FATAL ACCIDENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 719, 15 January 1903, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT.

MAN KILLED AT KAITERATAHI

The dangers that beset the toiler were exemplified at Kaiteratahi yesterday, when William Johnsen, of the railway co-operative works, was killed by a fall of earth.

Men were engaged on a cutting a couple of miles Beyond Kaiteratahi, under Ganger W. Williams, a man of 14 years’ experience in railway formation. Tho cutting was 7 feet high, with chambers on either side. The victim of the accident, William Johnson, was picking at the face on one side, and a workman named Elworthy was picking at the other side. They were getting ready for a fall, when without warning half the face came down, and overwhelmed Johnson before the poor fellow had undermined mere than eight inches. The earth came down on Elworthy’s side directly afterwards, but he had time to get out of the road and thus escape. The earth was resting on what is known as a greasy back of papa, and was the first seen in the cutting. The quantity that fell on Johnsen was not large, but, being a man of weak constitution, was sufficient to cause death. In a dying state the sufferer was removed on a stretcher to the Kaiteratahi Hotel, two miles distant, the engineer’s chainman, Mr Patty, seeing that all that was possible was immediately done for the poor fellow. Mr Armstrong was communicated with, and saw that nothing was left undone that might aid the sufferer. "Word was sent to Dr Morrison, and a special train left town, taking the doctor out in the smart time of twenty-one minutes; but unfortunately he could give no assistauce, the sufferer dying just as the doctor arrived.

Johnsen was about 50 years of age ; he was a good workman, an honest, industrious fellow, who was well liked by all. He was a married man, and a little son resided with him, hig wife and daughter being in another part of the colony. He came from Hawke’s Bay district when the railway works started. An inquest will be held before Mr Barton, S.M., at 3 o’clock this afternoon.