William Wilson: The deceased was employed by Mr. Young, at the tunnel, No. 4 Pit, near Souldrop. A fortnight last Wednesday, I was working with the deceased, filling skips behind the "gate", which is a number of planks placed to prevent the "lump" from falling on to them as they were working. The deceased had his shovel under the "gate". The shovel flew up and struck him on the forehead. It caught him rather sharp, but he did not say much about it at the time. He went on working, and when he left off, he seemed the same as usual. That was the last day he came to work. The "gate" tipped up through a large lump of earth falling on it. The deceased's forehead did not bleed. There was only a slight bump, and he did not complain about it.

Sarah Ann Drage, widow of the deceased: He came home about eight o'clock that day. He would not have any supper, and he went to bed. I noticed a slight wound on his forehead, and I asked him what he had done. He said that a bit of wood had hit him. He went to bed - and he never got up again. In the night, he became insensible, and never became conscious again. As he continued insensible, I sent for Doctor Thurnham, of Yardley Hastings on the Friday. He died about eight o'clock that day. Every attention was paid to him.

F. Wyatt Thurnham, surgeon, Yardley Hastings: I found the deceased light-headed, and in a state of prostration. I thought he was suffering from a low type of inflammation of the lungs and other organs. Nothing was said to me about any accident, until the second or third time I attended the deceased. I then saw a very slight scratch on his forehead. I have attended the deceased ever since. The symptoms steadily increased, and they were in accordance with the view I had first taken. I have made a post-mortem examination. I found the internal organs in a state of intense congestion. There was nothing about the head, brain or skull to connect the accident to the forehead with the cause of death. I should say the deceased was sickening from this state of disease at the time the fatal blow was received.

The jury verdict was "in accordance with the medical evidence".