DEATH OF SEA CADET.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20093, 24 November 1930, Page 6

DEATH OF SEA CADET.

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. A verdict that Albert Horsley, aged 17, a cadet on the Canadian Constructor, was killed on Friday evening, by being accidentally run over by a train, was returned by the Coroner, Mr E. D. Mosley, at the inquest into the death of Horsley held on Saturday. The Coroner added a rider that no blame was attachable to the railway officials. Henry Edmonds Webb, master ot the ship, gave evidence of identification. He said that Horsley had been had had shore leave on Friday evenwith the ship from August 20th. He iug, but had to be back in time to start work on Saturday morning. Louis Phillippe Begin, an ordinary seaman, said that he had been standing on the platform of a carriage as the 10.55 train pulled out for Lyttelton. He saw Horsley running along the platform in an attempt to board the train, and when ho realised that Horsley had fallen, he jumped off the train and found Horsley dead. To Mr G. H. McLean (representing the Railway Department), witness said that there were no signs of liquor on Horsley. Thomas Samson, able seaman, said he had been talking on the platform with Horsley and some others when the train whistled and began to move off. First Horsley and then Samson left their friends and ran for the train. Witness got on the train and did not see the accident. He heard someone call out "stop the train,' and jumped oif. Horsley was dead when witness got to him. George Holland, second cook of the Canadian Constructor, said that a few seconds after the train began to move he saw Horsley on the carriage platiorm. Then the train jolted, and Horsley fell off. Witness and another man _ ran through the train to tip guard's van and asked the guard to stop the train. The guard said lie could do nothing. . Horsley had been with him all the evening, and had not had any drink. Mr Mosley said that it would not have made any difference to the lit® of Horsley it the guard had stripped the train. Ronald George Anderson, nitrhtwatchman at the Christchurch Railway Station, said that about lo minutes before the train left he saw three young men sitting on a bench. One of them, who witness thought was Horsley, asked him if he were a policeman. Witness considered that Horsley had taken liquor. Constable G. Molloy said that he had seen two of Horsley oompanions a few minutes after the accident. They wero perfectly sober. Horsley did not smell of liquor. Formal evidence that the train had left on time was given. The Coroner then returned a verdict that Horsley had been killed by being run over by the train. He said he was not satisfied from the evidence that Horsley had taken any liquor. Sergeant A. Leckie represented the police.