Fatal Accident At Mexborough

The ’Bus Traffic

Recommendation To The Local Board

Shortly before eleven o’clock on Saturday night a navvy, named George Evans, living at Conisborough, was injured while walking along Doncaster-road, Mexborough, in company with another labourer, named Thomas Underwood, and he subsequently succumbed at the Mexborough Cottage Hospital.

On Monday afternoon Mr. D. Wightman, coroner, held an inquest at the hospital concerning the death of the man. The first witness was Thomas Underwood, who said he worked on the New South Yorkshire Junction Railway. Deceased was about 50 years of age, a native of Colchester, Essex, and had been employed as a navvy. On Saturday night they both went to Mexborough about 7.30, and called at the Bull’s Head Inn. At eleven o’clock they left to go home. Neither of them were quite sober. Near the toll-bar they stopped. While on the road two ’buses approached and they were both knocked down. He could not say which ’bus knocked them down. The deceased died soon afterwards.

Other witnesses gave evidence as to the position of the men on the road and the direction in which the ’buses were travelling. There was conflicting testimony as to whether the men were actually knocked down by a vehicle or whether they had fallen in consequence of stumbling whilst intoxicated. It was stated that one ’bus was travelling from Mexborough to Denaby and another from Denaby in the opposite direction. Questions were raised as to whether the horses were being galloped and whether the drivers exercised proper caution in passing through the town at that hour.

Inspector Barrett said there was no reliable evidence to show that either vehicle had knowingly run over the men, and no suspicion of interference. Some witnesses suggested the ’buses were travelling very fast, whilst others denied that they were racing. The coroner remarked upon the danger of fast driving in crowded thoroughfares and the need for proper regulation of ’bus traffic.

The jury ultimately returned the following verdict:—

“That the deceased was killed by being run over, but as to how this was done there is not sufficient evidence to show,”

and they added a recommendation to the Local Board asking that the new bye-laws regulating the ’bus traffic be enforced as soon as possible.