FALL FROM RAILWAY BRIDGE

Otago Witness, Issue 3584, 21 November 1922, Page 63

FALL FROM RAILWAY BRIDGE

Iwo ladies, named Mrs Edith Bunce, of Dunedin, and Miss Daisy Wilson, of Evansflale, met with an “accident in the neighbou rhoed of Evansdale about 10.30 a.hi. on Monday, 13th inst., and received very serious injuries, so serious, indeed, that it resulted in the death of Miss Wilson at the Dunedin Hospital about 6.30 the same evening. From what can be gathered, the* two ladies, who are neither of them young, were walking along the railway line in the direction of Wuitati, and when on the railway bridge near Evansdale were overtaken by a light engine returning to town from Seacliff. '1 he height of the bridge above the. road beneath is variously estimated at from 17ft to 30ft, and so far as can be ' leaned the ladies took fright on seeing the approaching train and either jumped or fell from the bridge to the road below. It is stated that the engine did nn! touch them arid was pulled up just at, the spot where the ladies left the bridge. The sleepers of the bridge are too close together for the ladies to have fallen through, and it seems evident that they must have slipped or jumped over the edge of the bridge. They were brought lo town by ambulance and taken to the -uospital, where is was found they were suffering from serious bruising and shock. An inquest was held on Wednesday into the circumstances surrounding the death of Miss Daisy Wilson, who fell from a railway bridge near Evansdale on Monday, morning, and died in the Dunedin Hospital the same evening. Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., sitting as coroner, conducted the proceedings, the police being represented by Senior-sergeant Mathicson. and the Railway Department by Mr IT. Coop. Peter Alexander Nesbit Wilson, a labourer and a brother of the deceased, said she was a single woman, 57 years of age lie last saw her on Monday morning. when she left in company with Mrs Bunce to attend the jubilee celebrations of the church at Warrington. In reply to questions by the magistrate, witness said it. was a common practice for the residents of the district to use the railway track in preference to the road, which was very rough. People who went to Warrington for weekends also used tho track for cycling. . Evidence was also given by Dr Perry (hospital house surgeon), George R. Seder (engine driver), and John Connor ifirein an on the railway engine). . Mr Coop: 'I hat is quite so. your Worship. In giving his verdict, the coroner said that the evidence showed that there was absolutely no blame attachable to the driver or fireman or the department for the un- ! fortunate fatality which had occurred. The | deceased had no right on tile bridge, and. although it was apparently used to some | extent by foot passengers and others, they were in the position of trespassers. It was not quite clear how the deceased fell from the bridge, but it was a reasonable inference that, the two women became so excited by the approach of the engine that they were unable to take any rational measures to avoid the threatened danger. They could have done so either by retracing their steps towards Waitati or by taking hold of the supports on tlm side of the bridge Tliey evidently became flustered, and while rushing about they fell through between the railwav track and the trestles, with tho result that the decease,) received fatal injuries. His finding was tint death was due 1 to shock and the general effect on the nerj vous system caused by the injuries received | through falling from the bridge while trvI mg to escape an approaching railway cni gino.