In the late 19th and early part of the 20th Century in New Zealand there was a class of workers whose rate of death and injury while serving in uniform was much higher than that of others. They were the railwaymen. Steam locomotives and their rolling stock were unforgiving and mistakes were often fatal.
There is reason to think that the Mr Andrew Wilson, whose accidental death is the subject of a Dunedin telegram today, is the former Invercargill railway man of that name. He was head shunter here some twelve years ago, and resided in Liddel street; was one of the earliest members of the local Poultry Society, and was much respected both in and out of the service. -Southland Times, 30/10/1903.
Dunedin, This Day. Andrew Wilson, yard foreman at Dunedin railway station, while running to shift some points, stepped in front of a truck and had both legs nearly severed close to the body. He was taken to the hospital, where he died within half-an-hour of admission. Deceased was about 50 years old, and married. -Woodville Examiner, 30/10/1903.
INQUEST.
An inquest touching the death of Andrew Wilson, who sustained injuries through being run over by a moving truck at the Dunedin railway station last evening, was held at the hospital this afternoon before Mr C. G. Graham, district coroner, and a jury of six, of whom Mr Thomas Martin was chosen foreman.
David Wallace, goods agent, stationed at Dunedin, said that he knew the deceased, and identified the body as that of Andrew Wilson, yard foreman at Dunedin. Part of his work was to attend to shunting in the yard in connection with the goods traffic. Deceased had been twenty years in the railway service, and was exceptionally sober and steady in his habits. On the night of the accident deceased was employed on his usual duties. He (witness) last saw deceased in the yard about 4-30 p.m. To Mr Green, sub-inspector of police: The working hours of deceased were from 5 p.m. till midnight. He could only account for the accident on the supposition that the deceased had crossed hurriedly to attend to points on the other side of the yard. He had made inquiries, and could not find anyone who had seen the actual accident.
Alexander Henderson Waugh, shunter in the passenger yard, stated that he knew the deceased. He saw him last evening in the goods yard employed on his usual business between 7.15 and 7.20 o'clock. About that time he ran past him in the direction of a waggon previously shunted, and that was the last he saw of him. A few seconds afterwards he heard a bump, as if a waggon had gone over something, followed by a cry. He went to ascertain the cause, and found deceased lying on the line behind the waggon. He ran up and found deceased very seriously injured, but still alive. He procured assistance, and Dr Gordon Macdonald was telephoned for and came immediately. To Sub-inspector Green: He accounted for the accident on the supposition that deceased tripped while crossing the rails to fix the points, and the waggon which he was shunting passed over him. The waggon was fully loaded with cattle.
Mr F. R. Hotop, junior house surgeon, deposed that deceased was brought to the hospital about eight o'clock last evening. The injured man was suffering from fracture of both legs, and as the main arteries had been touched, there had been considerable loss of blood. The cause of death, in his opinion, was shock and loss of blood consequent on these injuries.
The jury brought in a verdict that deceased was run over by a railwav waggon, no blame being attachable to anyone." -Evening Star, 30/10/1903.
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