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CORONER'S INQUEST,
AN inquest was held on Saturday morning, at the
Observer Tavern, Lower George-street, upon the body
of Henry Tyrrell, who was killed on Friday afternoon
in Cummings's quarry, Pyrmont.
Sarah Tyrrell said : I reside at 43, Mount-street,
Pyrmont. Deceased was my husband. He was forty-
two years of age, a native of London, England, and a
quarryman. We have been married thirteen years. He
has left six children living. He has been in
the colony fifteen years. Yesterday he was
employed at Cumming's quarry, Pyrmont,
and has been so employed for the last
five or six weeks. Other men were working with him,
Deceased left home yesterday afternoon, having had his
dinner. He was quite well and sober. I know he had
nothing to drink yesterday. He is a very sober man at
all times. I saw nothing more of him till I saw his
dead and mutilated body in the dead-house.
Constable McKee said : About twenty minutes to 6
o'clock yesterday afternoon, from information received, I
went to a quarry in Pyrmont, known as Cummings, and
there saw a large block of stone, about fifteen
to twenty feet in length twelve feet wide,
and six feet in depth, weighing, I should
say, over fifty tons. I saw the legs of a
man exposed from underneath the stone, the body
being covered. There were two or three men digging
the earth from around, endeavouring to get the man
from underneath the stone. After a time they got
him out, and I saw he was terribly mutilated, the
whole of the body being crushed. I procured a dray
and removed the body to the dead-house, Cir-
cular Quay. It was there examined in my presence
by Dr. Hamilton. I found nothing of consequence on
the body.
James Kennedy said : I am a quarryman. I was
engaged yesterday evening working at Cummings'
quarry, Pyrmont. I knew deceased. He was engaged
with me yesterday afternoon. Four of us and Cum-
mings were all working together. About half-past 5
o'clock deceased and I were working on two planks
which were supported by two bars of iron fixed in the
face of a rock. I was driving wedges into the rock.
Deceased was bottoming out a groove. He was about
four feet from me. James Carrol was on top of the
same rock also driving in wedges. The rock was under-
mined to about fifteen foot. We were about thirty
feet from the ground. Felix Carroll was
on a scaffold below us driving in wedges,
Cummings was on the ground breaking up
ballast to receive the stone we were breaking off.
Whilst we were thus employed, I heard the rock crack,
and expecting it was then giving way, I caught hold of
a rope that was close by me, which was suspended from
above, and I climbed up the face of the rock on to the
top. As I was climbing up, the rock was
falling. When I got to a place of safety,
I saw Felix Carroll hanging on with his hands
to the crane, singing out, I ran round and got down
below. I there saw a large block of stone on
the ground, and Tyrrell underneath it, with his legs
uncovered by it. When I first heard the rock
crack, I called to deceased, saying, "Harry, come
along this way, follow me." Felix Carroll was
removed from the position he was in and taken to the
Infirmary. By the time I got to the bottom there were
a great number of people around deceased, endeavouring
to get him out. We were all sober.
Michael Cummings said : I am a quarry master,
residing in Pyrmont. I was on the ground at the time
of the accident, taking out lumps of ballast. Some
where about 5 o'clock I heard a noise of some persons
bawling. Those who were working on the rock were
about forty feet above me. The bawling appeared to
come from where they were working. Simultaneously
with the bawling, I heard the noise of the falling block
of stone. I ran away, and sat down. I looked up, and
saw Felix Carroll hanging to a crane, with a man
going up a ladder to fetch him down. I returned, and saw
Tyrrell's legs out from under the rock, his body being
underneath. I assisted to get him out. I have had the
quarry about sixteen years.
Dr. Hamilton, a legally qualified medical practitioner,
residing in George-street, said : Last evening, between
7 and 8 o'clock, I was called upon to see the remains of
a man lying in the dead-house. On examination the
extremities were covered with ordinary moleskin
trousers. I found the backbone protruding through the
abdomen, the whole of the viscera, including heart,
liver, and lungs, with a greater portion of the large
intestine literally thrown out of their natural covering.
The ribs and all the bones of tho head smashed to
pieces, in small fragments. The superior extremities
not fractured, nor the lower extremities. A large
portion of the brainy matter was missing. Death must
have been almost instantaneous.
Verdict-Accidental death.
EARTHQUAKE IN NEW ZEALAND.-New Zealand has
its share of earthquakes (says the Southland Times),
The number of earthquake shocks recorded as having
occurred in the colony during the year 1870 is as
follows :-Taranaki, 7 ; Napier, 6 ; Wellington, 9 ;
Nelson, 6 ; Christchurch, 2; Bealey. 6; Hokitika. 5 ;
and Dunedin, 1. None were recorded at the stations
at Mongonui, Auckland, and Southland.
