HELD TO HER DEATH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 144, 15 July 1909, Page 4

HELD TO HER DEATH.

A FAREWELL HANDCLASP. How a handshake over-prolonged caused a death was told at an inquest at Colchester (Eigland) on Lily Wade, aged sixteen, the daughter of a lighterman. The girl returned by ■ the midnight train from Colchester to Wyvcnhoe on 24th April, and stood on the platform, laughing and talking with some young men belonging to Brightlingsca, the next stopping-place. Among them was Bob Howe, aged twenty, a yachtsman, and as the train moved off he shook hands with the girl, and prolonged the farewelll, pulling her along the platform.

Seeing the girl's danger, Signalman Exworth ran and caught her by the waist in an effort to pull her away, but the resistance was so great that when Howe let go both the sigualman and the girl were flung between two carriages on to the permanent way. The girl.'fell on to the lines, having both her legs crushed; Exworth fell on to the piping encasing the telegraph wires. The wheels of the carriages passed him so closely as to cut his face, otherwise he received no bodily injury.

When the girl was discovered, after the train had passed, a crowd ran to her to render what ai dwas possible; but she cried, "Never mind me; attend to the porter who tried to save me." She died, next day, The jury censured the young yachtsman severely for his foolish conduct. Exworth was commended for his plucky action.