THE RAILWAY DISASTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6437, 17 March 1899, Page 2

THE RAILWAY DISASTER.

THE INQUEST. The inquest on the victims of the Rakaia railway accident was resumed at ten o'clock this morning, before Mr R. Beetham, coroner, at the Stipendiary Magistrate's Court. Mr Stringer appeared for the Crown ,* Mr T. G. Russell for the Christchurch Meat Company's employees and the relatives of Miss Franks ; Mi* J .B. Fisher for the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants j and Mr H. Francis on behalf of a client. Mr Stringer said that he proposed, and Mr Russell concurred, that he should lead the inquiry, that the Inspector of Police should follow, then Mr Russell, and finally the jury could put any questions they thought, fit. TLe Coroner said that he saw no objection to such h course being taken. Evidence was then called by Mr Stringer. Alfred Thomas Haiwood, farmer, Yaldhurst, father of Rose Florence Harwood, deposed that he last saw her alive on tlie morning r?f March 11 when leaving for the Islington picnic. The next he saw of deceased was her body at the Terminus Hotel on Monday morning last on the opening cf thf inquest. John Franks, hotalkecper at Yaldhnrst, father of Man* Ann Franks, deposed that lie last saw her alive on the morning of the picnic. Miss Jones was living with witness, and went with his daughter to attend the picnic. He saw their dead bodies after tlie accident. His daughter was twenty-eight year** old, and his adopted daughter was twenty-five. Herbert Knight Bowden, an employee at the Islington Works, gave similar evidence in connection with the infant Richard Bowden. T)r W. H. Symes deposed that he had made an examination of the bodies of the deceased. There were very few marks of external violence on the bodies. In the case of the infant.there was no breach of the skin or broken bones. Death was probably due to shock. In the case of Miss Harwood he thought that death liad resulted from concussion of the brain. In the cases of Miss Jones and Miss Franks he thought that there was fracture of the skull Charles Ernest Fisher, contractor at the Islington Works, and secretary to the Picnic Committee, deposed that he saw the firstexcursion train leave Ashburton oh the evening of the accident. He was about the last to board the second train at Ashburton. He did not notice the hour of the departure. Immediately after leaving, he was informed that the. guard in charge of the traiii had been left, behind. He ■referred to the senior minr<j. He asked his informant. Lachlan "M'Kinnon, to find the second guard and send him back to the guard's van. The guard returned very quickly to the van, and said that he had to attend to the tickets. Witness impressed strongly on the guard the necessity for tiiking ereat care, and pointed out that the speed of the train was too fast. One of the Picnic Committee, P. Chapman, undertook the work of inspecting the tickets in order that tlie guard might devote himself entirely to the work of conducting the train. Witness then saw the guard consult some document in the van. whicli he took to hp regulations regarding fines for unpunctualitv. Witness asked a committeeman named Yin cent Fit/.patrick to assist at the brakes, and also not to allow any people to come into the van from the train. A number of them were very curious on account nf what had happened to the senior guard. Witness then went up the train reassuring the people. He did not remember passing Chertsey Station. Tt struck witness that the train was travelling rather fast ; the oscillation was very ereat. On approaching; Rakaia. he saw a "inn nt the side of the line holding n, light. Witness had his back towards Rakaia. and therefore could not see the colour of the light. The atmosphere was dark and murk-*-, immediately after the li«**li. was passed, there was a' rumble as if the train was passing over a culvert. The signaller was standing at a considerably lower level than the line. On examining the ground since the accident, he had seen a hollow about this place. At the time he saw the signal, he looked out and saw snarks emitted from the wheels of the van. wliich ho took to be caused by thf application of the brakes. The train was still going fairly fast ; he had not noticed any alteration in speed. It was between Chertsey and Rakaia that he had first bocame alarmed at tiie speed. To Mr Russell : The train went out of A«hburton Station at nn unusual speed ; he had some difficulty in boarding his carriage. A very stron?. south-west gale was blowing. The Ashburton Stationmnster told witness that there was a delay in starting on accounl of a derailed truck. Shortly after starting, nn attempt was made to distribute toys in the carriages to the children, and witness himself tried to do so. but the oscillation was such tliat they thought it was unsafe *•« pass from carriage to carriage. The train went vast the light near Rakaia very quickly, and witness heard no whistling. He was standing on a carriage platform with his back to the engine. There was an interval between the passing of the light and the collision, but lie was not sure of its duration Vincent Fitzpatrick, butcher, employed at the Islington Works, deposed that' he was on board the second excursion train leaving Ashburton. Witness was in the guard's van when the junior guard, Burrows, returned to it after hearing that

