AN OPEN VERDICT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 142, 11 March 1920, Page 6

AN OPEN VERDICT

RAILWAY FATALITY AT PETONE

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST

An inquest was held at tho Courthouse yesterday concerning the death of a returned soldier named Henry. Henderson, who was run over by a train at the Petone Railway Station on the morning of March 8. Deceased was « single man, aged 27 years, and was born in Scotland. Mr. W. G. Hiddell. S.M., was on (ho bench, and Senior-Sergeant Bird, of lctone, conducted tho inquiry on behalf of the Doliee. Constable Frost, of Petone, stated (hat when ho visited the scene of the fatality, at 8.50 a.m. ho found the body of he do- I ceased fearfully mangled. It had been dragged a distance of about twelve yards. According to deceased's papers ho ivas discharged as medically unfit after service abroad in 1915. ' Bessie Evans Marsden, of Petone, who was on the platform of the Petone Railway Station, said that she saw deceased go towards the rails as a train was approaching. Just aB tho train was almost on him deceased lay across the rails witn his hands on one rail and tits feet on the other. . To the Magistrate: Witness just saw Henderson sten on to the railß. He did not stageer, but landed on his feet oil right. Witness turned away for a moment and on turning towards deceased again sho saw him lying on the rails. The engine was almost on him when she turned away. From her observation tho deceased got on to the rails deliberately He did not appear to bo under the in fluer.ee of liquor. Alexander Jrhnston, clerk, of Petone. gave similar evidence, and said that in his opinion there was no possibility or 'the engine-driver pulling up'to avoid the accident. The train was travelling at about fifteen miles an hour at the t'nic, and was pulled up within ten yards. George Humphrey Guthrie, engine-driv-er, stated that he was in' charge of the train that ran over deceased. As it entered the station the train was travelling at fifteen mites an hour, and at that speed it could be pulled up in half its length. Ho saw deceased standing on the platform about 38ft. away. As the engine got nearer he noticed deceased watching the engine. Deceased appeared to be standing with some ladies. Tho next thing witness saw was deceased approaching the edge of the platform, and iust as the engine was almost up to him deceased either lost his balance or threw himself on to the rails. As deceased went forward witness noticed his ho.nds in the atr. Witnesl put the brakes on as hard as possible. When the train stopncd the body was lying between the engine and the platform. Tho wheels of the engine had hot passed over the body. The 6ide rod of the engine apparently killed deceased. The train was pulling up when it 6truck him. From what witness saw, deceased did not fall across the rails as described by the lady witness.

Robert White, porter at .Petono Stn tion, also gave evidence.

The Coroner said that the evidence as to how deceased got on to the line was indefinite. There was no evidence to show his state of health, but there was 1 evidence that he had been on service for 270 days, and was discharged as medically unfit. There was some doubt whether deceased throw himself in front of tho train or accidentally fell. The evidence of the - engine-driver was perhaps moro reliable than that of (he girl. Possibly deceased had overbalanced. In the absence of any more definite information, tho verdict must be an open one, viz., "that the deceased was killed throuzh falling from tho platform of the Petono Rliilway Station on to the rails in front of a moving train." It was clear from tho nature of tho accident, concluded tho Coroner that tho engine-driver could not have dono more than ho did before he struck, deceased. There was no blame attachable . to the engine-driver or to anv of tho officials connected with tho station.