Extraordinary OCCURRENCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 129, 8 May 1883, Page 2

Extraordinary OCCURRENCE.

A tragic affair occurred near Man* Chester on the 12 Mi February. On the arrival at RadcHffe of the express pus - senger train leaving Dacie Brids^, Manchester, for Bncip, at 2.30, the door of on<? of the first-class compart ments was found open. There was no one m the compartment, but it had evidently been recently occupied, as an overcoat and two umbrellas were lyine on the seat. There was no cine to the ownership of thearticles.or that anythin? extraordinary had hap; en d ; but about 3 o'clock some platelayers who were at work m ihe tunnel about two miles from "Victoria Ducia Bridge, found scrambling on the line, a respectablydressed middle- aged man, who was afterwards ascertained to be Mr J. Kay, a retired tradesmen residing at Rafaliffe. It was found his skull was fractured, his face bruised, and his clothing soiled as if he had been dragged along the line. He gave no explanation of how .he-came to be j n the tunnel, and he was sent to his home. Some railway servants, who went into the tunnel to look for the things which Mr Kay said he j had lost, found the mangled boiy of a woman lying across the rails, along which the train from Manchester to Radcliffe had passed. Her legs had been run over just below the kneea, and almost completely severed from the body. She was still breathing, but insensible, and m that condition was removed to the Manchester Royal inffirmary, wberfl she died shortly after admission without having gained consciousness. Tbe woman was afterwards identified as Mrs Kay. Tt appears that Kay and his wife had been.to Manchester to trans ict some business at Brooks' Bank, and left the city together by the 2.40 train. Ther were m a compartment by themselves, and although several passengers were m the next compartment, no disturbance vrm heard by" them m the tunnel. After reaching home Kay only gave rambling replies to any question put to him. It is said that six or seven years ago both he and his wife attempted to commit suicide. The deceased was 51 years old, and her husband a little older. The whole affiir remains a complete mystery.