INGLEWOOD RAILWAY FATALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 May 1918, Page 3

INGLEWOOD RAILWAY FATALITY.

TflE INQUEST. At the Inglewood Courthouse yesterday morning an inquest was held into the circumstances attending the death of Mr:,. M. Molloy, aged r.-l, who was killed through falling between the carriage and piatlorm whilst tiie mail train was pulling out of tiie station to New Plymouth on Saturday evening.

Mr. T. F. Hamoi'ton, deputy-coroner, presided, and the following jurv was empanelled:—Messrs 'T. M'bean (foremanl. ■T. Sutherland. \Y. IT. ITumpbrev. P. Chapman, and TC. .T- Frewin. Constable Loii'jbottom renvesqnted Hie police. Evidence was 'riven hv deceased's husband, Martin Me'lov. that his wife had been aw.iy for a holiday: and by Pobert E. Molloy, a boy of 14 years, who stated that lie was with his mother, travelling to Tn.nlewood. on Saturdav evening. They did not realise tliev had arrived there till the train started to move out of the station. T-Te then went back to the carriage to get. the lugsage, and passed his mother on the carriage platform- The next he saw of his mother was her being dragged along the ground, but did not see the accident.

■T. W. Allan, laborer, New Plymouth, said he was a passenger on Saturday's mail train, and was on the carriage platform when the train started to move out of tiie station. A lady asked him ''if this was Inglewood," and lie replied '■\es.'' She went back to the carriage and got a paper parcel, and a boy also enme out and put a parcel on tiie platform and went back again. Tlic lady stood for a moment or so, and then stepped off the carriage. She had her bad: to the engine, and fell between the carriage and platform, and was dragged several yards before the train was brought to a standstill.

Ethel Mary Milllins. another passenger. said that when the train was movins out. deceased fot up and went on to tiie platform. Did not see her fall, but s-nv something drop off the carriage platform and fall between carriage and «fnt : .->" rilei form.

Archibald MTean. guard, on flip train, said he received the rieht of wav from tiie stafionmaster (Mr. Seabright), and blew the whistle, and the train started. Saw a person fall between the carriage ""'1 the station platform, bein? about five or six yards away at the time. Heard a. scream, and saw she was hein<r draaced alonf and no chance of savin" her, so rushed a loll? to the van and nut on. the ■\Vo=t.iii"hou=e break, and the train stormed immediately. The train bad travelled between 20 and SI yards and the distance between where the lad->» stenoed off and the train stopping would be in -cards.

Constable T/OjiflKottom stated that lie was at fhn pf-n-firvTi on Raturdar pwnin?. .Tnst after the train started to move out lie heard someone sav there was a woman imder the train. ,ind the train immediately stopped. On looking under the la«t carriage of tli6 train, ho ?aw deceased between the station pintform and the carriage wheels. Her loft lei? was pinned under the bogey. Ho securer assistance and got the Ijodr out n'vl carried it into the railway station office. Dr. Xnt.ting wn - there. and pronounced life to lie extinct. Tiro liodv ■was 'h<ully linii=o;l alhout- the head. face, and chest. There was a fracture of the right log. and the left leg was almost severed i"st above the ankle. TTo was quite satisfied deceased was dead when he took the body from under the ear.

Tlie iurv. -without rotinntr. found tlmfc mot lipr rlonf.'h l>r misndvpnHre. tlirmigli Irvivino* n. rarrincr> whilst train wn<* in motion, and f.hnt no Mnmo Tin* mrv nddod n, rido»* tliatiTcn** tlio <ntnrd p or li'q prompt fiction in pulling up th*

Tho jury inetriu'fp.d tV nolicn to Jinn'"* Mwir foos owr tn fh<» "Rf»d Cross funds.