his senior had been left behind. Mr Fisher had requested witness to stay in the van and keep people out. Mr Stringer here said that he thought the driver of the traiii ought to be in Court at this stage of the proceedings. Mr Fisher said that both the driver and the guards considered that they should be admitted. The Coroner authorised their admission. The witness, continuing, stated that during the run he saw the guard leaning off the platform and swinging a green light up and down. He was not sure whether this was before or 'after passing Chertsey. He asked the guard what this meant, and received the reply that it meant "go slow ■and stop at next stopping, place." The guard requested him to put on the brake, which had not been applied before this. The guard did not apply the brake at all while witness was in the vain. Witnessgave the brake two or three turns, and tho guard looked in iand said that was right. Witness felt the brake grip, and held fast to it, and pulled with all his strength. This happened aftej* passing Chertsey. He continued to hold on to the brake till the collision occurred, and afterwards. He could not remember the interval between thei 'application of the brakes and the collision. He saw a mam Avith a light at the side of the line near Rakaia. The guard said it was a man who had come up to stop the train. At no time during the run did the guard apply the brake himself. Witness. was perfectly sober, and he did not notice the slightest appearance of intoxication about the guard. The guard said that after signalling h. sometimes failed to "get them." The guard was somewhat excited. Witness saw the Chertsey stationmaster standing on the platform with a green light. By Mr Russell : Witness was one of the committeo who had charge of the toys, and soon after leaving Ashburton had been prevented from distributing them on account of the oscillation. The train ran much faster than in coming up, and the passengers remarked on it. The train passed the light at Rakaia at a great speed, notwithstanding the fact that the brakes were applied, and thero seemed to be no perceptible difference after their -application.' , By Mr Fisher: He noticed no effect on tha) van > or grinding, or on the train, a-fter the aplication of the brake. Lachlan M'Kinnon, an employee at the Islington Works, deposed that he was on the second train. The clock at the Ashburton station just before starting pointed _ to a minute or so before 6.30 p.m. He saw the senior guard make an attempt to get on to his van; he seemed to make a grab and miss the van. There was a great crowd of people on the platform at the time. Witness, who was a member of the Picnio Committee, immediately went in search of the other guard, and after appearing disinclined to believe witness, he returned to his van. Witness here noticed that the train was going a good deal faster than ordinary speed. On approaching Rakaia he saw a man on the line with a light. At .his time witness was near the middle of the train, looking towards Rakaia. He could not say what colour the light was, nor at what speed tlie train was then travelling, or whether it had slowed down. The guard, Buitoavs, was perfectly sober ; he waß somewhat excited Avhen Avitness spoke to him about the other guard. Witness had seen and conversed Avith the senior guard about two hours before the departure of the train, and he appeared to be perfectly sober. By Mr Russell: Witness, on the train leaving Ashburton, was on the platform of the carriage next the guard's van. The guard was standing three or four yards away from the van, and the next witness saw of him was making a grab at the van. The train Avas moving very quickly. The guard appeared to be perfectly sober at the time. Jesse Thomas Parsons, station-master at Ashburton, deposed that it rained heavily and. incessantly at Ashburton on the day of the accident, and there was a heavy southAvest Avind. The first excursion train left Ashburton on the return trip at its due time, namely, 6.5 p.m. The train consisted of two engines, thirty carriages and a guard's van. The carriages were a^l well filled. The second train was timed to leave at 6.15. It consisted of one engine, fifteen carriages and a guard's van. The carriages were Avell filled, and it Avould be just about half the weight of the first train. This second train left the Ashburton platfcfrm. at 6.35, or twenty minutes late. The delay Avas caused by two Avheels of the van going off the line at a siding. He did not knoAV the cause of this. Guards always gave the signal for the train to 'start, and had to stand Avhere they could be seem by the driver. The signal consisted in bloAving a whistle and extending the hand. Witness saw Guard Cliinpson give the signal. Ho took the Avord from witness. Witness could not say Avhere the guard was standing relatively to the train. OAving to his attention being" taken up with passengers. The platform was croAvded. more especially under the verandah. Witness Saw Clilhpson fail to get on the train. It was due to the obstruction of people, Avho wero intoxicated, and trying to get on to the train. There was nothing in tho guard's condition to Avarrant the slightest suspicion of intoxication in him. Witness saw the driver, Carter, shortly before the train started, and h. also was, in witness's judgment, quite sober The first train was timed to arrive at Rakaia at 6.47, and to leave at 6.52. The second train Avas '.imed to arrivo at Rakaia at. 6. 57, five minutes after the first left, and leave at 7.2 p.m. Witness endeavoured to adA'iso the Chert-

