WELSH RAILWAY SMASH.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17062, 5 February 1921, Page 9

WELSH RAILWAY SMASH.

♦ A TABLET BLTODEB. (By Association—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, February 3. At the inquest on the victims of the Abennule railway disaster, Ernest Rogers, aged 17 years, a porter at the Abermule station, gave evidence that he released the tablet permitting the express to enter the single line section from Newtown! to Abermule without informing the stationmaster, who directly afterwards started a slow train from Abermule towards Newtown by unwittingly handing back to the driver the tablet the latter had brought over from the preceding section, both failing to perceive the error. . The Traffic- Controller deposed to finding the fireman of the express wandering in a field, carrying two tablets. He was dazed, and unable to say where he found them. The witness assumed that the fireman, in jumping from the engine, took the tablet permitting him to travel, and the other tablet from the slow train was flung in his direction as a result of the collision. GROSS- NEGLIGENCE. (Received February 4th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, February 3. Lewis, stationmaster at Abermule, burst into tears when giving evidence' He said'he thought the boy who handed him the tablet from the slow train said "Take the tablet," whereas the boy declared he asked Lewis to change the tablet. When Lewis realised the terrible situation, he shouted to the signalman to drop the distance signal, but it was then too late. A verdict of negligence was returned against Lewis and the signalman Jones, and'of negligence and excess of duty against Rogers and a clerk named Thompson. The Coroner said the finding amounted to.a verdict of manslaughter against Lewis and Jones. (Received Februarv 4th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, February 3. The jury reconsidered their terdict, and decided that Lewis and Jones deserved the severest censure, but their negligence did not amount to manslaughter.