Herbert Malyon a deputy of 131, Barnsley Road, Goldthorpe, said he had only been at the colliery a day, and he had had no previous experience of a catch giving in such a manner. He examine the catch after the accident and found that the tongue had been knocked back. It would require a great amount of force to do so and, in his opinion, the back axle had done it. He had taken the precautions afterwards to leave the points below split as a safety device and had also put timber on top of the catch. Two new catches had been fixed about 2 yards apart. In reply to Mr G.C. Payne. The deputy  agreed that according to the mine’s regulations, there was no necessity to have a drag attached to the top from last ingredient exceeded one in 12.

He agreed that a “hammer blow” of at least a tonne would be the result of the lowering of tubs onto the catch. Mr Gore for said that the boy had depended on the catch which had given way and allowed the tubs a clear run to the bottom below.

Lacerated temple.

Doctor W. C. McGuire, house surgeon at the Montagu hospital, said that Quigley when admitted to the hospital was unconscious and had extensive laceration on the right temple region of his school. There was a compound fracture of the skull and he had a haemorrhage from both ears. He died at 3:40 PM on Monday and the cause of death was cerebral lacerations due to a fracture of the skull. Summing up, the coroner said they could not find fault with anyone working there at the time. The hands had said there had been no previous trouble with the catch, and apparently it gave way causing a man to be killed. Safety measures had since been taken from the men who worked there. He suggested that the jury returned a verdict of accidental death the jury returned verdict accordingly.

Mr G. C. Payne expressed sympathy on behalf of the colliery company with the dead man’s family, and the coroner, Jury, and representatives of the Y.M.A. And workmen also expressed sympathy.