Emilio Coppo

Accident 10. - Emilio Coppo, an Italian, was killed in a stope in back of the 18th level south of No. 8 shaft, South Hecla branch of the Calumet and Hecla mine. Coppo attempted to knock a heaving pole out of its position to move it to another place. In doing so it loosened the vein rock above the pole, which fell on Coppo's head, fracturing his skull and also his right leg. Coppo was conveyed to the mine hospital, where he died the same day.

An inquest was held before Coroner Macdonald.

Mike Stark, head timberman of the party in which the deceased was at work with, testified that he told Coppo to stand on the opposite side of the heaving pole from which he stood. Had he done as ordered, he would have been out of the way of the falling rock. Frank Cullala and Mike Cells, who saw the accident, corroborated Stark's statement.

The jury returned a verdict as follows: “We find that deceased came to his death by a piece of vein rock falling upon him, and that no one was to blame for the accident."