A DESPERATE JUMP FROM A TRAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5729, 29 March 1880, Page 6

A DESPERATE JUMP FROM A TRAIN.

A miraculous e3cape from instant death occurred on the Sth March, under the following circumstances :—Amongst the passengers in the Waikato train to Auckland was a gum-digger, named William Alexander Meller, who was considerably under the influence of drink. Constable Haddick, of Ngaruawahia, was also in the train. It appears that for some re»son, whether well or ill founded, Meller thought the constable wanted him, and he made up his mind for a desperate venture. After the train had passed Taupiri, and was in fall motion, Meller deliberately sprang off the platform. A considerable number of people noticed the extraordinary exit of the passenger, and at the next station (Huntley) Constable Haddick got out and walked back along the line to find, as he thought, the remains of the reckless fellow. He found him, sure enough, but he was not dead, although insensible. Where he jumped out thero was an embankment fifteen feet high, at the bottom of which there were about three feet depth of water. The constable found the man insensible in a most peculiar position. There was one solitary stump sticking out of the embankment, and against this Meller's body was caught midway and retained. Had this impediment not intervened he must inevitably have rolled into tho water and been drowned. The constable brought the reckless man back to Ngaruawahia by the night train. His only injuries are a sprain of the arm and some bruises to his face.