INQUEST.
An inquest was held this day at noon, before Mr Hocken, District Coroner, on the body of Richard Thomas, who lost his life on the Dunedin-Clutha railway on Friday last.
Alexander Gow said he was guard of the special goods train leaving Dunedin at 9 a.m. on Friday morning for Stirling; deceased was driver, and there was also a fireman. The train left Lovell’s Flat at 12.38 p.m. with four waggons and a van, and stopped at Stoney Creek water-tanks. When a mile beyond these, and going at the rate of twenty miles an hour, witness observed deceased looking over the side of the engine, apparently at the injector. When passing under the bridge, just aftcr this, witness observed deceased falling off the engine as though struck by the bridge. Witness immediately put on the brake hard, and told Mr Chisholm, a passenger in the van. On looking out again witness saw deceased just falling on his back in the ditch south of the bridge. The train was stopped in about 150 yards, and deceased was picked up and placed in the van. He was breathing, but unconscious, and never spoke until his death. The only apparent injury was a swelling over one eye. The train then was taken on to Stirling, about four miles distant. Dr Smith, of Balclutha, happened to be at Stirling and examined deceased, finding that he was suffering from concussion of the brain and other injuries. Deceased was brought to Dunedin by the 5.20 p.m. train, witness and another person being in the van with him all the time. He occasionally vomited blood, but never spoke, and died at six minutes to 9 o’clock, when the train was between Caversham and Dunedin. Witness had known deceased intimately for three months, and knew that the latter had often driven trains down to Stirling. Witness had never heard of a previous accident at this bridge, but had heard firemen talking of the narrowness of some of the gate posts on the line. He did not think that bridge or any one on the line was too narrow for safety, unless a person was leaning his body right out from the train. To a Juror: The engine was the “Rose.” Witness thought the platform of the engine did not project beyond those of the carriages.
Benjamin Holloway, fireman of the train, said deceased was leaning over the side of the engine with his back turned to the bridge that the train was approaching. Witness saw deceased’s hand just as he let go of the handrail, and immediately pulled up the train. Deceased occasionally leant over the side of the engine, witness supposed to watch the working of some of the machinery. The "Rose" and the "Josephine” were broader than the other engines on the line. Witness had never heard drivers complain of the narrowness of the bridges, but had heard them speak of the narrowness of the tunnels. To a Juror: Deceased was perfectly sober.
Duncan E. Chisholm, Sub-Inspector of Permanent Ways on the Dunedin-Clutha line, said he was in the train in question, but did not see the actual accident. Witness made measurements on the spot, and found that deceased fell on the bank about thirtysix feet from the bridge. There was a mark where his head struck the bank of the cutting, and hair was sticking in the clay. There was no mark on the bridge, and it might be possible that deceased had not been struck by the bridge at all, but had merely fallen off. The distance from the handrail of the engine to the upright of the bridge is 5ft; from the platform to the uprights 2ft 6in. If deceased was struck by the bridge most probably he would have fallen off the engine immediately, and not been carried through and 36ft beyond it. The other bridges are 21in narrower than this one, but witness thought they were safe enough unless a man leant over too far. Of Course an extra width of 2ft in the bridges would render a similar accident impossible, but it would cost a great deal of money to alter them now. Dr Smith said on examining deceased that he did not think he had been struck by the bridge, as if that had been the case he would have been knocked almost to pieces.
William Conyers, General Manager of Otago Railways, said he had known deceased for about three years. The latter was about 23 years of age, a native of Cornwall, a member of the Church of England, and unmarried. He had been employed on railways for two or three years, and he had been connected with railways all his life, his father and grandfather, having been enginedrivers. He was thoroughly steady and trustworthy, and one of their best men. Witness thought the bridges quite wide enough with ordinary care, especially as it was the regulation minimum width allowed at Home. The drawings for the bridges on the railway were sent down from Wellington, and had to be adhered to. The foot-plate of the engine is bright and slippery, and witness thought deceased must have slipped on this; for the uprights of the bridge are sawn square and would consequently have almost cut his head off. Perhaps deceased touched the bridge slightly. The “Rose” is broader than the other engines. The General Government have ordered even broader engines for the Tuapeka line.
The Coroner stated that he had examined the body and found no marks likely to have been caused by deceased being knocked by a bridge off a train going at the rate of about twenty miles an hour.
The jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased died from injuries received by falling off the train while in motion, the evidence not proving clearly that he had been struck by the bridge. -Evening Star, 15/5/1876.
THE Friends of the late RICHARD THOMAS, Engine-Driver, who was killed On the Railway on Friday, 12th inst., are requested to follow his remains from Mrs McMorran's house, Frederick street, at 2 p.m. THIS DAY, 16th inst., to the place of interment, the Southern Cemetery.
CRAIG and GILLIES, Undertakers, George street. -Otago Daily Times, 16/5/1876.
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