FALL OFF BRIDGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23123, 23 August 1938, Page 8

FALL OFF BRIDGE

RAILWAYMAN'S DEATH UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES r SEEN STANDING IN CREEK [BY TELEGRAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENT] TAUMARUNUI, Monday A tablet porter at the Taringamotu railway station, Mr. James Campbell Sharp, aged 35, lost his life in unusual circumstances yesterday morning. Mr. Sharp spent Saturday night in Taumarunui at a private party. He left at 1.30 a.m. yesterday and is presumed to have set out to walk along the railway line to his hut at the Taringamotu railway station, carrying parcels. It is thought that while crossing a bridge with no handrails spanning a creek running into the Ongarue River, half a mile south of Taringamotu and two miles from Taumarunui, Mr. Sharp tripped and, hampered by his parcels, fell to the creek, 30ffc. below, his head striking a post in the fall. Two brothers, aged 12 and 10 years respectively, were walking along the railway line at seven o'clock yesterday morning to attend church at Taumarunui, and when crossing the bridge saw a man's hat on the bank of the creek. They then saw Mr. Sharp standing in the creek with water to his hips and holding his head with his hands. The boys became alarmed and hastened to Taumarunui, where they attended church. On returning homo the boys informed their father of what they had seen. The father went immediately and found Mr. Sharp's body lying face down in the water about a chain further down the creek.