Accidental Death of Wilhelm David Lucas Paul

Wilhelm David Lucas Paul who was known in Australia as William Paul was the first husband of Isabella Frances Hollebone, the mother of George Arthur Couchman, my paternal grandmother. Report in Argus Melbourne, Vic.:Thursday 8 June 1882, page 10 THE BOILER EXPLOSION AT FOOTSCRAY An inquest was held yesterday at Footscray by Mr Candler, the county coroner, on the body of William Paul, aged 39 years, who was killed on the day previous at the works of the Apollo Stearine Candle Company, by the explosion of an autoclave boiler, used for refining tallow. Mr Mitchell, of the firm of Malleson, England, and Stewart, solicitors, watched the proceedings on behalf of the company and Mr W. H. Roberts cross-examined witnesses in the interests of the widow of the deceased man. After the jury had viewed the body, and the wrecked portion of the building and broken boiler, the following evidence was taken - James Smith a constable stationed at Footscray, said, - He arrived at the works at 5 minutes past 10 o'clock, about half an hour after the explosion had taken place. The men were then searching for the body He inquired if the vats were searched, and was told they had been, but on searching again found the body at the bottom of a large vat full of warm tallow. His body appeared as if it had been scalded. The skin waa peeling off, and one leg of the trousers was torn, as if he had struck against something. James W Hart, stillman, said, the deceased was employed preparing the fat for the stills . I saw Paul alive about three minutes before the explosion. He was perfectly sober. Witness was standing about 25 yards from the exploded still and deceased passed by him. He asked for the loan of a ladder. He took it and went to the still. I had my back to him, and the time that elapsed between taking the ladder and the explosion would just allow him to reach his place at his own still. I heard a noise not louder than a small pipe bursting or a joint breaking. This was followed by a great crash of timber from the falling roof. Ran outside through the gate and then turned to look. There were about six men in the same building and they ran away. When they had time to recover they looked for the deceased, but could not find him. The body was not found for some time The deceased always had charge of this still, and did nothing else There were two shifts, and deceased worked from 6 a m to 6 pm. The still was about 20ft in height and was made of copper The stills they worked at were of a different construction. The deceased was an excellent workman and understood the working of the machinery. I have not known of an accident happening there before. I am not able to offer any explanation of the accident. The copper was heated by steam from another boiler, separated from the still by a brick wall. The still was supplied with a safety valve and could be easily reached. I never heard any complaints of the state of the still. To a juryman - The pressure was shown by letters and it was not allowed to go over the letter K. He never saw the deceased doing anything to the safely valve and he would not require a ladder to reach it. The technical name of the exploded vessel was a digester but it was usually called a still. To Mr Roberts - There had been conversations about the safety of the boilers but they always considered the still safe. It was their opinion the feed boiler would go first, if it went at all. George Fraser stillman, said that he took charge of one shift at the exploded still, and handed it over to deceased on Tuesday morning. Everything was perfectly safe when he left and nothing was wrong with the boiler. At 7 o'clock the fat was blown off the still, the taps were opened and when deceased arrived it was his duty to charge or fill up the still with tallow which ran through a pipe into the still. When the indicator showed the letter K steam was turned off. He once knew it go up to the letter M, which was dangerous. If it got over K steam blew off through the safety valve A fitter is kept on the premises, and examines the machinery. Witness had not the slightest idea of Ihe cause of the explosion and could not surmise what Paul wanted the ladder for. The boiler for supplying the exploded still was used exclusively for it. The charge of fat in the feed head was not enough to fill the still and therefore deceased could not have overcharged it. A small leak occurred some months ago in the bottom, but it was repaired by the boiler makers. Deceased was a seaman before he carne to work at the factory. The part that gave way is the part deceased always thought was strongest. To a Juryman - We could shut off the steam from the still without going to the steam boiler. The pressure on the latter was about 10 lb to the square inch. He had seen extra weights of lead put on to the safely valve To the Coroner- The deceased was very cautious in working the still, and never had an accident. To Mr Roberts -Thorne, the fireman, had to attend to five boilers, four close together, and one about 30 yards away. To a Juryman-The