KILLED BY TRAIN

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 149, 23 March 1928, Page 7

KILLED BY TRAIN

INQUIRY INTO PETONE FATALITY An inquest on Samuel McWilliams, a chemist, who was killed at P, e J u . 11P ,. on the night of March 15, was held before tiie Coroner, Mr. E. Page. S.M., yesterday. Senior-Sergeant Butler (Wellington South Police) conducted the inquest, and Mr. M. Vance (traffic inspector) watched proceedings on behalf of the Railway Department. ~ ~ , Charles Philip Dolbel said that on March 15 he was a passenger on the 10.55 p.m. train from Waterloo to Wetlington. He boarded the train at Woburn. and was standing on the Jetthand side of the platform of one of the carriages. Just as the train had started and was going at a fair speed, witness saw a man attempt to noaid a carriage. He was running along the platform attempting to open a gate. He then disappeared. He was carrying a small brief bag. Evidence was given by Mrs. Rbona Milne, Victoria Street. Petone, who said she knew deceased nnd that lie '’ a(l , vls ', ed her house on the night of March 15, remaining there with witness and her husband until 10.45 p.m., wben he left to catch a train to Wellington. Deceased was quite sober when be tetr. Daniel Patrick Diggins, driver of the train, and Ernest John Askew, guai I. said that they noticed nothing outoi the ordinary when leaving Petone an I heard nothing of the accident until their arrival at Lambton. • Boy J. Young, a porter at Petone, gave evidence to the effect that while he was on duty at the Petone station the Waterloo train left for the city. As the train was pulling out he heard one of the rear cars bumping He wa’ke along the line and on the south end of tlie platform found a man lying across the down track. He was badly niuti lated. Witness sent for a doctor and for the police. He did not see the man lumping aboard the train. Constable G. E. King (Petone) also g!i in bringi'ng’in a finding that deceased wits Accidentally killed at Petone while endeavouring to board a train , was then in motion, the Coroner remaiked that the occurrence sprve “„_ t P „1/ phasise the danger of endeavourin o to board moving trains.