FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 782, 28 March 1905, Page 3

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

(Per Press Association.) INVERCAKGILL, .March 27. A shocking accident occurred on Saturday night, the express, due here at eleven, running into a railway velocipede on which were two men, Alexander Reddie, surfaceman, and Henry Jameson, ex-railway servant. ~ "With the aid ol theWestiiighou.se brake the express was promptly .pulled up. Jameson was picked "up unconscious, with his right arm, leg, and ribs broken, und his head injured. He died More reaching town. Reddie has both legs broken below the knee, and his head is injured. He is unable to give a connected account of the affair. It uppears that on hearing the train aj>proaching the men got off to move the velocipede, but were overtaken. Reddie is in the hospital, in a critical state. THE INQUEST. INVEUCARGILL, M--i!i 27. At the impicst on the body of Henry Janißson, who was killed by the night express on Saturday, was held to-day. Reddie, examined in the hospital, stated that he and Jaiuieson had a few shandies in the Woodlands Hotel, ami deccuswl had a few games of carls. They Ml at closing-lip time. He did not thinß they took liquor away with them. Getting on the trolley, they reached home at Longbush several minutes before the express. Jamieson would not jump oil. Perhaps the drink had affected him by that time. Witness urged him to get off, and then trio! to get the trolley off the, line, but could not manage it. He told deceased that the engine was on them, but the latter appeared to be numb. Witness was endeavouring to pull the trolley off when the engine '-.S<. struck it. He had charge of tho trolley, and had no right to use. it for the purpose he did. 'Die engine head light was burning. There were none to blame but Jamieson and himself. Lawrence Fraser, ganger, said Reddie had always been a steady. re- " liable man, and Ihiro was no reason why he should not be entrusted with the trolley. John Sargcant, engine-driver, said the train was going forty miles an hour. He saw the trolley just before striking it, and saw two men running towards it. He did not sec T_ anyone on the trolley. If the men r . had been struck by the engine they would have been knocked to pieces. The trolly was on the cowcatcher, gj, Init the outrigger was> missing, and ||, ho thought the men must have been tg-fjltriick by it. fSßgfejTh o Coroner pointed out that dis|j|||»gpancy in the evidence was only to jJ9EgH|.<ctpecited, as the train was iravelgHflH&Vt a high rate, and (he accident in a moment. BraHSpT jury returned a Verdict that 0 ? was killed by a collision w 'th the vcloci|>ede, no