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THE COLLIERY DISASTER AT
CWMAMMAN.-
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CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS INSTITUTED.
At an occasional court of summary jurisdiction held at the office
of Mr. Lewis Bishop, the magistrates' clerk, a charge of the gravest
nature was preferred against a collier, one Thomas Michael, of
Cwmamman. The prisoner was apprehended at his residence on Sunday
morning by Police-Constable Henry Evans, and was charged (before
Major Thursby-Pelham) on Monday with killing and slaying one John
Evan Jones and others on Wednesday, January 16. It will be remembered
that on the date given above a most serious colliery accident
happened at the Garnant Colliery, by which ten men were precipitated
down the shaft of the mine to a depth of 230ft. The theory advanced
as to the cause of the sad calamity was that an unauthorised collier
had for the moment taken charge of the "keeps," and
had turned the points by means of the switch before the whole
of the cage containing the ten men had passed below, thus giving
it a violent jerk. The prisoner was undefended. -The police-constable
deposed that he apprehended prisoner on Sunday, and charged him
with taking part in lowering the cage belonging to the colliery
and causing the death of ten persons. The constable believed that
he would be able to bring substantial evidence against the prisoner
if the case was remanded until the 2nd of February. The case was,
therefore, adjourned, and prisoner admitted to bail, himself in
£50, and E. Lewis, Cwmamman, and Thomas Michael, Llandilo,
in sums of £25 each.
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