SHOCKING FATALITY AT DESBOROUGH
THE INQUEST
An inquest was held at the Kettering General Hospital, on Thursday,
before Mr. J. T. Parker, coroner, touching the death of a lad named Coe,
who died in the above-named hospital, on Tuesday, through being run over
by a truck, at Desborough, earlier in the day.
—Mr. W. C. Fowler, Nottingham, watched the proceedings on behalf of
the Stanion Ironstone Company.
Dr. J. P. Roughton deposed to receiving the lad into the hospital.
The left leg was severed above the knee, and he had other extensive
wounds, and death ensued from shock about four o'clock the same
afternoon.
—Harry Coe,
father of the deceased, gave evidence of identification, and deceased's
playmate, Clifford
Bloore, deposed how the deceased climbed over the fence protecting
the iron-stone tramway, and jumped on to the buffer of the trucks whilst
they were in motion. Deceased fell off the front of the truck, which ran
over him leg. Witness tried to push the truck off, but failing to do so,
went and told a boy named Squire.
—Mrs. Squire, wife of the foreman of the works, deposed to finding
the deceased under the bridge. The lad said, "I have lost my hat, and my
leg is cut off." Witness gave an alarm, and three men came from the tip
and carried deceased to witness's house. The deceased had no right on
the line, but children continually went there. Deceased would have to
get over a fence and down a bank before he could get to the metals. The
tramway was worked with an endless chain.
—Thomas William Bloore, clerk at Desborough Station, and a member of
the local Ambulance Brigade, deposed to rendering first aid to the lad.
—Mr Fowler said the trams only ran 2½ miles an hour. Everything
possible was done to prevent lads trespassing.
—The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."
Northampton Mercury,
Friday 01 August 1902