Matt Zagar

ACCIDENT No. 2 - October 10. - This accident occurred at the 48th level north of No. 4 Shaft, Calumet Branch of the Calumet & Hecla Mine, causing the death of Matt Zagar, by being struck by a small rock falling from the hanging side of the vein.

An inquest was held before Coroner Fisher, three witnesses were examined.

Antone Bobbio testified: "I work for the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company at the 48th level north of No. 4 Shaft. I worked there today; the deceased was working with me. We were moving staging, the deceased was helping, when the rock fell and struck him on the head. We examined the hanging before we started to work to move the staging and everything looked all right. We had pinched down all the loose ground and thought it safe or I would not have worked there myself.”

Dom Pignocco testified as follows: - "I work at the 48th level north of No. 4 Shaft at the Calumet Mine, with Antone Bobbio's gang. We were working together moving staging, we examined the hanging and it looked good and safe. We started to move the staging to build up some sets of timber. We were taking out the fourth plank when the rock fell. The place looked all solid; we looked it all through.”

Frank Baggiusi testified as follows: “I worked with these other men, we looked all through the hanging the first thing this morning and we thought everything was all right. The boss said, "If everything is all right, move the staging." We said, "It is all right." We had moved three plank and were moving the fourth when the rock fell down and struck the deceased and knocked him down the mill.”

Verdict of the jury — “We, the jury, find that Matt Zagar accidentally came to his death on the 10th day of October, 1902, by being struck by a rock falling from the hanging wall in the 48th level north of No. 4 Shaft, at the Calumet Branch of the Calumet & Hecla Mine.”