Ivan Prpich

ACCIDENT NO. 2-October 17, 1910-John Perpich, No. 5 Tamarack.

John Perpich, an Austrian, employed at the 34th level, No. 5, lost his life on this day by falling into the shaft, dying from internal injuries received.

An inquest over his body was held by Justice Rule. The following testimony was given:

Arthur Bennetts: "I was present when this man was killed. The cage was coming up and I was on the upper deck. When we stopped at the 34th level, Perpich rang the bell to go to 31st. Then he went to get in the cage and must have put in his one foot just as the cage started, then he struck the timber and I saw him fall into the shaft. There were two others present."

Question: "Was the cage standing level with the plat?"

Answer: "It was a little above, Perpich had just one foot in and was putting in his head."

Question: "Could one of you men have given the signal?"

Answer: "Yes, but he did not say anything, just went over and rang away himself."

Question: "Was not the cage supposed to be level with plat?"

Answer: "Yes, but after he rang the one and a half bells to hoist up, the cage was in motion, up and down. He did not wait for it to stop still, but rang while it was going like that."

Lester Bennetts:

Question: "Can you tell us anything further than the previous witness has given us?"

Answer: "No."

Geo. Chopp: "I was going in the plat when I saw deceased fall down. I heard him ring the bell. Cannot add anything to what previous witnesses have said."

Verdict: "We, the jury, find that John Perpich came to his death by falling into the shaft at the 34th level, Tamarack, No. 5 Mine, between the hours of seven and eight o'clock (a.m.) on the 17th day of October, 1910."

The Calumet News
Oct 18, 1910
Tuesday
Page 8

Funeral This Afternoon.
The funeral of the late John Perpich, who was accidentally killed by falling from the 34th level of Tamarack No. 5 shaft to the bottom of the mine yesterday morning, will be held this afternoon, with services at St. John's Croatian church. Interment will be at Lake View cemetery. The decedent is survived by one brother, Joseph, residing in Calumet, and 3 brothers and 1 sister, residents of Croatia.

John boards in the house of Stephen Perpich Calumet 1910.
Stephen Perpich on geni-
Steven Perpich

1910 Census-
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ML5S-53W