DISTRESSING FATAL ACCIDENT
A CHILD KILLED ON THE RAILWAY.
A distressing accident occurred on the railway bridge just a little beyond the Pelichet Bay station yesterday afternoon, which resulted in the death of a little girl named Ethel May Lucas, aged 10 years, who resided with her mother ill Moray place, near the Turkish baths. It appears that the little girl, together with a companion named Norah Connor aged seven years, were "playing the truant" from school, and wandered along the line past Pelichet Bay station. They were on the bridge, about 10 yards from the end, when the goods train from Port Chalmers, reaching town at 2.15 p.m., approached. The children so far as can be gathered, saw the train approach, and the younger one got underneath the bridge. The other stood still, probably paralysed with fear, and was struck by the engine on the side of the head and knocked into the water below. The accident was observed from the Pelichet Bay station, and the officials there immediately ran up to the bridge. The body was picked up beneath, but life was evidently quite extinct, — in fact, death must have been instantaneous, as Dr Riley who was sent for, found on examination that the child's neck was broken. The father of deceased William J. Lucas is employed as butcher on the Elingamite. An inquest will be held at 9.30 tins morning. -Otago Daily Times, 15/6/1900.
INQUEST.
An inquest was held this morning before Mr Coroner Carew and a jury of six (Mr James Todd foreman) on the body of Ethel May Lucas, who was killed on the railway line at Pelichet Bay yesterday afternoon.
Sarah Barbara Lucas, mother of deceased, said that her daughter was born in Dunedin, and was nine years of age. She was attending the Normal School, and left her home in Moray place yesterday morning to go to school. She returned home a little after twelve o'clock, and left for school again at five minutes past one. Witness expected her home at three o'clock, but the police came to the house a little after that hour and informed her what had happened. She had never heard any complaints of deceased not attending school.
Charles Belworthy, station-master at Pelichet Bay, said that about 2.10 p.m. yesterday he heard the Palmerston to Dunedin train approaching. On going outside to give the usual signal he saw two girls, the deceased and another girl, on the railway bridge, about 150yds from the station platform. They were facing north in the direction of the engine. As soon as witness saw them they seemed to catch sight of the train. At first they appeared surprised and uncertain which way to go. The engine would then be about 300yds from them. They then turned to come back, and seemed to be frightened, and were holding each other to walk. The younger one, Norah Connor, either fell or dropped down at the south end of the bridge on the town side, and got clear of the line. Immediately afterwards deceased appeared to make a spring to the same side, when the engine caught her and threw her down the embankment on the town side. Deceased appeared to drop on her head. The train came into the station before witness could do anything. He ran to deceased with the guard of the train, and found her lying in the water, which was about 2ft deep. They got her out, and, as far as witness could see, there was no appearance of life. They carried her to the railway station, and telephoned for a doctor and the police. The other girl was not hurt. Dr Riley appeared on the scene shortly afterwards. The engine-driver could not have pulled up any quicker than he did. He had frequently turned children back from going on the line. When witness saw the girls on the bridge be ran back to the station, and with a red flag gave the danger signal. The engine was then about 200 or 250 yards from the girls.
Dr Riley said that deceased died from a sustained fracture of the skull and a broken neck.
Alexander Graham said he was driver of the engine of the train from Palmerston to Dunedin yesterday afternoon. He blew the whistle in the ordinary course for the Pelichet Bay station. He was going then about fourteen miles an hour, and had steam shut off. When he whistled he would be about 400 or 450 yards from the station. From the driver's side of the engine he could not see the station until about 160 or 170 yards from it. He was looking for the stationmaster's signal, and at the same time his eye caught the children on the bridge. He was then about twenty yards from them, and the engine partly on the bridge. He applied the brake immediately, and his mate applied sand at the same time. He could not see over the engine as to which part struck the child. Witness could have done no more than he did to check the speed of the engine. The train was a heavy goods one. It was not possible for him to see the children from his position as driver until within twenty or thirty yards from where they were. It was common to find children along the banks of the line between Pelichet Bay and Logan Point. Witness stopped the engine just opposite the station platform.
Henry Woodhead, fireman on the engine in question, also gave evidence.
The jury returned a verdict that deceased was accidentally killed by being knocked over by a railway engine; no blame being attached to any person. -Evening Star, 15/6/1900.
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