DISTRESSING KAIL WAY ACCIDENT,

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 38

DISTRESSING KAIL WAY ACCIDENT,

ONE "WOMAN KILLED. THREE OTHERS SERIOUSLY INJURED. KELSON, February 1. A serious railway accident occurred at | a cro'sing near Appleby Station at 12.20 ' to-day. ! The train to Nelson was approaching the crossing when the. Nelson-Motueka coaoh, duven by Charles Bnchlands, attempted to I cross in front. The horses had cleared the I lads, when tho engine, crashed into the forepart of the coach, which was smashed ' to pieces. | There were three passengers by the I coach, and one of them — Mrs Tilbury, wife of Mr A. J. Tilbury, of Hutt— was killed ' instantly, her body beinsr terribly mangledSbe~evidently was thrown through the side ! of the coach, and the wheels of the engine | passed o-\er her body. Both legs were i severed from the trunk. I Her sister, Miss Susan Walters, was [ thrown clear of the train, and is suffer ins ' fiom shock and bruises. It is not antici- | pated her injuries will prove serious. Miss Fittall. daughter of Mr Alfred Fittall, of Richmond, was seated on tho .box, and she also fell clear of the train, but Buffered a broken thigh. The driver of the ooaoh (Brk-hlands) Tva* picked uo unc.on3c.ioua from the ruins of the vehicle. H« was seriously injured anternallv and is in a critical condition. The dead and injured were placed on tho train and brought on to Nelson, where the latter were taken to tbe hospital. The view both, ways at the crossing is not obstructed bj trees, and it is difficult to understand why the coach^driver, a careful man, who ie accustomed to the road, failed io see the train, approaching 1 . The coach is in the custom, of crossing tbe line J

some time before tho train reaches that place, but owing to the annnersary holiday the tiain ariaiigcments to-da^ wore altered, and probably Buchlands was, not aware of the change. He is not yet able to give any account of the matter.

Mr and Jiirs Xiii^ury were on a holiday visit to Nelson, and Mr Tilbun was following the coach on a bic\c!e.

February 2. Those injured in vesterda^ 's coach accident are making fa\ourable progress, though tho condition of the driver (Brichlands) is still -^erv serious. The inquest wai= opened this morning on the body of Mrs Tilbury, and after formal e\idence was taken it was adjourned till the 13th.