INQUEST.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIII, Issue 9393, 3 May 1881, Page 2

INQUEST.

♦ • An. inquest was held yesterday at the Kai' lwi Hotel, before Dr J. It. Tripe, on the body of Thomas Carroll, who was killed by the Kai Iwi train on Saturday last. The following jury were Sworn :-— J. T. Anderson (foreman), W. Qox, " J. VBftingiiurst, F. Q9tle.ll, J.

Bland, J. Marshall, Wai. Wilson, G. Harris, J. Pinnell, J. Mount, H. Bailey, H. Brodie. — The first witness called was William Wilson, a shepherd in the employ of Messrs Moore and Currie, who deposed that he last saw deceased on Thursday. He was working upon the same station. Witness could, not identify the body, as it was too much mangled, but the clothes were similar to those the deceased wore, and witness believed the remains were those of Thos. Carroll. Witness had never seen the deceased drunk. His manner when witness last saw him was the same as usual, and he had no reason to suppose deceased committed suicide. — James Meehan, police constable, deposed that he visited the scene of the accident on Sunday last, and found marks of blood and fragments of flesh on the sleepers of the Okehu Railway Bridge. He also found similar marks and pieces of clothing on the town side of the bridge, and a hat and heel of a boot about sixty yards north of the bridge. On searching the body of deceased, witness found accounts between Thos. Carroll and Moore and Currie, of Bushy Park, Is 6d in money, and sundry papers (articles produced). — Jas. Currie, farmer, of Bushy Park, deposed that the deceased was in the employ of the firm of Moore and Currie. The accounts produced were in Mr Moore's handwriting, and were supplied to Thos. Carroll. Witness gave deceased a cheque for £1 on Saturday, as he said hp required tobacco and stores. — John Brown, storekeeper, at Maxwelltown, deposed that he last saw deceased in his Btore at Maxwelltown on Saturday afternoon, slightly under the influence of liquor. He made some purchases, and paid for them by cheque for £1, drawn by James Moore in favour of Thomas Carroll. Witness gave him the balance, 10s, in silver. Witness thought deceased was quite capable of taking care of himself. Witness produced a list of the articles supplied to deceased, and identified the bag and fragments of groceries ; they tallied with the list. — Jonathan Harle, hotelkeeper, at Maxwelltown, deposed that deceased came to his hotel on Saturday and lunohed there. He was supplied with one pint and three small glasses of beer — about a quart in all. He left about 4 o'clock, taking with him a lemonade bottle filled with gin. Witness last saw him in Brown's store. He gave deceased the business card (produced).— Thomas McDonnell, platelayer, at Okehu, deposed that he sawdeceased on Saturday afternoon, at about 5.40, about a mile and a half from the scene of the accident. He was outside the railway fence, and seemed to be under theinfluenceofdrink,but walked steadily. Witness spoke to deceased, and he said he was looking for a Mend residing near there. Witness told him that he had gone to Waverley that day. Witness could not identify the body as ib was so much mutilated. — Harry Downey, en-gine-driver, residing at Aramoho, being sworn, deposed that he was driving the 4.55 p.m. train from Waverley on Saturday last. About 6.10, when three chains north of the Okehu Railway Bridge, he felt that the engine had run iuto something, and thought it was a sheep. As the engine was still dragging it he took the gauge lamp and walked along the foot-plate to the front of the engine to see what was dragging. When he got there he found a small bag (produced) on the foot-plate. Witness got back as quickly as possible and stopped the train about twenty chains south of the bridge. Accompanied by the guard he walked down the line, and found the body of a man lying between the metals. From witness's position on the engine he could not have seen deceased if he had been walking on the line. The fireman was busy with the fire fit the time, preparing for the next incline , The line makes a curve of about 10 chains radius, and passes through a cutting. The train was running between sixteen and eighteen miles per hour, and could not have been pulled up within 100 to 150 yards, even if the man had been seen. Tho track would be dark about thirty feet from the engine and in advance of that about five chains would be partially lighted. — John Henly, guard on tho 4.55 p.m. train, deposed that when near the Okehu Bridge the driver stopped the train, and they walked down the line and found the body nf a man between the metals. They gathered the remains up and placed them in the van, and brought them to the Kai Iwi Hotel. On arriving in Wanganui witness reported what had happened to the stationmaster. — Thos. P. Rotheram deposed that he was manager of the Batea and Manawatu Bailway. Any person trespassing on the New Zealand Railways rendered themselves liable to prosecution under the Public Works Act. There was no public crossing within a considerable distance of the Okehu Railway Bridge. Deceased must have been trespassing on the line when he was killed, and he had no authority from witness to be there. Clause 278 Rules and Regulations New Zealand Railways instructs every foreman and platelayer to take any person trespassing on the line to the nearest station and give him in charge to his superior officer. — The jury returned the following verdict: — "That the deceased, Thomas Carroll, was accidentally killed by the engine of tjie 4.55 train on Saturday night last whilst trespassing on the railway line near Okehu."