Mexborough times, October 23, 1915

Conisbrough Girl´s Death
Witnesses Complemented

A little Conisbrough’s girl’s death from injuries by being run over by a waggon in Low Road Conisbrough, on Wednesday afternoon week was investigated by the Doncaster deputy coroner, Mr J.G.Nicholson, at the Guildhall, on Friday night.

The deceased was Emma Gladwin (five), the daughter of Joseph Gladwin, a miner, 15 Coronation Terrace, and she died early on Thursday morning at the Royal infirmary from shocking injuries.

The coroner explained that at 4.30 on Wednesday afternoon the child went out to play in the road with the children, and soon after Messrs Tuby´s engine and five wagons passed. As they were proceeding a miner named James Walker saw the little girl lying on the road close to the moving vehicles, but before he could get to her assistance a little boy snatched the deceased from the wheel of the next waggon. One of the wheels had apparently passed over the child´s hands. The engine was stopped and the deceased immediately medically attended and taken to the infirmary, where she died. No one apparently witnessed the accident, and although several children were about the Coroner’s officer have been unable to find out one who actually saw what had occurred.

The father, Joseph Gladwin, gave evidence of identification. The child went out to play and he did not see her again until after the accident, when a boy named Bamford came running in shouting “your little Emma has got her hand smashed.” Witness went out and met a man, named Walker, carrying her. Tuby´s engine and wagons were standing outside. As he was taking the deceased to the infirmary in a taxi, the child, who was conscious, said “good night daddy.” She did not say how the accident happened.

James Walker, a miner of 48 Doncaster Road, said at 5.30 he was in Low road. As he turned round from looking into a garden he saw the child lying on the ground, but before he could get to her a little boy pulled clear of the next waggon. If he had not pulled her away the wheels of the next waggon would have passed over her for he (witness) could not have got to her in time. Witness ran to the rear and told the man there, and he ran to tell the driver. Witness handed the child to a neighbour. The engine was proceeding about 2 miles an hour. He noticed some children playing about in the road before the engine approached. He had no doubt one of the wheels passed of the girl, who could not have been lying on the road when the engine passed.

Replying to a jury man, witness said Hawley´s traction engine and threshing machine had passed about 3 min before.

A little boy, George Bamford, nine years of age, of 19 Coronation Road, said he was playing in the road with some of the children, and saw Tuby´s engine and wagons pass. As he was watching them another little girl said “a little girl has got run over.” He ran round the wagons and saw the wheels going over the deceased, and he pulled her out. Mr Walker came up and took her away. He could see the girl was hurt, and was bleeding, and he ran and told her mother.

Harry Oliver, the driver of the engine, said he never heard anything of the accident until he stopped at the foot of the hill to change gears. A man then came up and said a child had been hur

The coroner: it is very possible for the child to run and try to get on the wagons without you seen it? – Oh yes.
And without the man at the rear, seeing either? – Yes

Proceeding the witness said there were six men with him, one on the nearside, one at the rear of the steerer, and one on the offside.

Replying to a jury man, the witness said the men who were walking all said they did not see the girl. It was the duty of the men to look after the load and the wagons. They had considerable trouble with children

The Infirmary Doctor said one hand was very badly crushed, and had to be amputated later. On the other hand two fingers were badly crushed. On one leg there were two wounds, one on the shin bone and the other on the foot. The former was five or 6 inches long and probably an inch deep. The other on the foot was about 3 inches long. The foot was bruised, but no bones were broken, and the other foot was also bruised, black, but there were no bones broken.

The coroner: was it possible that one of those wagons might have gone over it without smashing the bone? – I don’t think so. I expect the wagons would be pretty heavy.

Ald. Tuby: This one weighed five tons

The doctor said it was probable that one of the wheels went of the little girls hand. She died from shock following the injuries. She was conscious when brought in.

Leonard Dunkerley, in charge of the wagons, was called, but he could throw no further light on the matter. He was in front of the engine when he received information about the accident. He did not see any children playing about the road, and the men who were walking alongside the wagons never saw any. They had considerable trouble with children, and coming through Denaby that evening between 40 and 50 followed the wagons, and they had difficulty in keeping them off.

A verdict of “accidental death,” with no blame attaching to anyone, was returned, the jury complementing the little boy Bamford and the witness Walker for their prompt actions.