Dangerous Mischief at Denaby

December 1905

Mexborough and Swinton Times December 9, 1905

Dangerous Mischief at Denaby

John Tranter, driver, Mexborough, was charged with a breach of special rule number four at Denaby, on November 24.

He pleaded guilty.

Mr W. M. Gichard, who prosecuted on behalf of the Colliery Company, stated that the rule related to the commission of an act likely to cause injury to another person working in the mine. The defendant, he said, on the day in question, was on two occasions found knocking props out, so as to let down some of the roof in the roadway, and thus cause a stoppage of work.

The effect of this might have been that others passing along the road would be killed. The defendants did it for the purpose of remaining idle. The first fall he caused took an hour and a half to remove, and the second two hours and a quarter, and during this time the defendant was unable to work. There had been so much of this trouble lately that on the day in question the management appointed a special man to keep a lookout to see who did the mischief.

Defendant was fined 21/6, including costs, the chairman warning him: “don’t come here again on a charge like this, or it will be a serious matter for you.”