An Irishman´s Death At Denaby.

The Inquest.

The circumstances surrounding the death of an Irishman named Patrick Connelly, aged twenty two, who died in the Mexborough Montagu Cottage Hospital on Sunday, following his removal from the Cadeby Colliery, were enquired into by the deputy coroner, Mr. J. Kenyon-Parker, at the Hospital on Saturday afternoon.

Mr. A.H. Barnard, agent, represented the Colliery Company.

Thomas Connelly said he lived at Doonan, in County Galway, Ireland, and he was father of the deceased, who was twenty two years of age. He had not seen him for fifteen months. He did not think he had been in Mexborough more than a few days. He did not know what he had been doing during the time he had been in England, but he was used to farming work. Witness did not know that his son was ill. He ( deceased ) had sent him £7 last September, and also some money at Christmas.

Dr. Chas. Wilkinson, said he was a registered medical practitioner, and was assistant to Dr. Huey, of Mexborough, who was on the medical staff connected with the hospital. It was part of their duty to attend to patients in the hospital. Witness saw deceased on Sunday, and he was then in an unconscious condition. He formed an opinion as to what he was suffering from – he thought meningitis – but it was so obscured that he could that he could not give a definite statement. He had made a post-mortem examination of the body on Tuesday afternoon, when he found the cause of death was meningitis, or inflammation of the brain and it´s coverings. It was always difficult to say what was the cause of it. The internal organs were all healthy, but very much congested, which they would expect to find from such a condition. He did not find any marks of violence. There were no fractures of the skull, and he did not find any bruises. In this case, although meningitis could be caused by a blow, he did not think that was so.

Patrick Gavin, miner, living at 32 Balby Street, New Conisbrough, said he did not know the deceased. He saw him on Saturday morning in the West District of the Cadeby pit. Deceased had only started that morning, having been employed by the company. He was `filling´ for witness and a man called John Hewitt. He did not seem used to the work, although he told witness he had been employed in a pit before. He seemed all right then, and then filled five tubs ; he then rested for about quarter of an hour, and filled two more tubs, but again sat down on the bank, saying he felt tired, and did not feel at all well. Deceased´s lamp had gone out, and having had it re-lighted, Hewitt handed it to him, but deceased swung round and hit him on the shoulder. Connelly then laid down on the floor. Witness did not see him hit his head on the roof. There was no fight, and the deceased had been very quiet all morning. When the corporal came up he was unconscious.

James Toole, of 5 Lea View, Conisbrough, said he was a corporal in the Cadeby pit. He did not know the deceased, but saw him in the pit on Saturday morning, about 11-30 a.m., in the `gob´ looking very ill. He put his coat around his head, and all at once jumped up, striking his head against the roof. He did not sustain a severe blow, he rushed across the road, staggered about a bit, and then fell to the ground.

John Hewitt, of North Cliff Road, Conisbrough, also gave evidence. Deceased filled four tubs on Saturday morning. He remembered him going and sitting in the `gob´ ; he seemed to him to be over-taxed. He shouted for water, and witness brought him a bottle. As soon as he got to him deceased reeled and swung his lamp round, hitting witness on the shoulder. He did not think it was intentional ; he thought he was saving himself from falling. He did not see him strike his head against the roof.

The Coroner said the evidence bore out the doctor´s opinion. The jury returned a verdict that ” Deceased died from Natural Causes.”

Mr. C. Lazenby was foreman of the jury.