Wellington Coal Mine
As part of the Chinese Historical Wrongs Legacy Initiative, we’ve digitized a small selection of inquests and inquiries from 1872 to 1934, found in series GR-0431. These were chosen to reflect the experiences of early Chinese immigrants to B.C. – their living and working conditions, and their unfortunate accidental or unusual deaths. They range from a woman working in a brothel in Barkerville who died of natural causes to three sawmill workers who died from malnutrition. Learn more.
*All transcriptions are provided by volunteers, and the accuracy of the transcriptions is not guaranteed. Please be sure to verify the information by viewing the image record, or visiting the BC Archives in person.
*Please note that archival source materials are original historical documents that have not been censored, reviewed or otherwise altered by the Royal BC Museum. Some materials may contain content that is racist, sexist or otherwise offensive. The Royal BC Museum is only the custodian of archival materials; the content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Royal BC Museum.
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34
Doctor M Jones having been duly sworn in medical evidence states I remember the explosion occurring at the Wellington Colliery last week. I saw all the bodies The bodies were three of William Rennie, Appolas Dainie, Gmord[?] Campbell, John Haskin's Rueben Gough, Louis Relli, John Dixon.
I examined the bodies to ascertain the cause of death. Rennie was evi- -dently killed by mechanical injuries there was no marks of fire on his body, Damie was killed by me- -chanical injuries there was marks of fire about the head & porehead. Campbell was uninjured but was slightly burnt. John Hoskins was uninjured but was badly burn- -ed about the body. Rudea Gough uninjured & no marks of fire about his person, Rellis was slightly burn. I should say Campbell, Hoskins, Gough, and Relli came to their death frome Choke damp, Dixon was badly injured mechanically & badly, worse burnt that any of the white men. The Chinaman named Ah Choo was killed by mechanical injuries, another Chinamen named Ah Hoy was
BC Archives GR-0431 BRITISH COLUMBIA. ATTORNEY GENERAL. Box 2 File 6 Inquisitions/inquests conducted by coroners in British Columbia.