INQUESTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14355, 27 October 1908, Page 8

INQUESTS.

—: 1— (Per Unhid Press Association.) NAPIER, October 26. An inquest was held to-day touching the death of Mrs Phyllis Urooke, barmaid at the Criterion Hotel, who was dragged by a horso on Sunday and fatally injured". Sir Brabant (coroner) returned'a verdict of "Accidental death." It transpired that deceased's liusband had met a similar death in tho hunting field. OLENORE RAILWAY FATALITY. (From Otin Miltox Cokresfoxdent.) MILTON, October 26. An inquest was held at the Glonorc Hotel on tho body of Laehla.ll M'Donakl, who was killed on the railway line at Glcnoro on Saturday. Mr VV. Moore, J.P., acted as coroner, and tho jury coinprised Messrs John Clymer (foreman), John Mills, John Serplos, C. V. Watkins, Norman . Campbell, and John Janice Sims. Mr Pringle (stationmastcr at Waitahuna) Watched tho case on behalf of the department, and Constable MacKae represented the police. John Serplcs identified the body as that of Lachlan M'Donakl, a resident"of Glcnoro. He last saw him alive on Friday morning. October 23, and he was then iii liis usual spirits. Ho had been in tho habit of walking on the railway line, and he (witness) had often warned deceased that he should not go on the railway line as it wa-s dangerous for him, he being deaf. Robert Findlay (engine-driver) said when rounding the curve past the Glcnore Hotel he noticed a man on tho line in a looping position, lie immediately shut ol!' steam and applied the Wcstinghouse brake to "emergency." The train was pulled up in half its own length, but the man had been knocked oil' the line bv the cowcatcher. Tho train was travelling at about 18 iflilcs an hour, and it was ira-

possible for him to see the man any sooner owing to the curve in the line and the trees at the side. To the Foreman: There were no signs of drink whatever on deceased when they carried him to the Glcnore Hotel. George Ellis (fireman) corroborated the evidence of the driver. Deceased had no signs of licjuor on him. Artlius John Lown (yuard) said when bis attention was drawn to the sudden application of 'the Wcstinghouso brake to " emergency" ho jumped off the train and saw a man lying at the side of the rails, and when he got up to him ho was just giving his last breath. The train pulled up in half its own length. The Acting Coroner said that the jury would have no difficulty in coming to their decision, and without retiring the jury returned a. vcvtlict that " Deceased was killed accidentally by the Lawrence train, no blamo being attachable to anyone."