KILLED AT A CROSSING.

Waikato Times, Volume 99, Issue 16655, 21 November 1925, Page 8

KILLED AT A CROSSING.

j RECENT TAUPIRI FATALITY. EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. The sad fatality which occurred at the Taupiri railway crossing at about 10 o’clock on the night of October 27, when a gig driven by Jack Wilson Bishop, farmer, and containing his young wife, Ada Dorothy Winifred Bishop, was smashed by the Auck-Ic.nd-Wellington express, Mrs Bishop succumbing to her injuries about three hours later, was the subject of an inquest held at the Courthouse, Hamilton, to-day before Mr R. C. D. Lightbourn, J.P., and a jury of four. Dr. Lynch, of the Waikato Hospital staff, said that he attended to deceased upon her admittance to the hospital at about 1.15 a.m. on the morning following the accident. She was suffering from very great shock and was almost pulseless. She had a sever cut on the head .with severe injury to the brain, while her left thigh and right arm were broken. She succumbed to her injuries about three-quarters of an hour after admission. To a member of the jury witness replied that deceased vvauld have had i.o chance of recovery even had she been brought in much earlier. However, the journey over a bumpy road by ambulance would doubtless heighten the effect of the shock. Never Saw the Train. Jack Wilson Bishop, husband of the deceased, said that he was a farm hand residing at Taupiri. He and his late wife had been visiting friends on the fateful evening, leaving at about 10 p.m. for their own home. Approaching the Taupiri crossing witness did not hear or sec any approaching train, hut when about 20 yards from the lines the horse shied. Witness, thinking that the horse had been startled by a dog allowed the animal to continue on, and at a greatly quickened pace the gig moved on towards the crossing. He heard or knew nothing further until the express crashed into the gig. The vehicle was struck in about the middle, and the horse was thrown to one side, and the gig and its occupants to the other. Witness picked himself up little the worse for bis terrible experience, and assisted to carry bis wife into the house of relatives close at hand. Witness did not hear the train whistle nor did he see its headlight. The crossing was rather a dangerous or.e, trucks obscuring the sight of approaching trains from Auckland, while a curve in the line was another difficulty. Engine’s Whistle Sounded. Clifton Thomas Hill, exchange clerk, Taupiri, said that he was standing at the crossing at the time of the accident. IBs ailention was first drawn to the express througli hearing its whistle sounding about a quarter of a mile away. At about the same time he observed a borse and gig approaching the crossing from the opposite side of the line to which witness was standing. The horse swerved, and the driver appeared to be making 'efforts to control the animal. The next instant tiie train roared by, tossing horse, gig and occupants into the air. There were no lights on the gig. The train pulled up in a little more than its own length. After the accident witness immed’ately telephoned to Ngaruawahia for Dr. Isdale, who arrived about 20 minutes later. The train remained for about ten minutes and then went on again. To Mr Lightbourn: No suggestion was made that the injured woman should be conveyed by train to the Waikato Hospital. The Driver’s Evidence.

The driver of the express, Frederick James Alexander Sargeant, said that as the train approached, the Taupiri c cssing a few minutes after 10 p.m. he noticed something on the lines, but on account of the dust he could rot distinguish what it was. Witness immediately applied the brakes, and shut off steam, pulling up the train within a short distance. Witness examined the front of the engine and found a piece of broken shaft and patches of horse’s hair attached to the cow-catcher. By the time he reached the rear of the train, however, the injured woman had been removed. Witness ascertained that she had been taken ;to the home of relatives, and that a doctor was to arrive' in a few minutes. Considering that this was all that could be dODc for the sufferer ho started the train up again on its long journey to Wellington. Questioned by Mr Lightbourn witness said that he sounded the whistle in a long, sustained blast just prior to reaching the crossing. The train crew had made all the necessary inquiries before the train resumed its journey. Some Interesting Comment.

Reviewing the evidence Mr Lightbourn remarked that perhaps if Mr. Bishop had observed the precaution of stopping and listening for the train the accident would never have occurred, but unfortunately this was a safeguard of which few people availed themselves. Possibly the most regrettable feature of the fatality, continued Mr Lightbourn, was that the woman was left at Taupiri to be later brought in to the Waikato Hospital over an indescribable, terrible road. Admittedly her fate was already sealed before the dread journey was undertaken, but it was reasonable to suppose that the ride over the bumpy read greatly heightened her suffering. Ilad she been placed on the train she would have reached the hospital at about 10.30 p.m., after an even, steady journey instead of at 1.15 a.m. alter what must have been, to say the least of it, an uncomfortable journey. “ I do not for a minute suggest that the railway officers were guilty of any lack of consideration,” added Mr Lightbourn, “ for evidently they made ali the necessary inquiries. They ascertained that she had been conveyed to a relative’s house nearby, and that a doctor would shortly arrive on the scene from Ngaruawahia.” The jury found that deceased accidentally met her death through a gig iii which she was riding being struck by the Auckland-Wellington express, and that in their opinion Mr Bishop’s attention was distracted through the horse shying just before reaching the lines. The jury added as a rider that no blame was attachable to the driver of the train.