CHARGE OF HOMICIDE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 305, 19 May 1911, Page 5

CHARGE OF HOMICIDE.

RAILWAY DIRECTOR TO STAND TRIAL. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright Capetown, May 17. The director of the Kowie railway has been arrested on a charge of culpable homicide in connection with the Blauuwkrautz railway disaster on April 23 last.

The accident occurred near Grahamstown, and was caused by a truck becoming derailed. The train was composed of four passenger carriages, a truck, and a guard's van, and was within fifty yards of the Itlainnvkratitz bridge when the truck became derailed, 'ft plunged down a steep abyss, and caused the derailment of the carriages and guard's van, which r "llowed it as the bridge was reached. The engine kept the rails. Twenty persons were killed instantlv, and eight died from their injuries. There were some lieartr "iiding scenes when a hand of rescuers set to work to reach the injured. A number of persons fell on to a ledge of the bridge, 120 ft down, and could not, be reached foT six hours. Their sufferings were terrible. The tortures endured by a little girl unnerved the rescuers. As she fell her foot enu?ht in a fork of the bridge, and she hung head downwards until she could be reached. There were affecting scenes at Graham=town upon the arrival of relief trains with the dead, the injured, and the prostrated survivors.