FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE RAILWAY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8686, 25 December 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE RAILWAY.

A fatal accident happened on tho 16th met. on the goods line at the Dunedin railway station to John Urquhart, a carpenter in the employ of the department. It appears that the deceased intended going to Balelutha by the 8 o'clock train to put up some tanks. He had placed a bag of provisions in the van, and went to one of the railway workshops to see about getting something Bent to Balclnthn. After leaving the workshop he walked along by the goods line on hißway tothe station. Someßhunting operations were being carried on at thn time, four waggmsbeing pushed in front of an engine from the passenger yard to the goods yard. When they approached near the station, the shunter, who was stationed on the front waggon, observed th'deceased about ISO yards away. As the latter did not appear to notice the waggons coming towards him, the nhunter shouted out to warn him of their approach. The deceased, however, continued on his way without taking any notice of the warning. The shunter R«aiu shouted out to him, and the engine sub-' sequently whistled. He, however, still took no notioe. but got on to the line and went to cross over a few ynrds in front of the leading waggon. Just hb he was crossing he looked rounii, and was almost immediately alterwards knocked down and ruuover. The front waggon severed his head from his body, which was shockingly mangled by all the waggons and the engine passing over it The deceased was a married man, 40 years of age, and leaveß a wife and four children. An inquest was held iv the afternoon, when the jury returned a verdict to the effect that tbo deceased was accidentally killed by being run OTOr by a railway weggon.