sey statvmmaster that the guard had been lei. behind, but failed to get him. He sent a message to Rakaia, whicli duly went through. His object in sending this messago Avas to prevent anxiety as to what .had become of the guard. He felt no auixiety for the train, knoAving that fhere was another man in charge. The crowd on the platform contained a number of intoxicated people. It would be the guard's duty to work from the engine end of the train, and prevent peoplo getting on Avhile it was in motion, and it avos in performing this duty that he vraa obstructed. The guard made eA'ery effort to get on the train, hut failed. The train Avent out of the station quicker than usual. That was natural, on account of the delay in starting. . Guard Climpson picked up the express later on. By Mr Russell: The driver had crossings to make, and every minute of delay meant ■detaining the doAvn Christchurch train at Eakaia to a corresponuing extent. The guard had hold of the stanchion, but Avas pushed away by tho obstructing people. Even if the train had left the station at the I usual pace, he Avould not have been able to get on. There were drunken passengers about. By Mr fisher : Witness could only have stopped the tram by communicating with the next station. The train left faster than usual. He could not say why ; that rested "with the driver. He preferred to see a train •arrive and leave a station quickly, to prevent people trying to get off and on while the train was in motion. By a Juryman ■ The next telegraph office to Ashburton was Chertsey, tAvelve miles away. Witness endeavoured to get Chertsey within five minutes after tlie departure of the train, but failed, and gob Rakaia. His clerk did the calling By Mr Stringer : The driver was XindeT »o obligation to make up lost time, but it "eyas his duty to make up as much time as be ••could, irith due regard to the maximum speed allowed. He would not have been blamed, "by tho Department Imd he failed to mako -up the lost time on this occasion, so long as -he did not lose time unnecessarily. Had he been successful in getting Chertsey on the Avires, he Avould have informed the iS tatioiunaster oi the gward having been left behind, imd left it to his discretion whether or not he stopped the train to reassure the people. At 1 p.m. the inquest Avas adjourned cill 2,p.ui. ?l'he inquest Avas resumed at 2 p.m, tConstablo Joseph Stanley, f of Rakaia., deposed that he avos dt the Rakaia railway station at the time of the accident. He did not actually see the collision. He assisted in removing tho injured and ihe dead from the v/reckage. _J,e saw 1 the four bodies which Avere subsequently removed 6o Christchusc-ch. Thero Avere eighteen injured, some of whom "were removed to the hotel and some were taken into the station 'building. I/cuis _iaxrve]l C-ordner --cteposod that after the accident he attended to fourteen tor fifteen persons avlig were severely injure., and to four ol* five others Avhowere only slightly injured. The severe injuries Avere chiefly fractures, crushings and dislocations. He was the only medical man present at the scene of the resident, until about 10.50 2>.m., when the train arrived from Ashburton with other doctors. W. V. Phiele, senior clerk at Ashburton, deposed that the second excursion train left Ashburton at '6.35 p.m. The platform a«is •crowded. He saAV Guard Climpson endeaA'ouring to catch the train Avhen it started, nnd he came to Avitness's office and reported himself Avithin five minutes. Climpson was quite sober, nnd said 'that he was obstructed by the people on. the platform, and this prevented him from boarding the train. Witness had.. seen the drivers and guards of the] excursion train, during the day, including! Driver Carter, and -had not seen the slight-] est indication of their being intoxicated. He' had knoAvn Carter for twelve years, and Cnr-J ter was always regarded as a sober, trust-^ worthy man. "Witness's assistant had wired, to Chertsey, and, failing a reply, had wired to Rakaia. This "had beon done at once. i ~~~ — At the meeting of the Woolston School I Committee, on Tuesday evening, n. motion ; was passed expressing sympathy . with the sufferers by the _ailway_ catastrophe, nnd ■_ hope that „ searching inquiry might be made. At the meting -df the Oanterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association last evening, before the business was commenced, the President referred to thelate railway accident, and said that-as it occurred, in a sense, in connection with^one of' the leading freezing companies, Avhich were boimd up in the agricultural and pastoral interests, he thought • they should carry a resolution of sympathy. "He moved, Mr Gf. Rhodes seconded, and. "v, was carried— •-*' That this Association • wishes to tender its 'sincere sympathy to fhe friends of those Who lost their lives, =tuid also to those who 'have suffered irijurres through tlie recent railway accident ;at "Rakaia." . '