Henry Schwenn, Jr.

ACCIDENT No. 48. Sept. 15. — Henry Schwenn, timber boss, was fatally injured at the 50th level north of No. 7 Shaft Hecla Branch of Calumet & Hecla Mine, by a piece of hanging wall rock falling on his back knocking him down. He fell on his stomach across a piece of timber receiving internal injuries. He was at once taken to surface and to the Mine Hospital where he died on the 16th.

An inquest was held before Coroner Fisher. Testimony of witnesses:

William H. Shellman testified as follows: “I know the deceased, I was working with him at the time of the accident, Monday morning about 9 o'clock. The accident happened at 50th level between No. 6 and No. 7 shafts Hecla Branch of Calumet & Hecla Mine. We were there to take out the covering and get ready to put in square timber. One man went to hook on the timber, I was back by the guy rope with the other men. The timber boss, Henry Schwenn, was in the back. It was a little inconvenient for the man who was hooking on the timber and Henry went up to help him. They hooked on one and Schwenn stepped back about 6 feet and a rock fell on him. Of course, we took him out right away and took him to the surface and then to the hospital. It was a piece of hanging rock that fell. The place had been examined by MacPherson, Curto and myself and we all thought it was perfectly safe. We put in 5 sets in length and one set high. The lacings ran up under the rock. We had put a stretcher up on the other side so it was caught up on both sides and we thought it was perfectly safe. Though the props and the lacings we had under the wall plate made it perfectly safe. The place where the rock fell from is kind of a slabby hanging."

William Seal testified as follows: "I was working with Mr. Schwenn at the time of the accident. We did not examine the place; the other timber party did that; we went right to work. The place looked perfectly safe with props and stretcher they had in, of course they had looked over the hanging. The accident happened at the 50th level North of No. 7 shaft. I have heard what William H. Shellman has said and can add nothing further. I corroborate his testimony.”

Michael Welch testified as follows: — “I am one of the party that went with Henry Schwenn to help the other timbermen out. I have heard what the other two witnesses have said. I know nothing further and corroborate what they have said.”

Dr. A. A. Davis sent the following written statement: — “I hereby certify that I, A. A. Davis, attended Henry Schwenn of Calumet from the time of his injury September 15, 1902, until his death September 16, 1902, at 10:30 a. m. My diagnosis was severe internal injury. At a post mortem held Sept. 17th, I found the cause of death to be rupture of the liver and internal hemorrhage.”

Sept. 17, 1902. (signed) A. A. Davis, M. D.

Verdict of jury: "We find that the said Henry Schwenn came to his death by being struck accidentally by a piece of rock from the hanging at the 50th level of No. 7 shaft, Hecla Branch of the Calumet & Hecla Mine, on the 15th day of September 1902, resulting fatally on the 16th day of September 1902."

• Residence: Duluth, St. Louis, Minnesota, United States - 1870
• Residence: Calumet, Houghton, Michigan, United States - 1880
• Residence: Calumet township, Precinct 1, Houghton, Michigan, United States - 1900