SERIOUS RAILWAY ACCIDENT
John Horan, a middle-aged married man, living with his family at Goodall street, Caversham, and employed as ganger on the Mosgiel duplication works, was knocked down by the engine of the 1.2 p.m. train from Dunedin to-day. It appears that he was talking with another ganger (John Elliott) close to the Kensington passenger siding, and they were standing behind some trucks. Elliott said: “Look out, Jack, she's coming,” and Horan, thinking that it was a shunting engine approaching the trades, stepped on to the main line and was cut down by the engine. He was carried some thirty feet, and picked up unconscious. Dr Gordon Macdonald responded quickly to a call, and, after examination, had the injured man taken to the hospital, where he now lies in a critical condition, with a fractured skull. -Evening Star, 21/3/1910.
DEATHS.
HORAN — On March 21, at Kensington (accidentally killed on the railway line), John Horan, railway ganger, Goodall street, Caversham, aged 36 years. Deeply regretted. R.I.P. -Evening Star, 22/3/1910.
HIBERNIAN SOCIETY.
THE MEMBERS of the Hibernian Society are requested to attend the Funeral of our late Brother John Horan, which will leave his late residence, 19 Goodall street, Caversham, TO-MORROW (Wednesday), 23rd inst., at 3 o'clock p.m. Regalia, with crape over motto. J. O'CONNOR, Secretary. -Evening Star, 22/3/1910.
RAILWAY FATALITY
NO ONE BLAMABLE.
The inquest on the body of John Horan, killed near the Kensington crossing on Monday, was held at the hospital yesterday afternoon before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M. Mr J. F. M. Fraser. K.C., watched proceedings on behalf of the Railway Department. Deceased was a ganger on the Mosgiel duplication works, and lived with his wife and three children at South Dunedin. His age was thirty-six.
Dr Falconer, resident medical officer at the hospital, said that deceased died two and a-half hours after being admitted, his skull being fractured.
William John Elliott, railway ganger, said that Horan, who was a sober, healthy man, was standing with him near Kensington crossing, about 200 yards north of the station. Witness warned deceased of the approach of a train. Deceased took a step back clear of the main line, and witness turned and went a few yards in the opposite direction to see if all was clear. He then turned round in the direction of deceased, and saw him stepping on to the main track, but not hurriedly, and he did not seem to realise that a train was approaching. Witness saw the 1.2 p.m. train to Mosgiel within half a chain of deceased, who had just stopped over the first rail on to the main track. Witness shouted: “Lookout! She’s coming,” and deceased seemed to give a start, but when taking another step into the middle of the track he was struck by the engine and was carried about thirty yards along the track. Several men ran to his assistance with witness, but deceased never spoke again. Dr Macdonald was at once summoned, and deceased was removed in the ambulance to the hospital without delay.
To Station-sergeant King: An engine and fourteen trucks were standing on an adjoining track, but there was a clear view of the main track for three-quarters of a mile.
Arthur Evans and Malachi McTigue, driver and fireman of the 1.2 p.m. Mosgiel train, testified that they did not see deceased on the track at all. The train was pulled up owing to a signal from one of the men on the works.
Alexander Kirkwood, platelayer, gave corroborative evidence to that of W. J. Elliott.
The verdict returned was one of accidental death, due to being struck by the train when crossing the line, no blame being attachable to anyone. -Evening Star, 23/3/1910.
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