FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1103, 10 May 1883, Page 3

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Shortly after the departure of the express train from Ashburton, yesterday, says an exchange of Wednesday, a report reached the town that u fatal accident had occurred on the line near the Hinds station, and notwithstanding the inability of the public to obtain any official information as to Ihe exact nature of the accident, credence was readily given to the report on account of the non arrival of the train clue from Timaru at 10.40, as well as from the fact of Jan engine beiDg despatched south from the Ashburton station. It soon became known that a serious accident had happened. Shortly after one o'clock the train arrived at Ashbir. ton, bringing the inatgled remains of the fireman, a comparatively young man named Samuel Chesson, who is said to have been quite recently promoted to the post of fireman. The remains were immediately taken and placed in the premises at the rear of Quill's Hotel, and on examination it was found that the body of the poor unfortunate fellow was terribly mutilated The neck was broken, the right arm and one of the feet were mangled, and besides this there were serious injuries to other parts of the body. So far as can be ascertained, the facts of the sad occurrence are as follows :—When the train had reached about a mile and a half north of the Hinds station, the couplings connecting the engine with the tender gave way, and the fireman, who was at the time standing partly on the engine and partly on the tender, fell on the line, the train passing over his body. On the train coming to a standstill the remains of the unfortunate man were picked up and placed as speedily p.s possible in the guard's van, a messenger in the meantime being sent back to the telegraph station to wire for assistance from Ashburton. As soon as the engine arrived at the scene of the accident the train was brought on, arriving at Ashburton as above stated, shortly after one o'clock. Deceased was unmarried, and a resident of Timaru, where he has a sister living. George Bowleg the engine driver, escaped any serious injury, and came into Ashburton on board the engine that was attached to the train at the time of the accident.