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Full Details

Surname
HENRY
Forename
William
Day
21
Month
09
Year
1945
Age
41
Occupation
Miner
Mine/Quarry Name
Michael
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Wemyss Coal Co. Ltd
Location
East Wemyss
County
Fifeshire
Details of Event
21 September 1945: FIFE MAN'S MISTAKE KILLED FRIEND - "He honestly made a mistake and no punishment given him could be more than the experience and suffering he has undergone," said Mr Wm. Robertson, solicitor, Motherwell, at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court today when he defended James Brown Newton, colliery foreman, 267 Methilhaven Road Methil. Newton pleaded guilty to having on September 21 in the Michael Colliery, East Wemyss, being a person authorised in writing by the management, fired a shot and failed before doing so to see that all persons in the vicinity had taken proper shelter whereby William Henry, brusher, 95 Kirkland Gardens, Methil, was so severely injured that he died later in Wemyss Memorial Hospital. Mr W. M. Paterson, depute fiscal, recalled the public inquiry which had been held on Henry's death. From the evidence it appeared that accused walked down the heading assuming that he was followed Henry, but it was Henry's drawer. There seemed to have been no warning shout given before the shot was fired, and when accused turned round and saw the drawer he immediately rushed back the coal face to find Henry in a practically unconscious condition. Mr Robertson explained that previously the drawer had left the face and had returned unknown to accused. "The tragedy is," said Mr Robertson, that accused and deceased were good friends. There was a time following the accident when nobody was allowed to see him. Even to-day he is mentally depressed and I doubt very much if he will be able to return to his work." Imposing a fine of 25s, Sheriff More remarked, "This is a very sad case. He is being well punished now." [Evening Telegraph 7 December 1945]