FATAL ACCIDENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9593, 13 September 1909, Page 5

FATAL ACCIDENT.

ELDERLY MAN KILLED BY A TRAIN.

By Telegraph—Press Association. CHRISTCHUrtCH, Sept. 12. Shortly before 5 o'clock, this evening, an elderly man was killed by the engine of the first express from the south. It appears that on approaching Sockburn the erginedrver sounded his whistle as usual to warn anyone in the vicinity of the crossing. The road at this point crosses the line at an acute angle making it difficult for an appoaching train to be seen from the road or an approaching vehicle from the railway. When the train was within a few yards of the crossing a gig, driven by an elderly man suddenly appeared, and nothing could be done to avert an accident. The locomotive , crashed into the gig and smashed it into matchwood. The horse was just clear of the line, but was thrown down and considerably knocked about. The occupant of the vehicle was struck with terrific force on the head and hurled across on to the next line of rails. When picked up he was bleeding at the nose and mouth, and had sustained such serious injuries to his he*d that death evidently had been instantaneous. The train was pomptly pulled up. and the body of the unfortunate man placed in-the van. and brought on to ChristcJ/urch, where it was taken to the morgue. The deceased appeared to be a farmer of about sixty years of age, a search of his clothing resulting in the fhiciintr of a savings bank deposit book bearing the name of John McTavish.