Sad Cycling Fatality at Conisborough.

Inexplicable accident. On Sunday afternoon five new Conisborough lads named Hellewell, Parry, Hammond, Holland, and Thomas, went for a bicycle ride. Returning about 5:30 only the Doncaster Road, Hellewell was reading his companions by about 100 yards, when he fell with the machine on top of him.

Picking him up his mates found that his face was cut and his left eye swollen. Through the kindness of a caravan dweller near the scene of the accident his wounds were washed and a passing milkman gave him a lift part of the way home. On arriving there he complained of pains in the head and medical assistance was obtained. Dr. Maclure attended. Notwithstanding every attention the young man died on Tuesday morning about 1-30.

On Wednesday afternoon Mr. C. N. Nicholson, district coroner, held an enquiry into the circumstances at the Denaby Main hotel. Mr W. I. Gibbs was foreman of the jury.

The first witness called was Selina Hellewell, 43, Blythe Street who said she was the wife of George Hellewell. Deceased was her son, 16 years of age, and was employed at Cadeby. On Sunday last he went out at 3 PM, on his bicycle. He came home between six and seven in company with the lads named Hammond. He was bruised over the left eye, but was quite conscious. He said he had had an accident, and shortly after became unconscious. The doctor was sent for and he arrived about 9 o’clock. His son did not recover consciousness and died in her presence between one and 2 o’clock on Tuesday morning.

Edward Hammond, 17, Balby Street, said he was a pony driver at Cadeby. About 5 o’clock on Sunday, in company with deceased and three others, he took a cycle round the Pastures, Melton and Balby. On the way home and before they came to Butterbusk, deceased was about 100 yards in front. They were racing home as it was nearing light up time. The Notice deceased back wheel skid and he fell on the left-hand side with the bicycle on top of him. Witness lifted him up and found him bleeding and with several scars on his face. They carried him to a caravan in a field near, where they washed his face and the woman at the caravan gave him a cup of tea. They got him home, a milkman giving him a lift part of the way, he was quite conscious then. Disease could not tell them how the accident occurred, but witness was of opinion that a loose stone had caused it.

Mr Gibbs: did you examine the bicycle?

Witness: Yes. The handlebars were twisted. There was a good brake on the machine, and the road was level.

Doctor. W. J. Maclure said he was called to attend the deceased on Sunday. He arrived at the house just after 8 o’clock. He found the lad lying on two chairs, who told him he knew nothing about the accident. On examination he found the lad suffering from concussion of the brain. There were contusions on the face, and the left eye was closed. Evidently he must have fallen on his eye. The right side of the face was scraped. Witness was in attendance at to the time of death, having just left the home before death occurred. On the Monday afternoon he was delirious. Witness had had no hope of the boy recovering.

A verdict of “accidental death” was returned.