Silly Youth – A Pony Incident

William Bacon, pony driver for the Denaby and Cadeby Main Colliery, Ltd. was charged with a breach of special rule number four at the Cadeby Main colliery.

Mr Hickmott of Rotherham, prosecuted on behalf of the colliery company.

In opening, Mr Hickmott said there was a rule in force at the colliery, which said that no person should do anything to endanger the safety of the mine other persons employed in any portion of it. The boy Bacon had endangered the life of a lad named Johnson. It appears that on the date in question Johnson was driving a pony named “Sailor,” which was known as a kicker. He saw the defendant coming along the road driving another pony, and he also had a “dickie” in his hand, a “dickie” was a lump of wood, and Johnson seeing what Bacon was after, shouted to him and told him not to hit “Sailor” as he was a kicker.

When Baker was passing he hit “Sailor” on the hindquarters with the result that the pony punched out behind and had not Johnson sprung aside out of the road he would have been seriously injured. The pony rushed towards the pit bottom kicking all the way, a horse keeper named Dale had witnessed the affair unseen by the lads.

The lad Johnson bore out the statement Mr Hicmott made.

John Dale said he was a horse keeper at Cadeby Main. He witness the occurance complained of. The boys could not see him, but he could see all that took place. If Johnson had not jumped how of the road he would have been injured. The pony went rushing down to the pit bottom, kicking all the way.

Defendant: where do you say you was? Witness: about 5 yards away defendant: it’s false. He was not there. You would be above 100 yards away.

Defendant said about a month ago he was going to report something in which Dale had some connection, when Dale got hold of him and put his head in a tub and nearly strangled him

The bench inflicted a small penalty, which along with their costs, amounted to 20s.