The Inquest on the Railway Accident.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3656, 14 September 1880, Page 2

The Inquest on the Railway Accident.

(Peb Pbess Association.)

FEATHEESTOtf.

Yesterday.

The inquest on the bodies of Ida Fharazyn and Francis John Nicholas, killed through the railway accident, took place to-day (Izard watching the evidence on behalf of Government) before Dr Shraft, €oroner. H. Bunny, M.H.E., was foreman of the jury. In the earlier portion of the d;y only the medical evidence was given certifying to the cause of death. The jury viewed the bodies and then adjourned to the scene of disaster by special train from Featherston, and on their return the inquest was adjourned to enable the jurors to attend the funeral of 0. Pharazyn's daughter and Nicholas' son. A very large number of sympathisers followed the fuueral, coming from all parts of the province. The inquest was then resumed. Quinn, hotelkeeper at Greytown, stated that he was a passenger 'in the train with his wife and five children, he noticed nothing particular until the train got, about 3 miles from the second tunnel, when some gravel was blown.against the side of the carriage which then left the rails, and he was thrown down inside. The carnage he was riding in was about 50 feet down the -embankment, the carriage being thrown on its side. In his opinion the wind was not the cause of the accident on this occasion, ?s he had frequently experienced heavier winds in that locality. " ■ In reply to the foreman he attributed the disaster to the carriages not being properly coupled. Witness was very undecided at this point, and staled he was told by a man named Montgomery that there were two hands on tfie engine, and that they had brought a bottle of brandy from Featherston, and both the driver and fireman were the worse for liquor. Montgomery will -be subpoenaed to-morrow, and examied as to this statement.

This closed the proceedings until 9.30 to-morrow.

This day. Jas. Montgomery, laborer of Matarau, a passenger in the morning train, in the second carriage of the train, states: We were all right until hear the secondtunnel when I noticed a strong rush of wind and a crash of the first carriage. The one I was in gradually fell on to its side throwing the occupants all together. I took the dead child Quinn from under neath its mother and Mrs Hodge. I saw be was dead, and ,then went down the gully, and saw Id_a Fbarozyn lying dead. She was not quite at the bottom of the bank. The boy Nicholas was lying higher up towards the tunnel with the top of his skull cut and his brains hanging out. I saw a clergyman assisting Mr Jackson, of Greytown, to shelter, and went to his help. I put Mr Hare with a bad cut on his head alongside him. Most of the' passengers in the first carriage were lying down at the bottom of the bank. In answer to the Coroner: I noticed the wind was rather squally, but nothing extra until the last moment. I shut the door of the carriage and then heard the crash. I had no reason to suppose the wind was blowing heavier than usual, and noticed nothing to account for the ovei turning of the carriage. There was nothing irregular in the couplings. The coupling iron did not give way. One buffer was broken after the accident, but the chains were all right. Snow nothing of the other two Tans behind the engine. I did not speat to either the driver or fireman until after the accident, and found they did all in their power.. AH the men were willing and competent.

In answer to foreman—l did not see a bottle of brandy in possession of the driver or stoker, nor did not know who whs in charge of the engine.

The Foreman then reßd Mr Quirin's evidence. He did not see any uigns of intoxication about any of the officials, and do not know if the men were new hands or n >t. Assistance came after the accident very soon. Mr Ross came with blankets, etc, and hands from across the creek, and gave every assistance. Henry Dunn, sworn said, I am a settler at Taurenekau, and was a passenger from Featherston on the morning of the 11th in the second class compartment of the Ist carriage. I was standing outside on the platform when I first noticed the gust of wind which took the carriage bodily off rails,, about 150 yards before we reached the second tunnel. -The carriage capsized and I was pitched off. AH the body of the carriage was knocked off and the frame smashed and rolled down the hill. I saw nothing- more till I reached the bottom of the embankment and picked myself up. With the assistance of my brother and others I picked up the body of a boy and put on one. side. I noticed that the couplings held first carriage. The smashed roof of it was in the stream at the bottom of the gully. I would not swear that the second carriage and van were capsized when I picked myself up. I then went down to cross the creek for assistance;

Mr Quin, recalled, said—l have been under a mistake about the brandy. It haa been explained to me that the brandy was given by myself. I had it in my bag with me in the train. Ido not know to whom I gave it I have not reason to suppose the driver or stoker had brandy with them. The Foreman (Mr Bunny) spoke very strongly on this recantation, censuring the Coroner for taking a hearsay statement such as Quinn's, re the brandy, as evidence, thereby, allowing such a lie twenty-four hours start of the contradiction. The Coroner (Dr Rpratt) upheld his conduct on the ground that it was better to have such statements brought up and contradicted, and would always pursue the same course while coroner.

Messrs Baker and Farron were playing " Conrad and Lizette" at the Theatre Koyal, Northampton, England, on July 6, and the " Eeporter " of that date says : ", Better burlesque actors than the two principals we have rarely seen." They leave for America iv December.