A RAILWAY FATALITY AT OWHARO. THE INQUEST,

Otago Witness, Issue 2525, 6 August 1902, Page 30

A RAILWAY FATA LITY AT OWHARO.

THE INQUEST,

The unfortunate man who was cut to pieces by a railway train on Friday night near Owhiro has been identified as John, Roys, 59 years of age, formerly a miner at Deep Stream, and latterly a rabbiter on Mr John N iehol' 8 run at Clark'h Junction. Hi» Budden end ha 3 closed the. last chapter in. a life somewhat remarkable for its vicissitude". John Rosk, more familiarly known aa Captain Ross 'for ho was captain of a. wnall vessel in the early days), was a native of Scotland, and had resided in the colony uninterruptedly for 25 year*. The storice of rich discoveries of gold in Central Otagoattracted him, and in 1877 he gave up his seafaring life for that of a miner, but for the pa^t 12 months he had be-en obliged to fo»"go mining, and earned his living as a. rabbiter. When the body was found it was almost impossible to identify the remains, as the unfortunate man had been literally cut to pieces; but the clue to the identity was afforded by a silver watch, upon which was the inscription : '" Presented to John. Ross by th© miners of the Deep Stream Amalgamated Hydraulic Sluicing Company, 21/6/01, for saving N. (Yegg's life." It seems that the deceased had been in Dunedin on Friday, and left for Allanton by th© 4.20 p.m train The guard of the train: told him, after leaving Mo-sgiel, that hia destination was two stations further on. Ross was then by himself in the carriage, and it is surmised he may have gone out on to th* platform after the train had passed Owhiro, and fallen off on to the line, probably rolling clear of the wheels, as no shock was felt on board the train. The first tram to pawi over the line after the 4.20 was one leaving Allanton at 6.10, but no shock was experienced by anyone on board this train The noxt was a goods train leaving Mo«giel at 8.40, and ju<-t after passing Owhiro theengine ran mer some obstruction. This v,a» reportod to the guard of another go<>ds train, ciosbing at Allanton, and he stopped his train to di -cover the reason The remains of the derf-aspd WPro then discovered, but thy body j\as go jbuoU out and wangled th&fr

th"» guard decided to send down a ran from Mosgiel, which was done, and the remains reached Mosgiel at 1 a.m. on Saturday. The deceased had no relatives in. the colony, bui was believed to have relations iii Scotland.

An inquest in connection with the death of John Ross, who was killed by a railway train «t Owhrro on Friday night, was held at the courthouse, Mosgiel, on Monday, before Mr C. C Gxaham, coroner. Mt J. Kennedy was chosen foreman of the j"ury. Mr J. F. M. Fraser appeared for the Railway Department, and Mr Duncan, stationmaster at Dunedin, was also present. James O'Donncll identified the watch produced as having belonged to John Ross, and the clothes at tli3 morgue as being those woip by John Ross. He identified the body. Peter Scott, railway guard, stated that he had >een in charge of the 4.20 p.m. train from Dun■edin to Balclutha on Friday. He first noticed the deceased after leaving Mosgiel. Deceased was then under the influence of drink, but not «o much so that he could not take care oi hijnfcelf. He was alone in the carriage. Witness told him, just after leaving Mosgiel, that his destination was two stations farther on. Witness had not noticed deceased get out at Owhiro. Thiee passengers left there, but witness had not noticed deceased leave the train then.

G-eorge Rouglman deposed to being in the «me carriage -as deceased, and having seen him drinking. ' James Patrick, fanner, stated that he had oeen on the same train at? deceased, and after "the -train had left Owhiro he saw the deceased standing about two chains on the Allanton side of the station, locking round as if in a dazed 'tjontlition.'., The train then passed on, leaving ■(leoeasecf standing there.

Thomas M'lveil, driver of the goods train leaving Mosgiel at 8.40 p.m., stated that after passing Owhiro he felt a shght jar on the engine as if running over something. He examined the lower gear of Ins engine at Allanton, end, seeirg something that looked like Iranian hair and some blood and pieces of flesh adhering to thf gearing, lie reported the matter to the guard of the up train crossing at Allanton.

Alfred Go?den, assistant gunrd of the up gcods train, deposed to having seen something on the rails near Owhiro, he having been instructed to keep a look-out, and when the train •was stopped and he went over, he found the object vrb the remains ot a man. He then went on to Mosgiel, and reported the matter, returning later with the constable, and assiEting to convey the remains to Mosgiel.

William Fox, assistant guard on the 420 p.m. train, stated that deceased had been, to all appearances, sober.

Constable Walton also gave evidence,

The Coroner eaid the evidence proved that deceased had been under the influence of liquor, but not sufficiently bo to warrant interference by officers of the Railway Department. The Jury returned a verdict of "Accidental d'ulh," no blame being attachable to anycue.