A Fatal Premonition – Michael Madden

I had been researching the accidental death of this miner because of an entry I found in the Annual Report from the Department of Mines for 1897 which stated, that a miner called ‘John Madden’ had been killed in an accident on the Goongarrie GM. As this name was not one I had listed I started looking for him on TROVE. It turns out that the DMP report had given his first name incorrectly and he was actually called Michael “Mick’ Madden.  There is a strange story about him prior to the accident.

Do you think he had a premonition of his death or was it just a coincidence?

Goldfields Morning Chronicle 31 Jul 1897
THE GOONGARRIE FATALITY
PARTICULARS OF THE ACCIDENT.

The fatal accident which befell Michael (Mick) Madden in the Goongarrie Proprietary Gold Mining Company’s, main shaft (Boddingtons Mine), and which has given rise to complications in connection with the inquest, appears to have been a very sad business. The local correspondent of the Menzies Herald describes the affair as follows : ” For nearly two years the unfortunate fellow resided here amongst us, and was a great favourite with everyone. He was always ready with a kind word or helping hand to those in trouble. He was fond of sport, a great lover of fair play, a good workman, and a staunch comrade.

It is strange, that though the accident was beyond all human calculation, that the coming event did, as Campbell says, cast a shadow before the day. The day prior to the accident, the deceased, in company with two of his brothers and Mr. P. C. Hughes, had himself photographed for the very first time for many years. Before going to work, on a sudden impulse he told his brother Jack where he hidden his money when away at work. This secret he had kept strictly to himself up to that time. Seeing some everlasting flowers on the table at breakfast, he remarked how nice they would be to make funeral wreath of. He further expressed a wish that he might work in the underlay and not in the main shaft, as he did not like it.

Within an hour after entering the shaft he was taken out a battered and mangled corpse. He was only 30 years of age, and will be greatly missed, not only by his brothers, of whom there are two here, one at Bulong and one at I.O.U., but also by all those with whom he came in contact. Details of the accident, which took place on Monday, show that the men were timbering the shaft by means of a skeleton cage, and Madden, who was adjusting a centre, overbalanced and fell. He immediately gave the alarm to his brother, J. Madden, who was on the upper portion of the cage, by shouting ” Stop her – Stop her ” J. Madden immediately looked down and saw the timber falling.

The Braceman then signalled the driver to haul up,and it was found that the unfortunate man had fallen to the bottom, a distance of 140 feet. Assistance was quickly at hand, and in the course of a few minutes fully 60 men were at the shaft. In the meantime Messrs. Murray and Madden proceeded to the bottom, and a shocking sight met their gaze. The corpse was lying in the water with the head almost severed from the body. The brains were scattered about in all directions. Both of the deceased’s arms were broken, and his back was also broken in two places.”

West Australian, 30th Jul 1897

GOONGARRIE CEMETERY

MADDEN Michael ‘Mike’ –  d. 26 Jul 1897, at the Goongarrie Proprietary Gold Mine, Goongarrie, 32yrs, Occ: Miner, Cause: From an accident fall down a mine shat of 140 ft, Father: William MADDEN (deceased farmer), Mother: Mary nee MOLAN, Born Smythesdale VIC, Reg North Coolgardie 55/1897, Buried Goongarie Cemetery.

An aftermath in court:

Coolgardie Miner 1 October 1897, page 7