INQUEST.

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2062, 1 May 1913, Page 2

INQUEST.

DEATH OF AIRS E. J. GRICE. ( RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT. Air E. Goodbehere (Coroner) this morning concluded the inquest on the death of Airs E. L. Grice, who was killed by the Auckland express on the 23rd tilt. Messrs N. E. Gilford. (foreman), AY. AY. Andrews, J. T. Palmer, and R. Palmer comprised the jury. Airs. E. G. Trevena gave evidence that the deceased lady had been living with her. She last saw her alive at 10.45 on the morning of tho -accident. She was then in good healtn. Her hearing was good, but her sight was not so good. Some twelve months previously she had had paralysis, which left her slightly dazed. AVitness was quite sure the deatn was the result of an accident. Dr. Livesey stated he had been called to the scene of the accident, and found the body lying at the Cam- i den-street crossing, quite dead. He afterwards examined tho body, and found a large scalp wound ou the left side of the head, both arms wore broken (the left in two places), and the left knee dislocated. The cause of death was the shock of the blow on the head and the other injuries received, by being struck by the engine. AVilliam Andrews, tho engine-driver who had charge of the train at- the ' time of the accident, stated his tram was running to time that day. He sounded the whistle when approaching the Camden-street crossing, and when about fifty yards from the crossing on that day he saw a woman walking towards the crossing. She was five or six yards from the rails ou the Church side. He immediately blew the whistle again, and she appeared to stop and then move on again for some little distance, and then stop again. When she stopped the second time she was five or six feet from the rails. She appeared to look towards the train when he blew the whistle the second time, and to see it. and apparently made up her mind to rush across the line, and proceeded to do so. She did not reach the rail, and was struck by the cylinder or the buffer beam of the engine, and knocked clear of the _ line. As soon as he saw she was going to try to cross, he applied the emergency brakes and opened the whistle again. He pulled up the train in a little over a train-length, and went back to the crossing, where he found the body lying slightly on the right side four or five feet from where the train struck her. He was travelling at about 35 miles an hour. He 6aw that , the body was taken charge of before proceeding with the train. | To tlie Foreman: Tho lady seemed to be confused, and altered her mind rbout crossing. William Leslie, the* fireman on the brain, corroborated the evidence of ihe engine-driver. The jury returned tho following verdict: AVo are satisfied that the ieceascd met her death by acciden;ally walking or falling into a moving ;rain while she was in confused ooulition; that the railway crossing at Damden street is not a dangerous me; and that no blame is attachable ■o anyone.