William Henry Schellman

ACCIDENT No. 24. - July 13th, 1903. William Henry Schellman was fatally injured by a piece of vein rock falling on him, at the 45th level north of No. 6 Shaft of the Calumet & Hecla Mine, Hecla Branch. He died while being taken to the Mine Hospital. An inquest was held before Coroner Fisher.

John B. Curto testified: "I am the boss timberman of the gang, I work for the Calumet & Hecla Company. I was working this morning at the 45th level north of No. 6 Shaft. Was there when the accident happened, and was working with the deceased. I told him to go up and examine the vein and hanging. He did so. He went up and was sounding the rock when it fell away knocking the staging plank from under him. We did not expect the rock would fall, we were going to work in that place, and we always examine and sound the rock before going to work. Schellman went to examine this place and the other men to examine another place. We worked in this same place last Saturday, and everything was good and solid, the stope was closely timbered up."

James Moretto testified: “I am one of the gang that worked at the 45th level north this morning when the accident happened. Schellman jumped up on the staging to examine the ground, and I went up on the other side to see how it looked. I saw the rock fall down and break the staging; it put out our lights and I saw nothing more. I worked there last Saturday and everything looked all right. We were looking it over this morning when the rock fell.”

Verdict — "We find that the death of William Henry Schellman was accidental. He being struck by a piece of vein rock, at the 45th level north of No. 6 Shaft, Hecla Branch of the Calumet and Hecla Mine, on the 13th day of July, A.D. 1903."