Second Edition. Late Telegrams.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 21 February 1911, Page 3

Second Edition. Late Telegrams.

THE RAILWAY ACCIDENT

OPENING OF THE TNQUEST,

I PKR PRESS ASSOCIATION.J

WELLINGTON, This Day. The inquest concerning the <leath' of Miss Alice Power, who was killed on the railway near Paekakariki yesterday, was opened to-day. Medical evidence was given to the effect that the deceased had a. fra.'tnre at the base of the skull and had two ribs broken on the left side. The nose was broken ; also the bones of the left -;';;i?k and upper jaw. Margaret Moran, who was deceased's companion on the journey, said Miss Power was cheerful and in good health. Just after passing the tunnel witne:r> heard a loud and violent noise audi was suddenly thrown to the opposite side of the carnage. When witness recovered she saw Miss Power lying on her back. There was a big stone in the carriage, whirih was 'considerably broken up. Douglas Nickless, engine-driver, stated that as tlhe train was approaching Paekakariki he looked "back, and sa.w a bo.ulder "bounding towards the train from the hillside The rock Was not far up the hill— probably a chain—when lie first sawit. He applied, the brakes, and al-' most at the same moment the rock .struck a. second-class- ■carriage, which was about the third, car from the engine. After hearing the guard's evidence, the inquest was adjourned to enable the cm-oner and jury to make a personal inspection of the scene of the accident. MOTHER'S SUPPOSED AWFUL DEED. MASTER.TON, This Day. A terrible tragedy oceured at Masterton shortly after midnight last night. Some time before one o'clock A. Winzenberg, who resides at the top end of Essex street, was awakened from sleep by loud pitiful screams. He got out of bed' and went to the door, but could see nobody.

The screams continued and then lie saw somebody in night clothes covered with blood rushing by the house screaming: "Come to mother! Oome to the house!" Mr Wijnzenberg ran over to the house opposite, which was occupied by Mrs Gardiner, a widow, and! ihey two children. The front door was open, and; on. entering the "bedroom .where the gaslight was burning a, terrible spectacle met tiheir gaze. Lying in the centre of a double bedstead was a little girl about eleven years 'of age, named Beryl, whose head was - shockingly mutilated lying in «, pool of bloo'd quite iiisensible. Mr 1 Winzenberg ran to the house opposite and. summoned the police and doc tore, and then returned to the scene,of .the tragedy. He took the weeping little boy, Jerry, to his own house, where

tli© wounds I*a Lfiorl. t The arrival of the doct-ors itrid police showed "bisat the condition of the girl was very sorioiw. There was a terrible gash over one eye, and the front of the skull was fractured. She wntf taken to the hospital qui to unconscious. Her life is despaired 1 of. The boy suffered severe concussions on the [head, but thfey are not serious. The bedrotom presented a shocking sight? The pillows and bedclothes were covered with 'blood, and a, poker, with which till®' deed is supposed to ihave been committed, was lying on the'floor. The mother was not to be found. A seareifo was instituted, and she was discovered about 2.15 a.m. with her face downwards in a creek. Life was extinct. The body was taken to the morgue. Deceased was between thirty and forty years of age, and formerly was a resident of Taurangarero. The (husband, Hector Gardiner, died some time ago. It is supposed she committed the deed in ail uncontrollable fit of dementia.