Saturday 14 October 2023

Thomas Charles Walles, 1879-22/8/1898. "slipped on the rails"

DEATHS.

WALLES. — On August 22, at the Christchurch Hospital, Thomas Charles Walles, eldest son of T. C. Walles, Kowai Bush, Springfield; aged nineteen years. Through accident on Midland Railway works.  -Lyttelton Times, 23/8/1898.


ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

United Press Association — By Electric Telegraph — Copyright. 

INQUEST. 

An inquest, touching the death of Thomas Charles Walles, was held yesterday in the hospital before Mr R. Beetham, coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr Thomas Frederick Donovan was chosen foreman. Dr Fox stated that the deceased was admitted to the hospital on Saturday evening, suffering from a fracture of the left thigh, the right leg also being severely smashed and lacerated. The injured man lived thirty-two hours afterwards, and died from his injuries and shock. Mr W. H. Gavin, engineer in charge of the Springfield end of the Midland Railway works, said that the deceased was employed by contractors in running out trucks of clay along the rails with a horse. All the plant was in thorough working order. Michael McLaughlin, a labourer in the employ of John Kelly, said he was working with the deceased at the time of his death. Deceased was carting clay out on the truck, and when within a chain of the tip he must have slipped and fallen on the rails in front of the truck, which was in motion at the time. He did not see the accident, but heard the deceased scream out. Witness immediately ran up, and finding that the truck had gone over deceased’s legs, sent for help and assisted him as best he could. The deceased had been on the work tor nine weeks, and no blame was to be attached to anybody. John Manson, the deceased’s step-brother, also gave evidence. In answer to an inquiry, Dr Fox said that he deceased had said before he died that he had slipped on the rails. A verdict of "Accidental death” was returned.  -Lyttelton Times, 24/8/1898.


Kowai Pass Cemetery.


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