Mexborough & Swinton Times — September 3, 1904
Inquests at Mexboro’
Miner Run Over by Coal Tubs
On Saturday, at the Mexboro’ Montagu Cottage Hospital, Mr. Doney Wightman, Coroner for the district, held a trio of inquiries respecting the deaths of John Ellis, engineman, Denaby, and Charlotte Annie Naylor and Alice May, children, of Bolton and Mexboro’ respectively, all three of whom died in the hospital from the effects of injuries received.
The first taken was that of the miner Ellis.
Mr. Biggs was chosen foreman of the jury, and at the first inquiry there were present Mr. Pickering, H.M. Inspector of Mines, and Mr. C. Bury, under-manager at Denaby.
Caroline Ellis, wife of deceased, said he was 41 years of age and employed as an engine man at Denaby Main Colliery, where he had filled the last position for about eight years. He was a healthy man, and was injured on August 18th, being conveyed to the Mexboro’ Montagu Hospital at once. Witness afterwards saw him in that institution, but he did not tell her how he got injured. He never blamed anybody and died in hospital on the 25th. He was insured in the Prudential Co.
John Collins, corporal at the Denaby pit, said he worked with deceased, who was a pump man in the pit. Witness saw him on August 18th before he was injured. The time was 7-15 p.m., and they were on the Montagu plane. Deceased was examining a tap, about 15 yards off when witness first saw him.
Witness left him to go farther down the plane, and when he returned, two minutes later, the rope was going. It was a double road, full tubs travelling one way, and the empty ones the other. Deceased was standing on the empty turn, with his back to the oncoming empty tubs.
When witness shouted to warn him, he turned right round, reversing his back to the coming full tubs, with the result that the latter caught him. Unfortunately, he stepped in the danger, instead of out of it. There was a manhole within a yard of the spot where the accident occurred.
After deceased had stepped out of the empty into the full road, witness shouted twice to warn him. As soon as he fell, witness pulled the signal, and the engineman stopped within the length of two tubs. His leg was badly smashed.
A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned.