. Dr. J. T. O'Brien said that when he saw the deceased at the mine after the accident, he had a severe spinal injury, from which he died on the Sunday. He advised that the fall of stone would cause the injury. After inspecting the mine, the jury returned the following verdict:—That James Cussens met his death at Youanmi on August 9 as a result of injuries received by a fall of earth in the Youanmi G.M., no blame being attachable to anyone.