Further Particulars.

Hastings Standard, Issue 441, 2 October 1897, Page 3

Further Particulars.

AN EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRED CK. THREE DEATHS RESULT. OTHERS SERIOUSLY" INJURED. Accki-and, This day. A most lamentable railway accldc-at occurred last night at the Custom street railway crossing at 10.20 p.m. As the train to Onehunga was leavthe station a Ponsouby 'bus belonging to the Tramw ay Company, driven by a mail named W. Ness, which had been ■waiting to pick up passengers after the performance of the I* lying Jordans, endeavored to cross the line. It is said by some that the vehicle ■was forced on to the line by the pressure behind. At all events the driver does not appear to have either heard the whistle of the approaching train or observed it. The engine struck the fore part of the "bus, throwing it almost parallel with the rails and cutting into one of the fore wheels, throwing those on the box scats just in front of the train. The force of the impact caused the other horses to swerve away from the line. That caused some of occupants on the box to fall upon the railway engine. Assistance was at once procured and the injured persons were conveyed to the hospital, where it was ascertained that their names were Thompson, Leys (son of the editor of the Star), William Ness (driver), Chas. Akast, Jas. E. Parkin, Hal. Holmden, j. Osborne and Bechre. At the hospital Drs Baldwin, Challaner, Purchas, Girdlar, Curtis and Marsack were speedily in attendance and all that was possible was done. In the case of young Leys, v. ho was fourteen years old, it was seen from the outset that the case was hopeless. His injuries consisted of a fracture of the skull. A deep scalp wound had mercifully rendered him unconscious. He died shortly after his admission to the hospital. W. Ness, the driver, who had left the hospital but a few months ago, was found to have a very bad fracture of the skull. The lad Charles Akast had his hand cut off and his legs so severely injured that it was found necessary to amputate both legs and one arm. He died a few hours afterwards. J. E. Parkin has suffered severe wounds in the scalp, but he was able to walk to the ward with the assistance of a nurse.

The lad Holraden, one of the Grammar School boys, it was found necessary to detain, he having suffered a wound on the head, and his leg being cut to the bone. The two last named cages are not, however, regarded as hopeless. The two prior named were looked upon as very dangerous from the first. As the news of the accident spread those who had friends in town expected by the 'busses leaving about the time of the accident flocked to the Hospital to make enquiries. It the course of time a large number of cabs arrived, bearing enquirers. As the injured were attended they were carried into an improvised ward close to the operating room, to which beds were brought. The anguish of the relatives who found those they sought in the bands of the medical men was most pitiful to witness. Bechre, who is an expressman, was slightly injured and was taken home in a cab. Ness, the bus driver, died at three o'clock this morning. Osborne, who was a bus driver, was also in the bus but was not seriously hurt. The driver of the train, Howardson, interviewed after the return of the train from Onehunga at half-past 11 staleii-ihat when the signal was given fora.be train to start the line as far as cotnd be seen ahead was perfectly clear. No vehicle appeared to be approaching the rails. At the crossing the whistle was blown. The train was steaming out at the rate of about four or five miles an hour when the collision took place. Neither he nor the tireman saw anything of the omnibus until the engine was quite close. The fireman. George Hill, corroborated the statements i 1 ' L\ the engine-driver. He k&i g appeared all clear uutil «. 1 denly shot across the .. i ae Collision occurred.