safety valve was weighted to 10 lb to the square inch, and he had seen it blowing off at that pressure. The boiler had been tested in Paris in 1870. The letters represented 10 lb of pressure. The letter K therefore represented 110 lb of pressure. To Mr Mitchell - If the pressure went over K the safety valve would blow off. He had experience working these stills in Paris and Brussels and the pressure was invariably 140 lb. On the afternoon before the occurrence he spoke to the deceased, who sald everything was going on all right. If the pressure went up to the highest point, and the safety valve was closed, he did not think it would explode as the body of steam would not be of sufficient force. The fracture occurred in a circle in the solid copper, and not near the rivets. There was no doubt steam caused the explosion, but in what manner it was impossible for him to say. Did not think any other explosive had been introduced into the still, but it was possible such could be done. An engineer named Sarger effected the repairs to the safety valve. Witness could give no reason for deceased requiring a ladder No portions of the ladder have been found George Payne Clarke said he was manager at the Apollo Company's works and had held the position since 1873. The deceased was in the employ of the company for six years, and was a careful steady man. Witness was in Melbourne when the occurrence took place. The exploded still was placed in its position in 1872 and the plan produced showed its construction. It was l 0 ft in length and 4ft in diameter. It was in the form of a long cylinder, dome ends, and double rivetted. It was made in Paris, in accordance with specifications drawn by Seraphin the French engineer. It was generally in good working order but leaked once or twice at some of the rivets. Boilermakers were sent to repair the defects, and on one occasion a small patch was put on near the bottom. The valves and cocks have been replaced and repaired. The safety valve was repaired at the beginning of the year. There is an engineer on the premises and he makes inspections and repairs. Witness had not inspected the damaged boiler as instructions had been given not to remove anything except what was dangerous. Witness could not give the slightest explanation of the cause of the explosion. To Mr Roberts - The boiler had been examined, but had not been tested except by ordinary work. It had been in constant work since 1876. Thomas Duncan an engineer and fitter, deposed,- Am employed at the works and required to look after the machinery and do all repairs. The exploded still was examined about eight or nine weeks ago. The safety valve was in good working order The still was tested at the beginning of the year up to 110 lb. In his opinion the still would withstand a pressure of 300 lb or 100 lb to the square inch. He examined the still after the boiler makers had been at work some weeks previously. He could not form any idea of the cause of the explosion. To a Juryman- He had never seen the pressure over 150 lb, except when it was tested. To Mr Roberts -He was responsible for general inspection and repairs. There were two other engineers on the works. To the Coroner - It is not too much work for one man to look after the five boilers. George Thorne, fireman said he was standing near the boiler and close to the still when it exploded. He was in the act of putting on the feed at the time. The deceased turned on steam at 7 a m , and at 10 minutes past carne to see what pressure waa on, and in about half an hour afterwards the explosion took place. When it went off, the gauge showed the pressure to be 110 lb or at the letter K, and the safety valves wore in good working order Had it gone over K, the valves would have shown it. He could not form any opinion as to the cause of the explosion. John Mclntyre, boilermaker, said he repaired the exploded still about two months ago. He tested it afterwards, and found it in proper working order. To Mr Roberts -He tested the boiler with the hammer, and could tell where any weak spot existed. G Clarke manager, re-examined by the coroner, said the deceased must havo been standing close to the boiler, and been carried upwards by the explosion. The Coroner briefly summed up, pointing out that what the jury had to decide was how the deceased met his death. The evidence went to show that he was killed by the explosion, and not by being smothered in the tallow vat. It was very difficult to assign a reason for the bursting of the vessel at all as it appeared every care was taken in testing it, and they could only surmise the cause. So far as the evidence went, no blame could be attached to the management or employees The jury after a brief consultation, returned a verdict that the deceased was accidentally killed by the- bursting of a boiler at the Apollo Candle Factory, but that there was not sufficient evidence to account for the explosion. A rider was added to the effect that in view of the number of factories being established in the locality, the Government should appoint an inspector of boilers.