Accidents and Fatalities.
United Press Association — By Electric Telegraph. Dunedin, Nov 17
Alfred L. Price, while cycling along King Edward Road at midnight, collided with a railway engine at the Kensington crossing. He was knocked off the machine and his neck was dislocated. Deceased was Hon. Secretary of the North End Boating Club and was connected with the Grange Cricket Club and was an energetic sport. An inquest will be held to-morrow. -Ashburton Guardian, 17/11/1905.
THE RAILWAY FATALITY.
JURY RECOMMEND FURTHER PRECAUTIONS AT KENSINGTON.
MR HANLON CRITICISES THE “TABLET" SYSTEM.
An inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Alfred Lawson Price, who was killed at the Kensington crossing about midnight on Thursday, was held at the hospital this morning before the coroner (Mr G. C. Graham, S.M.), and a jury of six, of whom Walter Alex. Scott was chosen foreman.
The Grown Prosecutor (Mr I. F. M. Fraser) appeared on behalf of the Railway Department, and Mr Hanlon to watch proceedings on behalf of the relatives.
Dr Gordon Macdonald gave evidence as to the injuries deceased sustained, and his subsequent death at the hospital, due to dislocation of the neck.
Henry Price, father of the deceased, said that his son was employed by Cooke, Howlison, and Co. He was an expert motor cyclist. He was out spending Thursday evening with friends at Gisborne street, South Dunedin.
Alfred Edward Newman, cycle engineer, stated that deceased spent Thursday evening at his house, and left on his motor cycle between 11.45 and 11.50 o’clock. Deceased was perfectly sober. He (witness) kept no drink in the house. He considered deceased a very careful and skilful rider, and he was exceptionally steady and very temperate.
Constable Storey said that shortly after midnight he saw a cyclist on a motor cycle coming down King Edward road at a high rate of speed, with his light burning. He himself was at Ogg’s Corner, and he saw the signalman at Kensington crossing show a red light, and heard the bell ringing. Then he saw the train slow down, and stop over the crossing, and knowing this to be unusual, he at once conjectured there had been an accident. He proceeded to the crossing, and saw the guard and others putting deceased into the van. He had a look at the cow-catcher of the engine after, and saw a mark about one inch long on it. The seat of the motor-cycle was twisted, and one pedal broken. There was a lot of new metal where the road had been widened. There was blood upon the fence near.
John Barron (signalman at the Kensington crossing) said that on the night in question, about twelve o’clock, as soon as the train was signaled as having left Caversham, he turned the bell on, and showed his red lamps in both directions along the road. He saw no sign of any life at all on the road. When the train was about four engine-lengths from the crossing he went to hand up the tablet. Before this the driver had given a long whistle at the Hillside gates. When the engine came up he saw some object roll in front of it, and, going over, be found it was a man. The body was lying about 8ft on the town side of the main fine, and about 3ft from the fence. The train was going at about twelve miles an hour. From the appearance of the bicycle the engine had struck the back wheel. -- To Mr Hanlon: I am unable to account for anybody not seeing the red light he had displayed. One lamp he placed on the ground on the town side as soon as he came out of his shelter. The other lamp he took to the beach side with him. Then be had to place the other lamp on the ground for a moment while he crossed to the town side to receive the tablet from the engine-driver.
Mr Hanlon: On which side of the engine does the driver stand.
Witness: It depends upon which way the train is going It was on the left in this case. The engine was running backwards.
Mr Hanlon: And he hands the tablet to you? — He did in this instance.
Mr Hanlon: So then when the driver is approaching this crossing the driver is leaning out of the cab to give the tablet and not looking after his Westinghouse brake and reversing gear.
Arthur John Evans (engine-driver) said that he whistled for his signals first and got them all clear, and again whistled about the Hillside workshop. When he got in sight of the crossing it was all clear so far as he could see. He took the tablet and directly after he saw a man on a motor bike shooting into the fence as if the bike had been struck and was falling. He immediately applied the full Westinghouse brakes, and pulled up in a train’s length.
To Mr Hanlon: The brake is in my charge, and it is on the right side of the engine, and the reversing gear is also on the right side. On the night in question the engine was running back first. I can get just as good a view from the back windows of the engine as from the front. The coal-tender did not impede the view to any extent. I would be able to see anything on the line ahead as near as fifteen yards to the engine. When I helped to pick up the deceased he was still on the bicycle.
Mr Hanlon: You were preparing at the crossing to exchange the tablets, and you could not exchange tablets without watching your man? That is so.
Mr Hanlon: Then the brake and reversing gear of the engine are being neglected? — No. There is no occasion to turn round to use the Westinghouse brake. I have only to grip the handle.
Mr Fraser: At the same time as you are taking the tablet you are watching the line? — Yes, the track is in the same line of vision.
Mr Fraser: And with your experience you work the brakes by instinct? — That is so.
Mr Hanlon: I am not blaming the driver, who is a careful and experienced driver. I am blaming the system — the tablets ought to be taken automatically.
Ed. George Bateman (fireman) said that he saw nothing, but heard the metal under the wheels as if they had run over something.
Thomas Fraser (insurance clerk) gave evidence as to the machine's condition. It was a particularly silent machine, and the crossing-keeper would not hear it approach while the crossing bell was ringing. The cyclist might have tried to race the train across the line, and finding he could not do it, swerved to the right to avoid danger.
The jury retired and returned in a few mutates with a verdict that the cause of deceased's death was an accidental fall from a motor bicycle, but that there was not sufficient evidence to show how the accident occurred.. They recommended that the attention of the railway authorities be called to the necessity of taking further precautions for the safety of the public at Kensington, crossing. -Evening Star, 18/11/1905.
Late Advertisements
NORTH END BOATING CLUB.
MEMBERS of the above Club are respectfully requested to attend the Funeral of their late club-mate Alfred Lawson Price, which will leave his parents’ residence, Dunfermline place, N.E. Valley, TOMORROW (Sunday), the 19th inst., at 3.30 p.m., for the Northern Cemetery. Members of other Rowing Clubs cordially invited to attend.
S. S. MYERS, President.
THE LOYAL ALBION LODGE, M.U.I.O.O.F.
Members of the above Lodge and Order are respectfully invited to attend the Funeral of their late Brother Alfred Lawson Price, which will leave his parents’ residence. Dunfermline place. N E Valley, TO-MORROW (Sunday), November 19th, at 3.30 p.m., for the Northern Cemetery.
G. M. KENNEDY, N.G. -Evening Star, 18/11/1905.
In Memoriam.
In loving memory of Alfred Lawson Price, who died 17th November, 1905.
— Inserted by his sorrowing parents, brothers, and sisters. -Evening Star, 17/11/1906.
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