FATAL ACCIDENT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4824, 18 March 1925, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT.

MAN KILLED NEAR WHAREPDA. MUTILATED BODY ON LINE. The body of an elderly man, presumably between. 55 and 60 years of age, was found on the railway line near the Wharepoa Road station early this morning by some surfacemen who were proceeding to their work on 1 the Paeroa side of the station. Constable McClinclry was advised of the fatality, and he left Paeroa. promptly for tiie scene and conveyed the remains to the Paeroa morgue, where the body now lies. The victim is mutilated beyond recognition, but by means of papers found on his person, and his necktie, he has been identified as John Stewart Patty, a widower, who was well knowm ip this district, and is believed to have a. daughter named Mrs Ross living at Thames, and alfco a sou, Robert Patty, a well-known sculler, at Gisborne. It is surmised that deceased km waiting for the train at the Wharepoa station, as marks found indicated th.at he was sitting on the edge of the platform near the line, and must have dropped asleep and fallen on to the line. It is considered probable that deceased was caught by a, special train which left Thames yesterday evening, and was killed outright, but the train did not stop at the station, and it is understood that the train officials had no knowledge of the occurrence.

Deceased was for some time employed on the construction of the Pae-roa-Thames railway line.

An inquest is to be held this afternoon.