OLD MAN'S DEATH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17027, 28 April 1923, Page 9

OLD MAN'S DEATH.

WALKED INTO TRAIN. On April 17 an old man, Thomas William Paul, stone deaf and nearly blind, walked into a special train conveying the General Manager of Railways to | the south. Paul sustained severe in- ! .juries, and though he rallied temporar- ! ily he died lour days later. The accident took place at the Antigua Street, j crossing. Paul was a single man, a ! gardener by occupation, and resided by | himself at Sydney Street. Spreydon. The inquest was concluded this morning before Mr LT. Y. Widdowson, S.M. The Railway Department was represented by Mr A. C. Truman, Traffic Inspector. William Popkin, a dairyman, said that he noticed an old man approaching the crossing from the south side near the fence. He thought that he would stop when he saw the crossingkeeper's flag, but he still went on. Then the crossing-keeper rushed forward and tried to save the old man, but he walked right into the train as it went bj’. The train pulled up suddenly. Paul was picked up two yards from the train line. The engine whistle had been sounded. Kenneth Finlayson, indent agent, deposed that he passed an old man fifty yards from the line. He was walking with his head down and did not seem to be taking notice of where he was going. Just after crossing the railway line the witness turned his head and saw' the crossing-keeper in the middle of the road shouting to the old man to keep back.,. The signalman also shouted and tried to prevent his passing. The Coroner asked whether the old man had jumped. The reason why he asked was that it had been said when evidence of identification had been given that the deceased was subject to delusions : that he thought someone was tormenting him ; and that if touched he wouid jump and think it was his tormentor. The witness said that the old man had not jumped. There was no negligence on the part of any of the railway officials. John Mullaney, the signalman, who was on duty at the crossing on the day when the accident occurred, said that after putting all the signals against traffic for the inspection tram to pass he turned and saw an old man nearing the rails. Something warned him that the old man was deal' and was in danger, so he shouted ‘’£>top!” .Imeaning out of the signal box window lie touched him on the shoulder. Ho turned slightly sideways and saw witness, and kept moving forward just as the front part of the engine was passing. The cylinder caught him and threw him about nine yards. The crossing-keeper was on the other side of the engine in the centre of the road. John Thomas Cox, the crossingkeeper, said that he had shouted to the old man he had seen approaching the oncoming engine. He took not the slightest notice. The signalman, when he leaned out of the window, could not get a proper grip of the old man’s shoulder and just touched him. The fireman on the inspection train, Muscliamp Osbert, also gave evidence. The Coroner said that the nephew had previously given evidence that the old man had been stone deaf for nearly fifty years, and his eyesight was bad owing to cataract. The evidence was quite clear. There was no blame attachable to anyone. “An old man like this should not be allowed—and yet I don’t know how he could be stopped from going about on his own account. A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical testimony that death was due to shock following on injuries received, and the operation which had been necessary. The Coroner reiterated that no blame was attachable to any railway official.