The newspaper notice on Cora's death specifies that the driver wasn't blamed for the incident. Why? Because it's implied she ran out of the house into the coal cart's path because Joseph had frightened her somehow.
That doesnt make any sense, Cora died before the Carmichaels ever lived in the house
Why does the normally stoic John faint after learning how Joseph died? It's because Joseph's situation is the exact antithesis of the situation that has been tormenting John. John has been agonising over what he could have done differently to save his daughter, whereas Joseph's father actually murdered his son himself. It's darkly ironic and horrifyingly incomprehensible to John how someone could do the very thing that John regrets not having been able to prevent. No wonder the revelation hits John particularly hard - he looks nauseous before he faints.