Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 2 February 1914

Dumb Pit Victims

At Doncaster, on Saturday, a Mexborough pony driver, James Lynch, was summoned for a breach of the Mines Act at the Cadeby Colliery on the 20th inst.

Mr. Frank Allen, who prosecuted, explained that defendant had neglected to put a locker in three tubs, with the result that they ran away and killed a horse, while Lynch narrowly escaped with his life. Mr. Allen mentioned that during the year 1913 no fewer than 35 horses were killed in the pit, and 25 since last July, while Lynch had had four horses injured this month.

The defendant’s explanation was that the horse ran away with the tubs and would not stop when spoken to. He jumped off the chain to save his life.

He was ordered to pay a fine of 15s and costs.

A Denaby pony driver, Richard Bagshaw (14), was summoned for neglecting to drive his pony carefully.

On January 12th, Mr. Allen explained, the defendant was driving down a very easy road where the gradient was one in 74. He informed his corporal that his pony had fallen down dead. The boy had led them to believe that the horse had had a stroke, but an examination led to the discovery that its back was broken and four ribs also. What they assumed had happened was that the boy, instead of being at the front of his horse, was behind, and the pony ran into some tubs in front.

Several witnesses were called for the defence, and the magistrates fined defendant 15s., including the costs.