THE PIUNOESSES OF EoitorE.-Among tho princesses
of Europe the Empress of Russia and tho Princess
Frederick Charles aro tho best painters, the Princess of
Wales tho best performer on tho piano, the .Queen of
Holland the best poet and author, the Crown Princess
of Prussia the best mnnagor of fairs and public festivi-
ties, the Empress of Germany the best conversa-
tionalist, tho Empress of Austria tho hest-lookisj
lady, and tho Queen of Denmark the best housewife.
So says Madame Rattazzi in one of her recent novels.
STABBING Br A WOMAN.-Tho man Miohael Tracey,
who had been stabbed by a woman named Julia Robin-
son, has since died at the Melbourne hospital of bis
wounds. His dying deposition is as follows :-"I know
the prisoner Julia Robinson. Last Saturday morning
I was in oonipany with her in a house in Fitzroy. I
.wanted ber to go for. some drink. X had offered to go
for the drink. Thero wore two other young men there,
James Travors and William Butler. There was only a
row between mo and tho prisoner. I could not say
whether I struck her on not, but I know she is very
hot tompered. She atruok mo with the knife. Sha
took it up from tho tablu. Tho othor men saw her do
it. This was in Condell-streot. I ran away, and tried
to got home, but I got stupid. Cross-examined by
Íirisonor : I do not recollect striking yon.. Voa were
n drink, I did not commence the row. Sho always
commences first. (Signed) MICHAEL TBAOY.-The
woman, who had been previously arrested, was brought
up at tho Fitzroy court, and was io overcome at her
position on learning that the man had sinao died that
she fainted away."
AN AHTJSINQ APPLICATION.-An amusing instance
of the annoyances to which now Ministers ara Bubjeoted
by applicants for office URS been communicated to the
Ballarat Courier:-"Ono of tho Crown law officers the
other day received a message from a gentleman, whose
nanto botokoadod Hibernian descent, request-
ing, an interview on- urgent private business.
Although not acquainted with tho namo, the
hon. gentleman, with his usual urbanity, sontwordfor
his visitor.to bo ushexdiu. Arrived in tho Ministerial
sanotum, tho aspirant to a Government appointment,
after tho usual proface nhout tho difficulty of obtaining
employment, modestly stated that ho would like to be
a clerk of petty sessions or apolioemau. Minister:
* My good sir, I don't oven know your name, beyond
the fact of yom1 telling me that it is-. "Visitor :
' Oh, I often uaw you In coort, and yon wonot had a
case for a frind o' mine.' For modest ossuronco
O'Cttllaghon 'on bis last logs' could scarcely have
beaten this application, which,'wo understand, is a
fuir sample of what goes ou daily in the Government;
offices."
MELANCHOLY AND FATAL ACCIDENT.-The Maitland
Mercury says :-We have to record the sudden and
melancholy death of Mr. Henry Burgmann, of Glendon
Brook, Singleton, which took place on Wednesday, the
19th instant. The inquest on the body was held before
the coroner, Dr. Glennie, at the residence of deceased,
on Thursday, the 20th instant, when the subjoined
evidence was elicited, which will fully explain this
melancholy occurrence. William Smith deposed : I
am a dealer, and reside at Lambton, near Nowcastle.
Yesterday.morning, about 9 o'clock, I was travelling
along the road near Brinkburn, when I saw a saddle
lying upon the road, and about four yards from the
saddle I saw a man lying. Tho deceased was that man.
I spoke several times to him, but he gave me no answer
I just noticed him breathing softly, with froth and
blood coming out of his mouth. I then went to a neigh-
bour's for assistance. I returned with some water,
and endeavoured to make him drink it, but he could
not drink any of it. I then bathed his head and
templos with lt. I then moved him off the road with
assistance, and leaned him against a tree. I then went
to Branxton to tell the son of deceased, but he met me
at the river. I had previously sent Mr. M'Donald to
Branxton for a constable, who met me on the road.
Frederick Burgmann deposed : I am son of the
deceased, and reside at Glendon Brook. My father
went to Branxton on Tuesday, the I8th instant, and
did not return. Yesterday morning, between 10 and
II o'olook, I was ihformod that my father had met
with an accident at Brinkburn. I went there, and
found him sitting against a log. He was insensible.
I noticed him a good deal bruised on the forehead
and right side of the head. On tho road close by I
noticed marks where a horse had fallen down, and
where deceased had been lying. I have examined
the horse which deceased was riding since, and noticed
marks on the horse as if he had fallen down. I
noticed marks of the hair having been out off on the
horse at different places, and on the off eye there were
marks of a wound. We put deceased in a cart to bring
him home, but he died before he reached home. The
jury returned a verdict that deceased came by his death
from injuries received in. consequence of the horse he
was riding having fallen on him.
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