KILLED BY A TRAIN

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2148, 13 January 1881, Page 3

KILLED BY A TRAIN

The Hawke’s Bay “ Herald ” gives the following account of a fatal accident which took place at Waipukurau at New Year’s morning, by which a man named William Coulter lost his life. As the up-train was going over the Waipukurau Bridge a man was observed about fifty yards in advance on the opposite side with his back to the train. The driver gave the necessary warning, blowing the whistle twice, and some women who were standing at their doors on the side of the line tried to attract his attention and warn him of the coming danger, but the man still kept on the centre of thp track. The break was then applied to the engine, but it was too close to the unfortunate man to bo stopped in time, and the next moment the cowcatcher caught his legs. In falling backwards Coulter’s head must have fallen on the cowcatcher, which, after carrying him a few yards along the line, swept him to the side. When the train stopped at the station, some 300 yards distance from the scene of the accident, a rush was made by several of the passengers to the spot. It was then found that Coulter was quite dead —in fact death must have been instantaneous. The upper portion of the skull was completely smashed in; there was a wound about an inch and a half long over the right eye, and the knees are supposed to have been broken, as the trousers were torn right away at that part. Dr. Reed was immediately sent for, but pronounced life extinct. Mr Venn, the guard of the train, stopped behind and washed the loose blood from the wounds, after which Sergeant Bullen got a conveyance and took Coulter’s remains to the residence of Mr Shaupen, his brother-in law. The deceased was exceedingly near-sighted and very deaf, and had been in failing health for some time. His infirmities will no doubt account for his not noticing the approach of the train or hearing the whistle of the engine. He was a single man, a carpenter by trade, and had resided for some time in Napier, whore he was very well known. No blame appears to be attachable to those in charge of the train, who eeemed to have done all in their power to avert the accident.