TRAGEDY IN A TUNNEL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9437, 6 May 1909, Page 7

TRAGEDY IN A TUNNEL.

TERRIBLE DISCOVERY ON A RAILWAY. The body of a young woman, identified by her -brother as Miss May Aitken, of Glasswood, Tunbridge •’Wells, was found early on a recent Wednesday; morning in Pengty tunnel <South-Eastern and Chatham .railway), about .half a mile from the entrance on the Penge side. Both .the lady’s feet were out off, and there weie many minor injuries. Miss Aithen left Tnnbridge Wells on the Tuesday to do some shopping in London, and also to pay a visit to 'the Lyceum' Glob. She intended to return by the 5.25 p.m. train from Charing - Cross, ; but appareutly v . missed this, and caught the six .O’clock train from Victoria. As that passed through’ Pehge station after emerging from the tunnel a signalman noticed that one of the offside doors of the last carriage was open., v Being a non-stopping express, the ■signalman at > Shortlands was noticed;; and the door was closed when ."the train stopped at that station. The compartment was empty, and there were no signs whatever of any struggle, so no search was made of the line. The body was discovered about seven honrs later. , Near the body was found the unfortunate lady’s “Dorothy” bag containing her purse and book. The purse contained £2 in gold, 6s in silver, and a quantity of bronze. She had also been wearing a gold keyless Twatch, a gold chain with some, valuable trinkets* and a diamond brooch. A number of private letters were also found on , the body. Nothing was missing save the railway ticket, and although search was made in the tunnel and the compartment in which she travelled, this could not be found. In travelling by the six o’clock train ■from Victoria Miss ■ Aitken was taking a route to which she was un'acoustomed, and the theory is advanced by the railway author!ties that she mistook the Penge tunnel for the Tnnbridge Wells tunnel, and opened the door, intending to alight at what she thought was the station that was being approached. Another theory is that Miss Aitken found the door insecurely fastened, went to turn the handle to close and latch it, btU unfortunately released the catch and was dragged out of the compartment as the door flew outward. It has been ascertained that the lady did her shopping and also paid the intended visit to the Lyceum Olub. During the eighteen months Miss Aitken has been resident in Tunbridge Wells she has shown herself to be an invaluable worker and organiser ;in charitable causes. When the nows of her tragic death became known there was a constant attendance of sympathising callers at Qladswood, Mount Ephraim, where Miss Aitken had-lived with her aged invalid mother. Although so vpopular and well known in Tunbridge Wells, Miss Aitken was pronably better known , in Bromley, wherq the family lived for 21 years, and where her father, a well-known city merchant, died. She was the youngest of seven children, and the only one unmarried.