Thomas Nash

Thomas Nash was found unconscious on the Midland Line near to Carleton Bridge around midnight on the Saturday night and died later on the Sunday morning.

A Carleton farmer said that he was aroused by the shouts of, 'Murder! police!', and that as he and some other people went to Thomas Nash's assistance, they saw two assailants make off.

One witness said that they saw two men concealed behind a hedge near the bridge under which Thomas Nash was later found.

Thomas Nash was unconscious when he was found and was suffering from bruises.

His cause of death was given as laceration and compression of the brain caused by violence of some form. He had a superficial wound under the arch of his left eye and small bruises on his shoulder and and right knee. The doctor said that dirt in his eye indicated that his injury was due to a fall rather than a blow.

The doctor that had examined him said that in his opinion Thomas Nash had not fallen over the bridge.

Thomas Nash had lived in Featherstone Lane in Featherstone and was a coal filler.

His mother said that Thomas Nash had been out earlier to Pontefract with three other men who she named and said that he had recently told her that he had not had anything to drink for some months.

A private in the 3rd KOYLI said that he had been out with Thomas Nash and two other men on the Saturday night, noting that they had had nothing to drink, and said that he left them at the bottom of Carlton Road quarrelling with two other men. He said that they were saying to each other what they would do to each other and that they went up the road 'to have a bit of bother'. The private said that one of the men his friends and Thomas Nash were quarrelling with had been producing money and flashing it about and said that his friends were following him up the road, but that he left them at that point.

Another man, a mason, said that he had been walking home when at a position about 300 yards before Carlton Bridge, he heard cry's of 'Murder' and 'Police' and said that a minute or two afterwards he saw a person come along who was bleeding from the mouth and who had been shouting, 'Murder'. He said that Thomas Nash then came along and said that Thomas Nash appeared very anxious to see the man that was bleeding home, but the mason said that the man was happy for him to see him home as he didn't like the look of Thomas Nash.

The mason said that he and the other man then went over the bridge together and said that as they did, he distinctly saw two men following them along in the hedge. He added that two other men had run away.

An open verdict was returned at the inquest.

The line was also described as the Swinton and Knottingley Railway.