INQUEST.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2322, 23 February 1892, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest Was held at the Temuka Hotel on Saturday touching the death of W. G. Oliver, who was killed on the railway line near Temuka on Friday last. The District Coroner, C. A. Wray, Esq., presided, and the following jury was empanelled, viz., N. C. Nicholas (foreman), G. McS. Gentlemun, J. McCaskill, E. Gillum, A. W. Gaze, and B. Yallender. The following evidence was taken : Richard Purchase, licensee of the Temuka Hotel, said : Had a casual acquaintance with the deceased. He called at the hotel occasionally. He had stayed for a few nights. He came into the house yesterday (Friday), from half-.-jjiast three to half-past four. He had one dmink. He sat reading the paper until he left at 20 minutes past five. Ho asked if the clock on the mantelpiece was right. Told him it was the correct time. He ( said, “ I must be going then.” He got up immediately and went out. Ho was in the bar parlor all the time, but in witness’ presence did not speak to any-

one. He seemed in low spirits. He had the appearance of one who had been drinking. Just before he went out he had another drink of brandy and soda. He had very little brandy. His general appearance was melancholy, and on this occasion he did not look worse than usual. He had been about the town for a fortnight. He was perfectly sober when he left the house.

Thomas Davidson, engine driver New Zealand Railways : Was the diiver of the express engine from Dunedin to Christchurch on Friday last. Left Temuka at 5.37. About 2 minutes after leaving the station, and before full speed was on, noticed a man walking alongside the rails on the left-hand side, about two yards off the rails, and about a chain and a-lialf ahead. He was quite clear of the line then. Whistled for tlie crossing, then about two and a-half chains distant. The man turned round and looked towai’ds the train, and then walked on again, still clear of the line. Immediately afterwards my mate called out that the man was lying down on the railway. I then saw him place his neck across the right hand rail. 1 immediately sounded the alarm for the guard, shut off steam, and applied all brakes, besides reversing the engine. I saw the body taken from the rails and placed in a cart. The cow-catcher caught him and pushed him along for less than a chain, when the engine stopped. He was nob quite dead then. The cow-catcher would strike him in the middle of the body as he lay across the rail. He was within ten yards of the engine when he lay down, and was killed almost instan- i taneously. The engine was going at about 25 miles an hour, not at full speed. At that pace the train stopped within a chain’s length. By the Foreman : When my attention was drawn towards him by my mate the deceased was deliberately placing his head across the line. Was positive he did not fall accidentally. Henry Archibald, fireman on New Zealand Railways ; Was on the north express on Friday, and gave evidence in corroboration of that of previous witness. The deceased was on witness’ side of the engine, about two yards from the rail. WRen within about ten yards deceased turned round and looked, and then deliberately lay down across the two rails. Immediately called the drivers attention to it, steam was shut off, and the engine stopped. The cow-catcher seemed to catch him about the middle ol the body and carry the body along. When the engine stopped helped to extricate the body from the cow catcher. The right leg was underneath the cow-catcher. The body was on its back. The principal injuries appeared to have been about the left thigh. He was breathing when taken off. Was positive he did not full accidentally, but deliberately placed himself on the line. engine might have gone about a chain after the deceased was struck.

Henry Blackmore, mail agent of express : I was on the train on its departure from Temuka to Christchurch. I was looking out of the window on leaving Tomuka and saw a man walking on the left side of the line. Went on with my work, and immediately after heard the short whistle blow for the crossing, but took no notice. Immediately after heard the alarm blow, and was thrown off my feet by the sudden stoppage of the train. At once looked out of the widow, and saw the train pushing the man along. His arms were waving in the air. As soon as the train stopped I jumped out and ran along to the engine and found a man under the cow-catcher and pinned to the right-hand rail. lat once lifted his head and shoulders, but failed to move him until the engine had been reversed. With the assistance of the fireman the man was moved clear of the line. After he was moved he said “ Oh, my i ” He breathed for about a minute or even more. We then lifted him into a cart. He appeared to be dead then.

John Morton, constable stationed at Temuka, said : About five minutes before the arrival of the north express saw deceased coming to the railway platform at the south end. My attention was drawn to his peculiar gait. The muscles of his face were apparently twitching and working. He was looking directly in front of him towards the platform. He walked to the north end of the platform and took no notice of anyone that he passed. Did not see anything more of him until after the accident. He had no signs of drink upon him. His manner was strange, but his walk was steady, and he was perfectly sober. James Henry, blacksmith, Temuka: Knew deceased by appearance. Saw him going towards the railway station just before the arrival of the express. Witness was standing at the crane at the north end. Deceased asked if that was a crane for lifting things on trucks. Witness said « Yes, on and off trucks,” and deceased then walked on towards the north. Watched deceased for about 100 yards. The train came in when deceased was about 150 yards up the line. Deceased seemed sober and walked straight. E. C. Damn, chemist, residing at Temuka: Knew deceased as W. G. Oliver. Since he had lived at Temuka, deceased had been to witness for medicine to brace himself up after drink, and also for sleeping draughts. He had complained of symptoms which bore the appearance of delirium tremens. The last time he was supplied with medicine would be about a month ago. He used to go in for drinking bouts. His age was about 50 years. Uuderstood he had worked for Mr Sontag, of Dunedin, a nurseryman. J. T. M, Hayhurst, J.P., said the deceased was employed by him since about last August. He was engaged by contract to prune the orchard. He did not drink until about October,{when he left for a fortnight. He apologised for his conduct. Cautioned him, and took him on again. Told him if he got drunk again he would be dismissed. He yyent on all right until about a fortnight ago, when he left the orchard. He was last paid up until January 11th. He had collected money for fruit sold on his account, and was in witness’ debt a trifle. He always appeared sane .and sensible, His age would bo about CO ycap. He was a gardener, This was all the evidence. The jury returned a verdict of suiqido, but that there was iW evidence before i them as to tlie Condition of his mind, i As a rider they desired k; f n Vi that iq i their opinion tlie pflioiais in charge of tht» 1 train had done everything in the power to prevent the lamentable occurrence.

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There has hitherto been no memorial ofviscount Nelson at the little town of Burnham Thorpe, in Norfolk, where the hero of the Nile and Trafalgar was born in 1758. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has suggested that it would do fitting honor to the great Admiral’s name to restore the fine old parish church of his native town, of which his father, the Rev. Edmund Nelson was the rector. In the carrying out of this work—which has the patronage of Her Majesty the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and others of the Royal Family, and which is expected to cost in all £IO,OO0 —A begining was made on September 7th, when the principal stone was laid of a public hall which forms part of the scheme.

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