Mexborough and Swinton Times December 23, 1892
Fatal Accident at Cadeby
An inquest on the body of Isaac Barnes, who was fatally injured on the new railway works at Cadeby, on Tuesday afternoon, was held at the Cottage Hospital, Mexborough, yesterday (Thursday) afternoon, before Mr Bagshawe this, deputy coroner, and a jury of whom Mr W.S. Pettit was the foreman.
The evidence was as follows:
John Barnes, brother of the deceased, said he was a native of Sherborne, in Dorsetshire, and was a ganger. He lived at Rushworth Moor, Halifax. His brother’s age was 37, and he was a horse driver on the railway. He had not known that he was employed on the south Yorkshire Junction Railway at Cadeby. Deceased had been a horse driver for 10 years at different places. He did not know he was married. He had last seen him at the Bay Horse, Dudley Hill, three months since. He was a strong and healthy man.
Henry Bond, Ganger on the new railway, said he lived at Denaby. Mr Joseph Thomas Firbank was a contractor for that portion of the line where the accident happened, and deceased was employed by the contractor. He had not seen the accident. About 7-30 on Tuesday morning he was standing on the bank edge close to the end of the Cadeby line, where the deceased was bringing a wagon in.
Deceased was tipping, and was about 25 yards from where he first saw him. His horse was going at a gallop, and deceased hold of the horse running with it. He heard the man cry out, and the wagon was coming one way and the horse running the other. He had said “there is something wrong,” and then he ran back and saw the deceased lying on the rail. The man was quite sensible but very seriously injured. He sent straight for a doctor, and the trap and a stretcher. Deceased was brought to the hospital about 9 o’clock. They lifted him up and put sacks under him to keep him warm to they got the stretcher. The doctor saw deceased before he was brought to the hospital.
He had not exactly seen the man after the cry; it was too dark. They found him about 26 yards from where they were. There were no lights on the tip on the other tip. It was usual to have tipping operations conducted on the railway when only moderately dark without lights.
Deceased brother: No, sir.
Witness: They had lights when it was too dark to see. He could see deceased fall enough away.
The Coroner: You said you could not see him.
Witness: Yes, I did see him.
Coroner: Then you correct yourself. First you said you saw him and then you said you didn’t. Now did you see him 26 yards off?
Witness: That was where he was lying when we found him. I did not seem him till he cried out.
In answer to further questions by the coroner, who expressed dissatisfaction, witness said it was not very dark; he could see the whole length of the line to the “turnout” – about a 160 yards. It was the second wagon deceased had run that morning; the time he commenced be 7-20. They generally. Tipping between 4.30 and 4.45. He, witness, and the control of the tipping operations at that bank. There were no lights burning that morning. He had not quite understood the question as to seen the deceased when it was first put. The ballast was level with the sleepers. Men often ran along the lines, and there was no doubt deceased had done that, for he admitted the accident was caused by slipping off the line. Deceased was perfectly sober, and he had not touched drink for three weeks.
A juryman observed it must be lighter at Conisbrough at 7.30 in the morning than it was at Mexborough.
Edward May, wagon emptier, Denaby, said he had known deceased five weeks. He was waiting for deceased’s wagon on the opposite side of the line to the Ganger, and when he heard the cries he went and found deceased on the tip side of the points, laid across the rails. He asked him how it was done, and he said he slipped off the rails and fell across the road. It was not light no yet dark at that time of the morning. He did not think there was much danger because of that.
The Coroner said the evidence as to light was very unsatisfactory.
A juryman thought they should have been a light at the point. The driver might have slipped on the cross rails and been dragged under the wheels.
The Coroner: I think you have hit it.
Deceased’s brother and the agent of the contractor then had a little argument, but as the trade terms were so numerous it was not easy to follow. In answer to Barnes, the agent said that he could not explain why there were six men working there on Wednesday, when the proper number was two, unless it was that some platelayers had been counted in mistake. The reason why the points were not “catched down” when they were only working one road was that there was a boy at the points. Deceased had said to him “I got a new pair of shoes on Saturday, and I was running on the rail and slipped off. He (the agent) said he was very sorry; it seemed a bad job. Deceased replies “Yes, I think I’m going to die,” and he replied he was afraid he would, and deceased then said “It was my own fault.”
A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned, and the ride was added to the effect that when tipping operations were conducted during insufficient daylight a proper amount of artificial light should be provided to guard against accidents.