FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9774, 22 March 1895, Page 5

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

[BT TKLKGKAPR. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Wellington, Thursday. Mr. John R. Harpkr, agent at Palmerston North for the Singer Sewing Machine Company, was run over by the Manawatu train, to-night, and killed. It happened as the train was leaving Johnsonville station, Harper being a passenger for Palmerston. It is believed he was seized with a fit and fell underneath the carriage. His body was fearfully mutilated. < lb is nob very clear how the accident to Harper happened. All that is known is that just as the train was moving out of the station the guards' van came in contact with something which, on the train being Stopped, was found to be the body of deceased, lb is surmised that he had got out on to the platform at Johnsonville, and in attempting to board the train while in motion fell under the train. About a fortnight ago Harper was promoted to the position of general superintendent of the Singer Company in New Zealand. He was a widower, about 40 years of age, and loaves four young children.

4 , Ur/NEDW, Thursday. William McAuliffe, son of the manager of the Port Chalmers (las Works, was killed last evening. He was playing with other boys on the side of a hill, and just as the train Was approaching he started to run down, another boy following him. MoAuliffe was unable to stop himself, and ran against the cowcatcher of the engine. He was thrown .some distance. His skull was completely fractured, death being instantaneous. The jury at the inquest returned a verdict of accidental death, no blame being attachable to anyone.