STRUCK BY RAILWAY ENGINE

Evening Star, Issue 23564, 1 May 1940, Page 4

STRUCK BY RAILWAY ENGINE

, A FARMER'S DEATH The adjourned inquest touching the death of William Simpson, aged 09, married, a fanner, of Middlemnfch, who died in the Dunedin Public Hospital on April 6, was concluded this morning before Mr J. 11, Bartholomew, S.M., sitting as coroner. For the police the procoeings were conducted by. Sergeant T. Johnston, while Mr K. J. Chapmah represented the Railways Department. The deceased met his death through being struck by an engine at the Middlemarch railway yards on April 4, and evidence was given by members of the train crew concerned, while Douglas Andrew Harvie, a farmer, of Moonlight, stated he saw the deceased jump from a loading stage and lose his balance right in front of the engine. Witness said he ran forward to try to assist deceased from the rails, tint before lie could do so he was struck by the engine, the front wheels of which passed over his legs. Evidence was also given by Harry Wells, who, when a member of the police force, interviewed the deceased prior to his death and while the latter was in the hospital. In astatement to Wells, the deceased said he did not see the engine coming towards him, and ho attached no blame to the train crew for his accident. The deceased really had no right to be where lie was on the line, stated the coroner, returning his verdict, but he had taken a short cut across the lines and was struck by the engine on the fireman’s side when the fireman was bnsv attending to his engine. Air Bartholomew returned a verdict that deceased died from gangrene at the Public Hospital on Anril C. following multiple injuries received when he was accidentally run over by a railway engine on April 4. «