Mexborough and Swinton Times March 16, 1907

A Cadeby Fatality
Inexplicable Accident to a Wagon Counter
Terrible Injuries

There is a certain amount of mystery about an accident which occurred at the Cadeby colliery on Saturday by which William Parker of 11, Melton view, Denaby lost his life, and the inquest failed to clear it up.

Mr Coroner Nicholson held the enquiry at the Denaby Main Hotel, on Monday afternoon.

Mrs Parker, the widow, explained that they lived near London, but a month ago her husband, who had been a silversmith, came to Denaby and got work three weeks previously at the Cadeby pit. He was about 50 years of age. He had stated that he liked his work. She did not come to Denaby until she was informed of the accident.

William Booth, of 9 Cross Church Street, Mexborough, employed as charge and of the Baume washing, said deceased came to work at the college about a month ago. The accident happened on Saturday, about 12:50 o’clock. He found him lying dead on the side of the metals in the six-foot way. He had seen him at his work of taking the numbers of the wagons about an hour before. He appeared to know his work. He had been on duty since 6 o’clock in the morning. The body was warm. He reported the matter to the foreman, and the body was taken to the time office.

Deceased used to help with the slides in addition to taking the numbers of the wagons. He had been working the slides as well that morning. It was not necessary that that in doing is working to get into the wagon. It was not his duty to lower the wagons down. It not necessary in doing his work for him to be when he was found dead. The wagons would not be running as quickly as he could walk. There was plenty of room and a good walking road, and there would be nothing that would be likely to trip deceased.. Witness could not account for Parker being where he was. He could not give an opinion as to how he was killed stop to examine the wagons, but could not find any signs of blood. Hoult who was in charge of the wagons, had gone to his dinner, and he was taking his place at the time. He did not think deceased would be doing Hoult’s work.

John Hoult, of 28 cross all gate, Mexborough, said he started lowering out at Cadeby a month ago, after doing the same work at Denaby. He was taking some full wagons out at 12:40, when deceased would be 800 yards away from where the accident happened. He saw him, shortly before he was found dead, taking the numbers of the wagons. If deceased could not make out the numbers on the nearside of the wagons he would cross over to the other side.

Dr Joseph Smith, of Denbigh, said he was called to see deceased about 230 in the office. There was a fracture of the left arm, and left leg, and the ankle had been crushed, the boot being torn. The ankle looked as though a wagon wheel gone over it. Two ribs were broken, there was a depression of the skull at the top, the right ear being discoloured. These injuries were sufficient to cause death. Deceased appear to be healthy, and was about 40 years of age. In his opinion death was caused by an accident of some sort.

In fact inspector Walker, he said it looked as though deceased had been crushed rather than as though he had fallen 16 or 17 feet. A forward not account for all the injuries. He seemed to have been knocked about a great deal.

This reply to journeyman, the doctor said it was probable that deceased foot had got fast on the rails, and a wagon had knocked him down.

The inspector remarked that the place was about the best in the colliery, as far as room was concerned.

The coroner did not think they would be able to obtain any more light on the mystery. There was no doubt the man met with an accident in the vicinity of where he was employed. There was no evidence to show how it occurred, nor did he think they were going to ascertain how it happened.

The jury found the verdict of “Accidental death.”