SHOCKING FATAL ACCIDENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3765, 20 March 1891, Page 2

SHOCKING FATAL ACCIDENT.

DEATH OF MR J. B GRESSON.

Referring to the death of Mr J. E. Gresson, which took place on Tuesday, the Lyttolton Times of \Vednesday says : —Yesterday morning Mr J B. Gresson, when on his way from Christchurch to Kangiora, fell off the railway carriage within a chain of the Brook street crossing, half a mile from the Uangiora station, receiving injuries which soon terminated fatally. From the iniormation to be gathered it appears that Mr (gresson was not; very well, and was silting smoking on the platform of the first class carriage. CJp to flax ton he was sitting on the step of the carriage, but after passing that station he changed his position to ono with his legs hanging over the metals, no doubt with the objeat of not being disturbed by the passengers passing to and fro. One of the passengers noticed that he was looking pale, otherwise there was nothing about his condition to attract attention.Just after the traiii passed over the Brook street crossing, however, Mr Gresson

was seen to reel forward and fall as if lie had been seized with sudden faintmess. The alarm was given, and the train (a heavy one) stopped within about five hundred yards of the spot. Owing, however, to the steap incline at the nlace, it could not, be backed; and on Mr J L Wilson, Mr Wynu Williams and others of the passengers running back the guard deemed it advisable to go on and send some aid. Passing a house a few chains up the line he shouted to a carpenter working at the building, and the man (Mr H Frost) grasping the import of his words, at once ran for Dr Volckman, who sent his brother, Dr Volckman, of Oxford, and followed himself as quickly as possible. Those who first reached Mr Greeson found him lying beside the permanent way suffering terribly. Everything possible was done to allay his suffering until medical aid came, and after the doctors had made a short examination, he was placed in a stretcher and conveyed to the Bed Lion Hotel. Here the two doctors above named and Dr Clayton examined him more carefully and found his injuries to be such as to preclude the possibility of recovery. It would seem that the wheel of the carriage passed ovar his left shoulder and arm, as the latter was crushed, also the upper ribs, shoulder blade and collar bone. The lung was also badly lacerated, resulting in internal hemorrhage. Under such circumstances medical skill was of littlo avail except to deaden the pain, hut the doctors did all that lay in their power for the sufferer. Intelligence of the accident wa3 sent to his friends at Christchurch, and his father, the Hon H. B. Grosson, was at once summoned from Woodend. The accident naturally caused a painful sensation and cast a gloom over the town. At noon Mr Gresson was semi-conscious, but in a sinking condition, and his death occurred a quarter of an hour later.