INQUEST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1594, 31 March 1873, Page 3

INQUEST.

♦ An inquest was held at the Canterbury Hotel, Ly ttelton, on Saturday afternoon before W. S. Coward, Esq., coroner, on the body of John Stevens, who was killed on Thursday night in the Ly ttelton tunnel by the railway engine. Inspector Pender was present and conducted the proceedings. The jury having been enipannelled, Mr H. j J. A. Perrin was chosen foreman. The body having been viewed the following evidence was given : — j Robert Martindale, tunnel inspector, I know the deceased. He was working as a miner in the tunnel. ' On Thursday nights there is a special late train from and to Christchurch. On these nights the staging is cleared away by the men, and they all leave the tunnel by half -past ten o'clock. Two miners are told off to keep watch at both ends of the tunnel so as to prevent persons from entering it until the trains shall have passed. These men are told to remain outside the tunnel, and on no account to enter it until the train had passed. On the night of the 20th the deceased was ordered to take one of these positions — that at the Heathcote end. He had instructions from the leading miner to remain outside, and to put his candle, which he carried lighted, alongside of the wall and away from the engine so as not to give it any signal. The engine arrived at its proper time, went to port and returned, and as soon as the engine had passed on to Chriatchurch the trucks were again put in, and some of the miners who were pushing in a truck saw the deceased's candle burning, and on making a search they saw the deceased's body. I was sent for, and found the man was dead. I sent information to Sergeaut-majoi* Barshain, and afterwards put the body on a truck and brought it to the Lyttelton end of the tunnel. Here the sergeant and Dr Macdonald met me, and the body was afterwards taken to the place where it now is. By Inspector Pender : The deceased I know had special instructions that night not to go into the tunnel until the train had passed and come through. My opinion is that the deceased being hot on coming out of the tunnol (for the work makes the men warm), and feeling chilled went into the tunnel to a place near where he was found. From examination of the spot, I believe the deceased sat down, and being drowsy rested his head on his hands and knees, and fell off to sleep. Startled by the near approach of the train, ho made an attempt to rise, and bent forward in so doing, and his head was caught by the step of the engine, and he was killed. Had the deceased sat still he would have been safe," as there was plenty of room for the engine to pass him. The distance from the rails to the wall is three feet. I sent up a man to examine the engine, and he found blood on the step of the engine. I traced blood for 28 feet along towards Lyttelton from where the body lay. The brains were scattered over the walls of the tunnel. By Foreman : The deceased was struck by | the 'engine as it came into Port. The right arm was broken. He was sitting on the left side of the tunnel as you come from Christchurch. John Fenton, miner : I know the deceased. He worked in the tunnel with me on Thursday night. The miners all left at half -past ten. The deceased was ordered to get his tea ! and go outside the tunnol, and remain there until the special train from Christchurch to Port and back had passed. I saw the deceased

go to his post ; he had a lighted candle. He had strict orders to remain outside the tunnel. He had been at work about eight weeks, and he was a strictly temperance man. I saw him with the other miners after the train had come through to Christchurch, and we were returning to our work j he was lying down dead. This was about two chains inside the tunnel ; he had been sitting down. By Inspector Pender : It was quite plain to see where he had been sitting. By Foreman : It was a fine starlight night. By a Juror : It is the custom to give each man the duty of watching, and they all have the same caution. I may have to watch next. Inspector Pender stated that he had examined the engine, and found the step of it covered with blood. The Foreman said he had asked the question relative to the weather on account of it being in Port on that night very misty, and he thought it might have rained and the deceased might have gone into the tunnel for shelter. He considered some provision should be made for a shelter for the man who had to watch. Mr Martindale said there was no provision against the weather, neither was there any room to erect a sentry-box. Ho might state, however, that, in future, two men would be appointed to the duty of watching, and that he had arranged with the leading miner to have the watch kept at the upper end of the cutting, away from the tunnel". The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death." The funeral of the unfortunate deceased took place yesterday afternoon at the Wesleyan Cemetery, Christchurch. A special train, provided by the railway authorities, left Lyttelton at 3.20 p.m., with the body and a large number of friends. They were joined, on their ai-rival in Christchurch, by other friends of the deceased. The flags in port were flying half-mast high, in token of respect.