CAUFIELD SMASH.

Shannon News, 8 October 1926, Page 3

CAUFIELD SMASH.

OFFICER SHOOTS HIMSELF. ? MELBOURNE SEPT. 11. - A dramatic sequel to the Caulfield train smash was enacted to-night when John Patrick Tiernan, relieving station master, who was in charge of the Caulfield station on the night of the disaster, shot himself through the temple. He is now in the Alfred Hospital in a critical condition. It, is believed that the accident so preyed on his mind that he lost,his senses. Tiernan, who resides at Parkington street, Kew, had not been working at the Caulfield Station since a shorttime after the*accident- took place, but, to the surprise of the officials, he paid , them a visit tonight. His conversation indicated that he was intensely jvorried over the accident, and the fact that he had to give important''testimony the even! of the charge of manslaughter, laid against the driver and the guard of the Oakleigli ‘train after the inquest at the Coroner’s Court, being proceeded with. .

One'uf his colleagues, who is employed on the Caulfield Station, stated to-night that Tiernan seemed to -take the accident as though lie were entirely responsible for its occurrence, though lie actually was not so in the remotest decree. , Shortly before 11 p.m lie left the station officials to •go home, and a few minutes later a shot rang out. Tiernan was found unconscious lying in a seat on the middle platform bleeding from a wound in the head. A revolver Avas picked up alongside him.