RECENT RAILWAY FATALITY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12824, 16 October 1911, Page 2

RECENT RAILWAY FATALITY.

j INQUEST ON THE VICTIM

i Tho inquest on Frank Thomas, who died at the Hospital on the 10th as the result of inhiries received at the railway station on the sth hist., was held before Mr W. Kerr, S.M., .District Coroner, at tho Courthouse, on Saturday morning. Charles Henry Lidstone, bricklayer, of Smithfk'ld, stated that the deceased Frank Thomas was a nephew of his. Ho was a wharf labourer, and was about 3> years of age. He had identified tho body as that of his nephew.

; Andrew Ewen Balneaves, railway porter, stated that on the night of the sth of the present month he was on duty at the Wanganui station. The Hawera train had not. boon long in, and was standing at the platform, and witness was engaged in cleaning the carriages. The carriages were then shunted to the end of the platform, and then put back on to the loop-line. This was done while ho was on the train this night. While the carriages were being moved he hoard a groan. When he heard the groan he looked out of the door of the carriage he was in, and saw a man being dragged between the ear ' and the van. He hurried and put on Ihe Westinghouse brake, and .stopped ,-he carriages. The deceased's toe was caught in tho axle of the van when he got to him. Ho examined the track, 'and found that he had been dragged about 50 yards. As soon as he stopped the train he procured assistance to free him. The deceased was not employed at the railway, and had no right on the line. The doctor was summoned, and he was convoyed to the hospital. He did not see the deceased on the station before he. saw him under the truck. i Dr. Reid stated that the deceased ' was admitted to the hospital at about 9 o'clock on the oth. He was suffering from concussion, and had wounds on the right elbow, right knee and left thigh. He was partially conscious when admitted to the hospital, and he, made a statement to witness as to what had happened. About a couple of days after lie was admitted, more serious internal injuries set in, and he died from the i result of these on the 11th. In the 'statement he made to witness, he said Ihe Avas crossing the railway yard from the wharf to the platform. Ho was : passing between the stationary carriages j and he was just passing between them | when they commenced to move. His ■ side was iambled between the two ye- , hides, and he was carried along for

' some distance. Constable Connor deposed to investigating the circumstances of the accij dent. He saw by the marks on the track that he had been dragged about GO yards. He saw the deceased on the 11th. He was quite conscious then, and I he told him how the accident happened. He said he was taking a short cut acrors from the wharf to Tauno Quay through the railway yards, and was crossing over the platforms of the stationary carriages, and as he was stepping from the carriage to the railway platform .tho former commenced to move back on tho points, and he lost his footing, and his foot got caught just under the spring of the carriage. The Coroner returned a verdict that the deceased Frank Thomas died at the Wanganui Hospital on October 11th from internal injuries as a result of an accident, on the. railway line on tho night of the sth inst.,'at Wanganui, duo to his own want of care.