THE RAILWAY DISASTER

Waikato Times, Volume 99, Issue 16655, 21 November 1925, Page 7

THE RAILWAY DISASTER

CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER.

' DRIVER BEFORE COURT,

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

NAPIER, Friday,

The case in which Frederick Lavin, driver of the express train which left the rails at Opapa on September 22, was charged with manslaughter, was continued.

John Wright estimated the speed down the cutting at 60 miles an hour. Margaret Jackson, wife of the stationmastcr at Waipawa, said the third man in the cab was doing something to the coal when the train left the station. The man was Marshall. James G. McKenzie, boiler inspector, who was a passenger, said the speed was excessive and the cause of the accident. He did not think the brakes were applied. He helped to get Marshall out from the rear of the engine. Witness found in the cab the lower portion of a broken beer bottle.

Alexander Grey said the track was all right when he inspected it on the same day, but prior to the accident. Eugene Casey, inspecting engineer, maintenance branch, said the scheduled speed at Lire scene of the smash was 25 miles an hour. No sign of any obstruction on the track was discovered after the smash. Other witnesses gave evidence that the track was in good order.

George John Brice, locomotive foreman, said the engine was in perfect order on the morning of the accident. At the conclusion of the case for the prosecution, accused pleaded not guilty and reserved his defence. He was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.

INQUEST ON VICTIMS.

THE CORONER’S VERDICT

NAPIER, Saturday.

At the inquest this morning concerning the deaths of Kathleen Begley, Edward Vivian Iggulden, and Murdoch Campbell, victims of the Opapa train smash, evidence was given by eight witnesses, who appeared in the case against Frederick Lavin, and was a repetition of former testimony. A verdict was returned that the cause of deaths conformed to the medical testimony, the Coroner adding that the injuries which resulted in the deaths were sustained in a railway accident at Opapa cutting to a mlul train driven by Frederick Lavin, which train descended tiie hill at an excessive speed.