Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Tuesday 29 August 1899
A Fatality at Denaby Main.
William Smith, of Mexborough, was also accused of having done an act in the Denaby Main Colliery to endanger the safety of the men employed.
Mr Hickmott, who prosecuted, said the summons been issued the suggestion of Her Majesty’s Inspector of Mines who hail been present at an inquest held on a lad named Vaughan. Vaughan lost his life through similar negligence that of which Smith and Cope bad been guilty.
In the mine there was a “jinney,” worked by a rope, so arranged that when full corves were attached, they pulled up the incline train of empty corves. In that jinney” manholes were provided every ten yards, and every person engaged must take refuge one them when the rope began to move. The lads and Vaughan were together, and, on the engine starting, the latter, instead of going to a manhole, went along beside the rails on which full corves travelled, and Smith and Cope took opposite side, proceeding distance of 60 yards.
Vaughan was caught by the train, and killed, his body being badly mangled.
Cope gave formal evidence.
Fined 10s. and costs