FATAL ACCIDENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1228, 13 May 1880, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT.

A young man named Edward Walsh, well known in this town, met with a accident while travelling in the late train, on Tuesday night, between Huntley and Taupiri. It appears he was travelling in the guard's van, and was going to hang up the lamp for the guard ; there m\is no platform on the guard's van, and he stepped between the carriages. The guard, Mr- Cox, did all he could to stop the train, but owing to the distance of the van from the engine and the blinding rain that was falling the driver could not see the signals which the former made to attract his attention. The train, however, drew up at the Taupiri Station, tw miles away from the scene of the accident, and at this place a trolly was procured, and the guard, with some others, went back to look for Walhh. They found him lying by the side of the line perfectly conscious, but with his rght leg crushed between the ankle and the knee, and the left foot very severely injured. The poor fellow had, notwithstanding the dreadful nature of his injuries, managed, with the help of his hands alone, to draw clear af the track. Endeavors were mad to stop the excessive hunnorrhage by tying handkerchiefs tightly round the limbs above the injured parts, and Walsh was then placed on the trolly and removed to Taupiri, where he was transfexTed to the guard's van and taken on to Hamilton Station, and thence carried into James' Railway Hotel. A doctor was immediately sent for, but, unfortunately, both Dr Beale and Dr Sandes were away from town. However, I Mr R. F. Sandes, on hearing of the accii dent, at once proceeded to James' Hotel, and d^sed the limbs and remained with the sufferer all ni}rht. Mr John Kuox procured a conveyance and drove down to Dr Careys residence for that gentleman. Dr Carey was unwell himself, but lost no time in coming 1 into Hamilton and doing all he could to alleviate the patient's sufferings, by tightening the bandages and in other ways. 3 T r Knox theu, despite the wretched nature of the night, started off to Ohaupo for Dr Sandes, who had been called thither on account of another accident, and returned with him about 8 o'clock yesterday morning 1 . Dr Wadding ton was also telegraphed for, but was prevented from coming by the necessities of another case. We understand that Dr Sandes proceeded to make arrangements for amputation ; but the patient sank very rapidly, and before the operation could be performed he died — about 11 o'clock yesterday morning. Death appears to have resulted from loss of blood, Walsh having bled profusely from the time of the accident, which was about half-past eight o'clock, till the arrival of the train at Hamilton at about eleven o'clock, and even after that, as the bed-clothes were simply saturated. The inquest on the remains will be held at James's Hotel at ten o'clock today, and the funeral will take place on Friday, leaving the Victo. ia Hall at 3 p.m. under the auspices of the Orange Lodge. The deceased, whose full name was Edward Fakenham Walsh, was the son of Dr Walsh, an old army surgeon, and was only twenty-four years of age. He had been in the colony about a year, and was only married last Sunday. Both his parents are still living, and reside in Ireland. He was also a nephew of Mr Caldwell, the Station-master at Hamilton.