Inquest.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Issue 33, 7 January 1899, Page 3

Inquest.

An inquest was held at the hospital yesterday, touching the death of Rjchard Powell. The following were sworn as a jury : — Messis Mathias, Akhurst, A. Jon«s, R. E. Boyd, W, J. Black, and At. will. Mr Mathias was chosen foreman. After the jury had viewed the body, the following evidence was heard • — Robert Crawford, constable stationed at Timaru, sworn, said he had identified deceased as Richard Powell. Iyasfc saw him alive at Tmiaru about 1.30 on Thursday, when he called at witness's house and asked to borrow a shilling. He was slightly under the influence of liquor. Had known the deceased for over eight years. He lived in a lean-to at Sandielown, Timaru. and did not work for his living. Archdeacon Harper managed his affairs, and gave him money. He had been suffering Irom dizziness in the head, but was always quiet, Was about fifty years of age. Had no friends in Timaru but had relations at Home. Deceased was lame and walked with » stick. Was a man who had not given the polite trouble. He was in a fit state to travel by train. If he had been drunk witness* would have detained him. John Howard, gardener, Waimate, sworn, said he was a passenger by the express from, the north on Thursday. Saw deceasd in the train. He was in the same carriage with witness. First nqticed him at Timaru before h« got into the train, Noticed his lameness of walk and his habit of making grimaces,, but these were nothing more than usual. He got in with witness and s»t in a corner till the train wa« leaving St. Andrews, when he attempted to get out, but witness stopped him. He sat down and a passenger offered him some whisky. He took a little and remained talking till nearing Makikibi, when he got up as if to stop and stpod at the dpor ti}l the guard blew his whistle. The train was \n motion, he disappeared from view rouno} the end of the carriage and witneß9 saw him no more till after the &cpidens, Ed. Brittenden, swprn, said he was the guard of the Sputh express pn Thursday. fc>aw decreed sitting with anpthw man in a secpnd-class cpmpartjnenf as the train left Timaru. Noticed nothing unusual about deceased. Believed his tipket was for Oain&ru. Qn obtaining the signal to start and leaving Makikihi witness jumped pn tp the train, Heard someone 'calling put and saw some passengers making motions to the driver to stop. The train w*'s pulled up and vjtness noticed someone underneath it. The bpgie of the car had stopped on deceased ppd the train had to be moved on a little. There w»f an ambulance box in the van, and Dr B&rnett, was on the train, attended to the injured man. The train had gone its own ength from the station when the accident Recurred. One car and the bpgie wheels ( >f another had passed over deceased. It was wideni 'that he had grasped ttie'stan£oion to save himself a fall, and the train's

motiqn had thrown him under the wheels Dr Barolay, superintendent of the Wa|-, mat* Hospital, deposed to having been at the Junction on Thursday and was aakecl to Bee a man who had been injured. Both the man's legs were almost completely severed below the ifnses. Dr, Barnetthad applied torniquets to each to, Btop tl}e ble«ding. Th.ey gaye him * hypodermic injeotion of stryahninp, but before the train left the man expired. The body was conveyed to the Hospital morgue. The case was hopeless, from the beginning, Constable Parkef deposed to, having been present; on arrival of the train from th.c north and fa havnag assisted in conveying deceased from express to Waimate trajn, and thenca to the hospital morgue. On searching the clothes witnpai found a pipe, matches, tobaccq, and a handkerchief. 'J'here yra,B no railway ticket. This was all'the evidence an 4 after con. sultation the jury returned a verdict ol accidental death, no b^lame betng attach-, able tp the railway authorities, '