South Yorkshire Times – Saturday 22 January 1944
Took “Suicidal” Risk
Denaby Mineworker Killed by Fall
When a verdict of ‘‘Accidental Death” was recorded at a Conisbrough inquest on Wednesday, on Michael Dooney (59), stone contractor, of 91, Blythe Street, Denaby, who was killed by a fall of dirt in Cadeby Colliery early on Tuesday, the District Coroner (Mr. W. H. Carlile), commented on the “‘suicidal way” in which Doonef and another miner of long experience tipped a tub sideways and knocked out props to cause the fall.
The Coroner said Dooney and the other miner, named Hutchinson, were experienced men who first took measures to make safe their place and then did something which in commonsense would appear wrong. Everyone agreed how necessary it was to save time, but they must not lose lives by doing this.
The widow, Catherine Dooney, said her husband had worked at Cadeby about 30 years.
Dr. Peter Milligan, pathologist, ‘said death was due to contusion of the heart and lungs through crushing of the chest.
Horace Hutchinson, contractor, of 42, Athelstane Road, Conisbrough, said on instructions of a deputy he took down a piece of stone and put two girders up. The dirt tub could‘ not be used because its wheels were buried in the gob and they could only use a coal tub. He took the coal tub to the props and told Dooney when they were turning it on its side that if they touched anything they would both be killed. Dooney replied, ““Oh no, Horace, I don’t think sO.” The tub would have to go over straight to get through the props. There was dirt in the tub, and when they got it on its side it knocked the props over.
Hutchinson said something knocked him out and cut his back, and he knew Dooney had been buried. After getting out himself he went for assistance. They found Dooney on the pack side with a split bar on the back of his neck, and he never spoke when they got him out.
“Knew It Was Wrong.”
In reply to the Coroner, Hutchinson said he knew he was doing wrong in agreeing to tip the tub sideways as Dooney had suggested, and he had learned his lesson.
In reply to the Mines Inspector (Mr. J. W. Miller), Hutchinson said in future he would insist on using smaller tubs.
Mr. J. Madin (Y.M.A.), said he wanted the practice of tubs being turned on their side to be discouraged, and the Mines Inspector said it was safer to turn tubs on their ends, although there was no regulation against turning on the side.