MAN'S HEAD SEVERED.
Timaru, August 29.
A man, whose name is unknown, was killed on the railway this morning about a mile from Pleasant Point. As the train was approaching a culvert, the man, who was hidden from view beneath the rails, stood up, and the engine severed his head from his body. His head rolled down the embankment, and his body was dragged several yards, badly mangled, by the train. -Bay of Plenty Times, 31/8/1910.
THE BODY IDENTIFIED.
LATE PARTICULARS.
(Per Press Association.) Timaru, August 31.
The body of the young man who was decapitated by a train at Pleasan Point on Monday, was identified yesterday as that of Bernard Jones, pupil teacher, Timaru, who had been spending his holidays on a farm near the scene of the tragedy. Jones, who had been suffering from influenza, was 18 years of age and a bright youth, having won four special mentions in the teachers' examination. -Bay ofPlenty Times, 31/8/1910.
THE BODY IDENTIFIED.
A PUPIL TEACHER.
The remains of the youth were identified last evening as those of Bernard Junes, son of Mr C. B. Jones, farmer of Ashwick Flat, and lately probationer at the Waimataitai school in Timaru. He had been staying with brother, Mr G. Jones (of the C.F.C.A.), and when the school closed for term holidays. On Friday he went out to Pleasant Point, where he stopped with his grandfather, Mr James Keene, till Monday morning. The lad, who was about 18 years of age, rose early on Monday, and though suffering from a severe attack of influenza, set out, hatless, for a walk, without taking any breakfast. The bridge where he met such a tragic death is just opposite his grandfather's farm, and it is presumed that he sat down on the girders for a rest. The noise of the approaching train must have caused him to peer above the sleepers, and his friends are strongly inclined to the opinion that when he saw the engine so close at hand, he lost his head completely. At the time his disappearance aroused no uneasiness, it being thought that he had gone on to Timaru. As a matter of fact his grandfather saw the remains on the line, but it did not occur to him that they were those of his nephew.
Yesterday however. Mr J. M. Keene. the. lad's uncle, read the description in the paper, and after pondering over the whole circumstances of the tragedy, he rode to Timaru on horseback in the evening. On seeing the body in the Morgue he at once identified it as that of his nephew, and when he saw the articles of clothing his opinion was further strengthened.
Later on Mr Alf. Werry, teacher at the Waimataitai School, and Mr S. Jones, brother of the deceased, examined the clothing and the features and they also said that the resemblance was too strong for there to be any doubt about the identity of the deceased. Mr Werry, on looking at the whistle found among deceased's belongings, remarked that it was exactly; similar to one he had lent young Jones for the purpose of drilling the school cadets.
Bernard Jones, said Mr Werry, had been a pupil at the Pleasant Point District High School, and in January last secured four special mentions in his teacher's examinations. A bright and industrious lad, he was always of a happy disposition, and Mr Werry deprecates any suggestion of suicide in connection with the case. The adjourned inquest will probably be held to-morrow. -Timaru Herald, 31/8/1910.
"ACCIDENTAL DEATH."
THE-RAILWAY FATALITY.
RESULT OF INQUEST.
The adjourned inquest on the remains of Bernard Jones, killed by the train near Pleasant Point on Monday last, was held in the Courthouse yesterday morning before Mr V. G. Day, District Coroner. Mr Hay was present on behalf of the deceased's father, Mr E. B. Jones, of Ashwick Flat. Sergeant Bowman represented the police.
Samuel Jones, said that he had seen the body of the deceased, and identified it as that of his brother, Bernard Jones, a probationer at the Waimataitai School. On Friday of last week, he went out to the grandfather's place at Pleasant Point for a holiday. Deceased used to live with witness in Timaru, and he last saw him alive at 4 p.m. on Friday, August 26th. He was then in perfect health, and witness did not know of any reason why his brother should do away with himself, as he was always of a very cheerful disposition. His grandfather had told witness that deceased had arrived at Pleasant Point on Friday last, and spent part of the evening at a neighbour's place. On Saturday it was wet and deceased stayed inside all day, going to see a friend in the evening. Nothing unusual was noticed about him. It was fairly late when he came home, and on Sunday morning he said he felt unwell, so the grandmother took a drink of tea into him. After stopping in bed till 11 a.m., he remained about the house till evening, when he went to bed again. He rose early on Monday morning with the intention of driving his grandfather to mass in Pleasant Point, but he was still sick, so the old people advised him to go to bed. Deceased said that he would go for a long walk instead, and after his grandfather had driven away, the boy walked along the road bare headed. Witness had inspected the bridge where the accident occurred, and round that at that point it was three feet above the creek bed, the ground underneath being about two feet from the end. Witness thought that deceased must have fallen asleep while sitting on a block of timber, and had then been awakened by the noise of the approaching train, when he got confused.
To Mr Hay: The piece of timber formed a natural resting place, and the men on the engine could not have seen him unless he rose. It had been a habit of deceased to sit on this bridge, which was only about a quarter of a mile from his grandfather's house.
The Coroner returned a verdict of accidental death.
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Mr. W. Thomas M.A., headmaster of the Waimataitai Shoal, says he is fully convinced that young Jones did not commit suicide. He was too bright and cheerful a lad for that, and too intelligent to harbour morbid thoughts. He was a particularly brilliant student and had a very promising career before him. He was not in any way suffering from overwork, and during the past fortnight had been taking a rest from study. Mr Thomas further says that the deceased, when at the Point, used to sit reading under the bridge where he was killed, and he supposes that Jones was sitting there on the morning of the fatality and had been suddenly aroused from sleep when the train came along, and that in a semiconscious state he rose up (the bridge is only a few feet from the ground) and his head passing between the sleepers, was caught by the train before he was able to extricate himself. -Timaru Herald, 2/9/1910.
The funeral of the late pupil teacher of Waimataitai, Bernard Jones, whose death under painful circumstances has been recorded, took place yesterday afternoon, from the Catholic Church. The hearse was preceded by the Waimataitai School Cadets in uniform, under Captain Merry, and the school staff and members of the School Committee were among the mourners. The deceased had previously been at the Pleasant Point School, and the ex-chairman of that school, Mr Crozier was also present. The services were conducted by Rev. Father Smith. -Timaru Herald, 2/9/1910.
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