CARRIAGE ROOF TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 22629, 22 April 1937, Page 17

CARRIAGE ROOF TRAGEDY

MAN STRUCK PASSING OVERHEAD BRIDGE GLIftiSED UP FOR THRILL [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 21. The circumstances of the death of Thomas John Pool, aged 22, a motor driver, of Devonport, wore described at the inquest held before Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., coroner. Poolwas found dead on the roof of a carriage on an excursion train returning to Auckland from the Ngaruawahia regatta _ on March 20. and" later it was ascertained that he had been struck by an overhead bridge near Paefata. Alexander Hitchinson, guard of tlio train, said that when, the train was some distance out of the Alercer station n young man told him that a mend hail be'en “ smacked up.” Witness found Pool’s body lying on the platform of one of the carriages. He had seen four or five young men, including the deceased, at one of the intervening stations. They were not drunk, but were in a jovial mood from the effects of liquor. Their conduct, however, was quite in order and witness did not have occasion to speak to them about it. Raymond Kean said he had gone to the regatta in company with Pool and some other young men. They had taken about eight bottles of beer with them from Auckland, drinking it on the way to Ngaruawahia. Here they separated into parties, meeting again shortly before the train left for Auckland and having several drinks together. Shortly after the train left Mercer, the deceased asked witness to go on top of the carriage with him 4 to get a thrill.’ The deceased climbed on to the roof. He had not flfcturned within about 20 minutes, so witness climbed up to look for him. It was dark, and witness found him on the roof of the carriage. Pool seemed to be dead, so witness went down to the platform to get help. Reginald Clifford Tapp, another member of the party, said he was in the carriage when Kea'n told him that Pool was lying on the roof dead. Witness went up and brought the body down.

The coroner found that death had been caused by a fracture of the skull received while the deceased was riding on top of a carriage.