Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Friday 06 March 1903
The Mysterious Fatality At Denaby
Verdict Of Suicide
Mr. J. Kenyon-Parker, deputy coroner, resumed the inquiry at the Reresby Arms Hotel, Denaby Main, yesterday afternoon into the circumstances attending the death of Joseph Stonehouse, aged 21, son of John Stonehouse, a miner, of 74, Doncaster Road, who was found dead on the railway on the 26th of February.
The inquest had been adjourned for a week to enable the police to prosecute inquiries. Inspector Buckley, of Doncaster, represented the Great Central Railway Company.
George Edward Willett, of Peter Street, Sheffield, said he was an engine-driver on the Midland Railway. He found the body of the deceased on Thursday morning, the 26th February. Witness was driving a goods train to Doncaster, and when near the Denaby Main crossings he saw the body lying on the outside rail of the down line. Witness brought his train to a standstill and sent his fireman to report the occurrence to the signalman.
Richard Fletcher, the signalman on duty at the Denaby crossing box, said he, in company with the fireman of the Midland train, went along the railway and found the body. Deceased was laid on his side, alongside, and about nine inches from the outside rail. He was quite dead, and had evidently been there some hours. The only wound witness saw was to the head. Witness thought deceased had been placing his head on the rails as he could not have received the injuries had he been walking on the line.
Dr. Forster, practising at Conisbrough, who had made an external examination of the body, described the injuries, which, he thought, had been caused by a train, and the deceased had lain down by the side and put his head on the rail. He agreed with the opinion the last witness had formed. It was possible, but highly improbable, that the injuries could have been caused by anything but a train. Death would be instantaneous.
Ellen Oates, a domestic servant, of Denaby Main, said she was “keeping company” with the deceased, who she last saw alive shortly after nine o’clock on the 25th of February. When he left her he was crying. He said his brother was “putting on him” because he would not go to work. Deceased had had some drink. He threatened to do away with himself, as he had also done a fortnight before, and then went towards the Bone Mill. Witness thought he was only joking. She told her mistress, however, and they both went towards the Bone Mill, and shouted, but could get no answer. They then thought that deceased had gone home. He had had no “row” with her.
A Juryman: Did he say that his father had been on to him about going to work?
Witness: Yes, he said his father was going to give him another week, and if he did not go to work he was going to turn him out.
The Coroner said the fact that deceased had a little trouble with his father and brother was not sufficient reason for him to go and make away with himself. If a man were in his right senses, there was not sufficient cause to set him crying, and still less cause for him to go and make away with himself.
Eventually the jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased committed suicide during a state of temporary insanity.