Fatal Railway Accident.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 160, 28 August 1886, Page 1

Fatal Railway Accident.

On July 2nd a serious accident occurred on the Great Nothern railway of Ireland, about two miles beyond Portadown junction, by which 4 persons were killed and 16 severely injured. Some of the latter are not expected to recover, Tbe accident occurred about two miles below Portadown, at a spot where the line runs along a deep ditch. It is believed that the great heat of the past two days had caused the rails to expand, and on tho 2.30 p.m. train from Portadown to Dublin reaching tho place the engine left the track and daßhed into the ditch, dragging with it tbe whole train save the guard's van, which from some unexplained cause became detached, its occupants escaping unhurt, whilst the engine-driver and stoker were pitched headlong into a meadow on the other side of the ditch and were also uninjured. The two carriages t next the engine were "telescoped " and completely wrecked, and of the passengers four were killed outright, and 20 others were injured, some as already stated, beyond hope of recoyery. Half-a dozen r medical men were quickly on the spot, and did their best to alleviate the sufferings of the injured ; but the scenes were heartrending in the extreme. d)nly\ one body 'was not identified— that of a mechanic. The others killed were Mrs andMissLaw, of Gilford i and WLliam Riley, .of Newry. Several of those hurt ■were sent to Belfast, among them Policeserjeant Boaner, both legs broken ; Mrs Boaner, ! legB broken and severely bruised : Miss Henry of Derry, one leg broken ; and a man, name -unknown, apparently in a dying condition. - Among the other injured were Dickment, of the sth Dragoon Guards ;^ Madden, of Rosslea ;fTyner, of Milltown, Kerry:; Crotty, of Mountjoy-square, Dublin; Costello, of Foxford ; Burke, of Skibbereen; and Johnstbn, of Dublin. ■ / 3 At Portadown, on Thursday, Patrick Robinson^ and Thomas Galway, both, gangers, and Thomas Tierman, driver 6£» the Belfast mail, were charged with causing the death of William Riley, Mary Law, and Lizzie Law throughculpable negligence. ' Headconstable Egan said he examined^ the line, [and found 270' sleepers tbtatly unpacked, -and 41 of them on > which /the wracked train was standing were apparently rotten. • • ,1 j ."f r ? »•,,>•

To tub PubjjTO.-tI, the undwsjgnecl,;do this day makethefollowmg>stateirient,inh6pe's that ■others who have gone through a similar a'fflici' •<t!on may- profit .thereby :— For many monthsi havo I,been siok ; 4 so f bad that life was a^urclen. The, mental depression and physical prostratiori ' 'were somoi hing thar. cannot be described. 1 >octors and patent rhe&iciriosiJMiavG tried without, any relief, but getting wpvse a]l the^tiroe. jAs », jfor^orn hope I callecLon Dr. Speer, Palmorston "Buildings, Queen-street. , He exanyned mo/and* "without* asking' "a* question,' gave* me 'every*; • symptom I had.*< Said ho would treat me; >rFrom , v tno nvpt|tcaapoonpil of {ibis, medicine -I felt r<^ie*r and have, boon con^tnntly getting fcett'er over since.^ W6rdB ls cannot 'fcxprcas' my "gratitude:' iTjhe 'above 'statQm6nt}«lumakc> n withottfe<.any Bolipitation,»and;l,am f wjlling tp verify.th^e same betoreja, J.^P.t- Respectfully yaurs, & ADAMSO*.