Fatal Accident at Cadeby Main

An inquest was held yesterday at the Station Hotel, Conisborough on the body of Austin Hunter, engine cleaner, who met with his death on Tuesday.

Mr Nicholson, coroner, conducted the enquiry. Inspector Mellor was also in attendance.

The first witness was Richard Hunter, brother of deceased. He said his brother was a little over 19 years of age and was employed as an engine cleaner by the Cadeby colliery company. He had been engaged there about two months. He had not been employed in the same work previously on coming to Cadeby, but had been an assistant in an ironmongery shop at Leeds. Deceased had often accompanied witness to his work, and seen him cleaning the machinery at Messrs Charlesworth’s, Kilnhurst.

Mr Mellor: As a practical man, having seen the fencing where your brother was killed, do you consider the place securely fenced?

Yes; but I think the engine man ought to have seen him.

Mr Butcher (Foreman of the jury): Why do you think so?

Because I think deceased has been bending down putting sawdust in the bottom, and hasn’t had time to get up.

Mr Butcher: You thought?

Witness: Well, there was sawdust in his hands.

Thomas W Casey said he was engineman at Cadeby Main, and saw the accident. Deceased had come to witness a few minutes before, and asked if he heard how the Denaby strike was going on, and he replied, “No, he had not seen the paper.”

Witness then give the engine full steam. He saw deceased and, and immediately reversed the engine. It was too late – the crank had struck him on the head. The only conclusion he could come to was that the deceased had dropped something and was stooping to pick it up when the crank struck him.

Verdict: “Accidental death” no blame being attached to the Colliery Company.