TRAGEDY ON THE SOUTH EXPRESS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 13949, 4 January 1906, Page 8

TRAGEDY ON THE SOUTH EXPRESS.

A SAD AFFAIR. It was reported in town yesterday afternoon that a young woman had fallen from the . platform of a carriage on the Late express from Dunedin on Tuesday night, when the train was about three miles south of Studholme. A young man who was in the same carriage with her stated that she left the compartment, saying she was unwell, and stood on the platform. Almost immediately he felt a jolt, and, going out to make inquiries, he found that the young lady had disappeared. He states that she boarded the train at Oamaru. He could not communicate with the guard until the train reached Timaru, and an inspection showed that there was blood on the couplings. The guard, who was changing trains, and going back south, said he would look out for traces of the woman where the accident was supposed to have occurred. An inspection of the young lady’s belongings seemed to show that her name was Robertson, and that she was a dressmaker. The police at Christchurch received a telegram yesterday afternoon stating that the body, very much mutilated, had been found near Willowbridge, and near it the fully-developed body of a male child. Investigations made at the Christchurch Railway Station by Detective Mitchell showed that the cleaners had found nothing but a little vomit on one of the carriage platforms. A later telegram received by In-' specter Gillies states that the body has been identified as that of a Miss Robertson, a young woman, belonging to Temuka. [Per Press Association.] TIMARU, January 3. An accident of a distressing nature hanpened at 2.30 a.m. to-day, when Mies J. Robertson, dressmaker, ofTemnka, fell off the midnight train from Dunedin to Christchurch, and was killed. Deceased boarded the train at Oamaru, when it was noticed by the other passengers in the same carriage that she looked very ill. Near Studholme she took off _ her hat and cloak, and went outside on the carriage platform. There it is thought she was taken ill. The passengers felt the carriage jolt, and finding that she was missing informed the guard. It was then ascertained that she had fallen between the carriages, and had been cut to pieces. When picking up the remains, the body of a fullymatured male child was found with them. [Per Press Association ] OAMARU, January 3. The woman who fell off the train near Willowbridge last night was Janet Robertson, dressmaker, aged thirtyfive, daughter of an old resident of Oamaru. She was employed in Temuka, and was returning there after a few days’ holiday hero. The inquest will be held at Studholme Junction.