DEATH OF A GANGER.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 September 1928, Page 3

DEATH OF A GANGER.

CORONER’S VERDICT AT INQUEST The Coroner, Mr A. J. Graham, yesterday morning conducted an inquiry at 'the Courthouse, Palmerston North, into the circumstances surrounding the death of a railway ganger named William Sherlock, who died in the Public Hospital on September 7 following his jigger being run down by the Welling-ton-Auckland Express which was proceeding on the level stretch between Shannon and Tokomaru. ‘ Mr Ongley appeared for the A.S.R.S. and Mr Grant for the fireman of the train, Mr J. Connell. ! Mr J. J. O’Sheh represented the Railway Department. The first witness was John Muirhead,a railway guard, who gave evidence of identification. “ . Hoft the Accident Occurred. Peter.-Salter, in the box, stated that he was the / driver of the WellingtoaAucklandjthrough express on September 7. The train had left Thorndon about 2 p.m. The day had been'stormy but the express had been up to time on leaving Shannon. Witness had sounded the engine whistle when approaching the fiaxmill crossing near that tion, but after passing the crossing his' view had been obscured by the engine smoke which a head wind was blowing back on the cab. The train had been travelling at a high speedwhen sudden-; 1} V the smoke had lifted and witness had perceived a man on a velocipede some 150 yards ahead of the engine. The brakes had immediately been applied and the whistle sounded. The man om the jigger had appeared to get off, but it had been too late for him to escape clear. In witnesses opinion the man had be,en attempting to get the jigger off rails, and in doing so had lost his. life. The ganger might have caught his foot in his machine but witness had not had time to notice any details. As soon as witness had seen the jigger he had applied the emergency brakes and pulldd up in a train’s length. ' Witness had often seen jiggers on the mils, but the men invariably got them clear some time before the approach of trains. He knew the Railway Department did not encourage jiggers to be on the line during a period when a train was duo. ’ ~ , To the Coroner, witness stated his view had been obscured after leaving fhe flax mill crossing. Smoke Obscures View. To Mr Ongley, witness stated that, had it not been for the smoke blowing round the cab, he would undoubtedly have perceived the man on the jigger before approaching to within 150 yards ot him. Witness would nbt expect the man to hear the whistle under the circumstances. There had been a head wind and the 'jigger rider had his back towards the approaching train. To Mr O’Shea, witness stated that he was aware that there "was a depart-, mental regulation forbidding jiggers to' be on the lino at. a time when a train was immediately due. Medical Evidence. Dr Frank Ward, medical superintendent at the Palmerston North Public Hospital stated that deceased, Sherlock, had been admitted to hospital about 5 p.m. on the evening of the 7th. inst. Deceased had then been suffering from severe shock and complaining of abdominal pains. At 7.15 witness had again examined the injured man who then appeared very much worse. Previous to this Dr Forrest had seen deceased but had decided on the, evidence, that he would not operate. Owing to the sinking condition of deceased witness had later, consulted with Dr Forrest who had then decided to operate. Deceased had been suffering from a ruptured bladder, but the operation had been unable to prevent haemorrhage. He had died at 11.15 p.m. that evening as the result of shock and haemorrhage following the rupture. These injuries were consistent with deceased having been struck by a train.-. Fires Being Stoked. John Connell, fireman of the Auek-laml-Wellington express on the day in question, corroborated the evidence of the driver. He, personally, had not seen anything of the jigger until after the accident. Witness bad/ been stoking the fire and the first intimation of anything amiss had come from the engine driver, who had applied the emergency brakes. The train had pulled up in its own length, and witness had got out and-picked up the injured man. Ho had asked him if he had heard the approaching train and had received what he had taken to be a negative shake of the head. In reply to Mr Grant, witness stated that the stoking of the fires would increase the volume of smoke coming from the engine. Caught in Jigger. The guard on the train, Arthur Standen, stated that deceased, Avhcxi picked up, had not appeared to consider himself badly hurt. Deceased had told witness that he had not seen the train until it was too late to escape cleay. The injured man had further informed witness that, ho had endeavoured to clear himself‘of the jigger, but his leg had caught in the handle of the machine. , Witness had not been advised that a jigger was on the line ahead—the onus was on the, gangers to keep clear during the time a train was due. • Laurepce Gordon Archer. Christie, a mechanic residing in Shannon, stated that on the day in question, ho had been proceeding along the Kingston road at a time when the WellingtonAuckland express had been approaching. He had heard the engine whistle when nearing thc. flaxnull crossing and then again after passing the crossing. This second whistle had surprised witness, who had seen a man on the rails endeavouring apparently to free himself from something. . Witness could not see, exactly what the object on the .linnet was, but deceased appeared-to be trying hard to either rcmovo.it <jr get. .clear. He corroborated the evidence of the previous witnesses with regard to badr:visibility, owing to the-smoke.

and rain. He had seen the train strike deceased, and had asisted in obtaining lie Ip for the injured man who had been thrown over a fence into'a paddock beside the line. Frederick Win. Wilboy, a flax- worker residing in Shannon, stated that he also had begn an eyewitness of the accident. He corroborated the evidence of the previous'witness. , This concluded the evidence. Onus on the Ganger. The Coroner returned a. verdict according to the medical evidence, that the deceased, William Sherlock, died at Palmerston North on September 7 a;-: the result of shock and haemorrhage' following a rupture of the bladder. “In this case, I must accept the statement of the driver that the weather conditions were such as to cause the engine smoke to obscure a,, clear view, of the line; in addition othor witnesses corroborate this,” said Mr Graham. “It would appear that immediately 'after' the smoko lifted, the driver observed a jigghr 150 yards ahead. He immediately blew the whistle and applied the brakes. It further ( appears that when .deceased .heard the whistle, the train was almost on him, and he had not time to get clear. It also seems, from the regulations, that the _ onus, is. on the ganger—he should not be in the vicinity at a time* when a train is due. n