- 1180 men were killed, and seven injured.
As this was the third accident of that kind which occurred within nine months and, as any accident of that nature must necessarily be occasioned by the absence of due precautions, I felt bound to institute a very searching inquiry into the circumstances - more especially as the Coroner's Jury had returned a verdict to the effect that no blame was attached to any person...
3. Feeling that the Convicts were specially under the protection of the Executive and that they are forced to labor, where directed, with the disadvantage of diminished chance of escape in such cases by being chained in two, I considered the verdict of the Coroner resulting from a very insufficient inquiry to be altogether unsatisfactory.
4. I therefore instituted further inquiry myself and brought the whole matter before my Executive Council. The Statement which I laid before the Council was so full and complete that I should only be repeating what is there set forth, if I entered into the matter.
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