Mexborough and Swinton Times March 5, 1886
Denaby Main.
A Dangerous Practice.
Chas. Whitlam and James Thomas, lately employed at Denaby Main colliery, were charged with violating special rule 85 in force at the Denaby Main colliery, on the 13th February.
Mr. Hickmott appeared for the company.
Elijah Toft, a bricklayer at the Denaby pit, said on the night of the 7th the defendants were in the Denaby pit. Between eleven and twelve o’clock he saw the prisoner Whitlam with a corf. Thomas asked Whitlam not to bring the corf and higher up so that they could ride to their work the next morning instead of walking.
James Thomas said on the morning of the 8th February, about half past five, he saw the two prisoners get on a corf. He spoke to them and warned them of the consequences if they got on the vehicle. They got on the corf and rode as far as he could see them.
John McLintock, a lad employed at the pit, said on the morning of the 8th February he was taking a pony up the ‘jinney.’ He heard a corf coming down, and the pony became frightened and got away from him. He got into a manhole, and subsequently the corf struck the pony and broke its legs.
Mr. W. H. Chambers said there was a drift ‘jinney’ in Denaby pit, the incline of which was one in nine. The incline was worked with a rope. On the morning of the 8th February there would be about ninety men going up that part of the mine where the corf came down. The men went to work in bodies and they would have had no time to get out of the way if the truck had not struck the pony and been capsized. The pony was valued at £16.
Each defendant was ordered to pay 40s. and costs £3 2s.