BAD FATALITY.

Taihape Daily Times, 3 April 1918, Page 4

BAD FATALITY.

; MS. R. BORTHWICK KILLED. We deeply regret to have to record the sudden death of Mr. Robert Borthwick, which occurred last Saturday night, when he was killed hy being struck by the engine on the train from Eactihi. The train was late and left Rochfort station at 7.45 p.m., and the deceased was on his way heme along the railway line when the fatal accident occurred. The late Mr. Borthwiek was se well end popularly known in Ohakune, where has resided for the past eight years, that the shock of his J sudden death cast quite- a gloom over j the community. THE INQUEST. On Sunday afternoon an inquest was held before Mr J J. Pilkington, District Coroner. Lilian Ridsdale deposed that about 6.50 on Sunday morning she was crossing the railway line on her way to church and noticed a man's body lying alongside the line. She thought it was the body of Mr Borthwick. James Charles Jones being sworn deJ posed: "I am the driver of the train running between Ohakune 4ind Raetihi. I left Ohakune for Eaetihi at 5 o'eloek We loft Rochfort station on the return journey ah out 7.45 p.m Rochfort station is about two hundred yards from place where deceased's body.-n*3 found. I was oh the right hand side"* the engine and was looking out whenfSfossing the road. I saw no one then oh the track. After this I was 1 notching up the engine to increase the speed, and while so doing would not be looking out. I did not notice any bump or anything unusual on the journey, ad was not aware that any accident had "occurred. My head light was burning, and I whistled as usual before crossing the road. When putting away the engine I noticed nothing unusual, such as marks' of blood or other matter. On renaming the engine this morning, after'being told of the accident, I. discovered a little blood and hair underneath, the ] cow-catcher." David Alexander Armstrong, firemen on the engine driven by last witness, said .that after leaving Rochfort on the return journey, about 7.45 p.m., he noticed nobody on the railway line, nor perceived any bump or anything unusual, and was not aware that an accident had happened. The head light was burning, and the whistle was blown before crossing the road.

James Annison, constable, deposed as to having identified the body as that of Robert Kitchen Borthwiek. On Sunday morning, from information received about 7 a.m., he found the body of deceased lying along the side of the Baetihi railway line, <3fse to the track, the head lying towards the line The head was severely cut, the neck partly severed, and the body bearing! other injuries. The railway line bore traces that deceased had been struck by the engine of a passing train, the body having been rolled some distance after being struck. He had no doubt that the injuries received by deceased were the result of his being struck by the engine. He examined the engine and found traces of hair and blood on the cow-catcher.

After hearing the evidence the following verdict was returned: "Thai Eobert Kitchen Borthwick was accid entally killed on the railway line, neai Eochfort station, being' struck by the engine of the evening train from Ea e tihi.»-«Ohakune Times.»