FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 52, 31 May 1884, Page 2

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

As briefly stated in our last issue a fatal accident occurred on the Hamilton - Morrinsvillo Railway on May 22, and was followed by an inquest next day at Hamilton before Mr W. Searaneke, Coroner. The deceased, Herbert Pr.ilehard, a carpenter, belonging to Newton road, Auckland, had been working 1 on Price's contract at Eureka for the last fortnight. He was sent into Hamilton on Thursday last and returned to Eureka by the last ballast train. On arriving at Eureka the engine leaves the train on a siding, and takes up a position at the rear. The train came to a standstill to allow the men to got off, but the deceased did not do so. Mr Brett, the contractor, who was in charge of the engine, observed Pritchnrd, and called out to him to know if he wanted to get off, and at the same ti.ne told the engine driver to stop, the train having just moved on the engine having taken one or two revolutions. Deceased, who wa* on the end of the second truck from the engine, answered " Yes, yes," and immediately placed his foot on the buffers, and stepped down between the second and third trucks. The engine-driver, seeing what ho had done, reversed the engine and brought it up within 21 paces. The first seen of deceased was his body lying between the rail with the foot cut nearly oil and his head frightfully biuiseil. He was picked up and placed on a stretcher, and brought as quickly as possible to Hamilton in an empty truck attached to the engine. A doctor was sent for, and by the time he was carried to the Commercial Hotel the doctor had arrived, but could do nothing for him as he was then dying. When picked up he said he was all right, and would be a! ! right if they would leave him alone for half an hour, and from the evidence of witnesses he did not appear to be really conscious. John Stewart, foreman to Mr Price, John Brett, one of the contractors of the line ; Gerald Plynn, the engine-driver ; and Patrick Kelly, the breaksman, all gave corroborative evidence as to the way the accident occmred, and the slow pace at which the train was moving, one man having got off and on again, and another having lifted a dog off one of the ballast waggons at the time the accident happened. Stewart deposed to having often cautioned deceased against his dangerous practice of getting off between the ballast waggons instead of over the side, and tw<? witnesses deposed to deceased having only ten days ago jumped off the train when running fifteen miles an hour, and being rolled over several times. All dep sed tliat he was sober, and the barman of the Commercial Hotel stated tnat he had drank oidy one glass of beer when in Hamilton before starting. Dr Marice deposed to attending deceased wh "n hi ought to the Commercial Hotel H.unilton. The left foot was nearly severe, I above the ankle. On removing his clothes he found tne left shouldered nearly severed by a large wound at the back, his bend much bruised and knocked about, and a snrill wound behind the right armpit. He had no pulse, ami was dyim?. Tie case was Hopeless, and death was caused less by hemorrhage than by the very extensive wounds and the shock to the system. The jury relumed a verdict of "Accidental death," and that no blame wa* attributed to anyone. Deceased was 42 years of a_?e, and leaves a widow and two sons. The widow and eldest sou arrived by (.rain on Friday.