THE DEATH OF MISS OATES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1099, 11 April 1911, Page 4

THE DEATH OF MISS OATES.

4 — INQUEST ON TRAIN TRAGEDY,

(By Tcleirraiih.-Snccial Correspondents

Palmcrston, April 10. Mr. A. D. Thomson, district coroner, held an inquiry to-day into the accident by which Ellen Oates met her death when travelling on the Auckland express between Otaki and Manakau on Saturday. Catherine Oates, mother of deceased, stated in evidence that her daughter's age was 26. She had not been in good health for the past two or three years, and had been under the care of medical men. The. complaint from which she was suffering was nervous breakdown. They decided to come to Wellington for a change, and deceased then wished to come (o Palmerston, where witness's son resides. AYhen they left Wellington she appeared to bo in her usual slato of health—she was melancholy and depressed, and had been so for some time. She used to worry because her hands shook, and she was unable to take up her work as a dressmaker. Sho expressed no wish f o go out on to the platform till tin were near Otaki, but, a minute or two afterwards, she asked witness to accompany her outside. Witness'was against going out, but deceased then had the door open, and sho either slipped or fell. The last she saw was deceased disappearing under the train. Deceased had often ctimplain/.l of dizziness, and she may have got on to the connecting-platform when she fell. She did not make any attempt to jump, but just fell under tho train. I Other passengers came out'on to the platform when witness screamed, and these [ informed (he guard of (he oecnrrenci'. Deceased might have been on the con-necting-bridge when she fell, and, in fact, witness was inclined to think that she I hfid fell under the bars protecting the sides of the bridge. Mr. A. Dawson, traffic inspector, representing the Railway Department, cnlled evidence witb a view to showing that it was.next to impossible for anyone to fall off the platforms of the carriages. ■, A verdict was returned that deceased met her death through falling from the train.