Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Friday 15 December 1899
The Shocking Fatality at Conisborough.
Yesterday, at the Station Hotel, Conisborough. Mr F. E. Nicholson held an inquest touching the death of James Prendergast, miner, who was killed on the Great Central Railway, the previous day.
Bartholomew Prendergast, a son of the deceased, said he had been called up to join the militia, and his father had gene to the station see him off on the 11.45 am. train. He got his ticket, and shouted to his father to follow. When he looked round saw the deceased just falling off the platform in front of a goods train, which ran over instantly led him. He did not see anyone snowballing.
Charles Henry Lapidge, a porter, said he observed the deceased on the platform A number of men were snow-balling. One went towards the ceased, who, in trying to dodge it stepped backwards and slipped on to the line. A goods trainwas going through, and the engine caught him before he reached the ground.
In answer to the coroner, witness said the men who were snow-balling were strangers to him. The previous afternoon the snow had been cleared from the platform
Charles Richards, the stationmaster stated that, with assistance, he removed the body to the waiting room The train was not travelling at all fast, as had only started from Cadeby Colliery. There was a thin covering of snow the platform, but salt and sand had been down.
A verdict of “Accidental death was returned.