SHOCKING DEATH ON THE RAILWAY.
A frightful affair occurred last, evening on the railway-line near the Castle street crossing by which a young man named Henry Martin lost his life. At first the case looked undoubtedly like one of suicide, but upon a consideration of all the information which we have been able to gather it will be seen that there is some ground for believing that the fatality was quite accidental.
The deceased was only eighteen or nineteen years of age, and was the only son of his parents, who reside in York place. His father is employed at the new gasworks in course of erection at Caversham. The deceased himself had worked at the Otago Foundry for about five years, and had during that time borne an excellent character for steadiness and sobriety. Yesterday, in consequence of the transfer of the foundry from the trustees in the estate of the late proprietors (Messrs Davidson and Conyers) to Messrs Palmer, Booth, and Co, there was an auction sale of stock on the premises, and a liberal supply of refreshments of all kinds was provided. Young Martin drank some spirits, and not being accustomed to take much he became slightly intoxicated, and at 4 p.m. was told not to mind his work but go home. He reached home about half-past five o’clock and told his mother that he did not feel well, and she advised him to lie down for a bit. When his father returned from work he went up to deceased’s room, and took his boots off in order to make him more comfortable. About half-past seven o’clock one of the neighbors went to the house and told Mrs Martin that she had seen young Martin get out of his bedroom window and go down the street. Mrs Martin states that she went after him and asked him where he was going, to which he replied: “For a long walk and a bath; it will do me good.” She thought that it would do so and accordingly let him go, and she saw him going in the direction of the Bay, where he used often to bathe. In the morning, however, he had not returned, and Mrs Martin on hearing that a young man had being killed at the Castle street railway crossing began to fear that it might be her son. On going with some friends to the Morgue her worst fears were realised, for the lifeless remains they saw there were those of her boy. She entirely discredits the idea that he committed suicide, and thinks that the effects of the drink he had taken must have made him so unsteady that he fell in crossing the line.
The manner in which deceased came to his death will, pending the holding of an inquest, best be gathered from abstracts of reports by officials in the Railway Department.
Mr G. H. Ashcroft, station-master, reports to Mr A. Grant, traffic-manager, as follows: I have to report an accident last night, by which a man (name unknown) met his death. From the account given by Thomas Egley, Charles Bollo, and Donald McAuley, railway servants, it would appear to be a case of determined suicide. As the train from Palmerston, due at 9 p.m., was approaching the station, the driver noticed a man standing about three yards clear of the main line at Castle street crossing. He was apparently waiting for the train to pass, but when the engine was distant about four or five yards he threw himself deliberately forward with his arms extended. The brake whistle was immediately given, and the train pulled up in about fifty yards. The man was terribly mangled, and has not yet been identified; but the police were then communicated with, and they removed the remains to the Morgue.
Donald McAuley, signalman, states that he was on the crossing until the train arrived at Stuart street signals, when he moved to hold the facing points situated about three yards within the fence on the station side of the crossing. He observed the man approach slowly from the street, and stop as if to allow the train to pass. When it was a few yards away the man put his arms to the sides of his head and fell forward on the line. He was immediately struck by the cow-catcher, which pushed him forward a little distance and then passed over him, and several carriage and waggon wheels also passed over the body. The driver of the engine had noticed that something was wrong, and pulled up the train within about fifty yards. About half of the train had passed over deceased’s body, which was found terribly mangled.
Thomas Egley (shunter), employed at the crossing, says that he was standing with McAuley at the time, and corroborated his statement.
Charles Bollo, driver of the engine, states that he gave the usual warning whistle before nearing the crossing. He was going at a slow pace, being quite close to the station. When close on to the crossing he saw deceased throw himself across the rails, and immediately whistled the brakes down and stopped the train.
George Course, guard to the train, says that just before reaching the crossing he heard the driver’s whistle to put the brakes down, and obeyed the signal. The train was going slowly, and was pulled up within fifty yards.
An inquest was to have been held late this afternoon. -Evening Star, 15/12/1882.
INQUEST.
The inquest on the body of the man Henry Martin, killed on the railway on Thursday evening, was held at the Morgue yesterday afternoon, before Mr E. H. Carew, S.M., and a jury of thirteen, of whom Thomas Broadway was chosen foreman. The jury having inspected the body,
Edward Booth, foundry master at the Otago Foundry, was called, and deposed: I identify the remains as those of Henry Martin, who was in my employ. He left the foundry at four yesterday, at my request, as he had had a little to drink. That is the last I saw of him. He was unfit to work. I had never seen him suffering from drink before, though he had been in my employ five years. I have noticed nothing unusual or eccentric in him of late. I am quite certain that he was under the influence of liquor, as I could smell drink on him, and he staggered. There had been some drink on the works.
Benjamin Martin (laborer), father of the deceased, said: I identify the remains as those of my son, who was between eighteen and nineteen years of age, I saw him last about five minutes past eight last night, when he left the house a little the worse for drink. I told him not to go out, but he said he would take a walk to cool himself. We never had a quarrel. There has not been the slightest change in his demeanor of late. I never knew him to taste drink since he was quite a little boy. He could walk quite well. The distance from my house to where the accident occurred is about half a mile.
Thomas Egley, shunter in the Dunedin yards, deposed: I saw Martin about nine o'clock standing by the railway crossing at Castle street, within 3ft or 4ft of the rails. He was standing quite still, and I was about seven or eight yards from him. As there was a train from Palmerston coming I thought he was waiting till it passed by. When the engine came within 8ft or 10ft oh where he was the deceased threw out his hands and flung himself across the rails. I instantly gave the driver a danger signal, the brakes were put on, and the train brought to a standstill within about forty yards. I then proceeded to the body, which was lying under the train, after about ten or twelve trucks had passed over it. The body was much mangled, and I had to get assistance to bring it to the Morgue. It was not possible for me to save him, as the engine was so near. I did not speak to him. I took particular notice of him to see whether he would attempt to cross, and he appeared to deliberately throw himself across. He appeared quiet in his manner, as if waiting for the train to pass. There were no stones or iron to cause him to trip. The signalman was between us, about four or five yards from him. When he was approaching ho appeared to be walking steadily. I saw no female near to him at any time.
Donald Macaulay, signalman, whose duty it was to look after the Castle street crossing, stated that he saw deceased, while the train was approaching, walk steadily to the crossing and stand a few feet from the rails, apparently waiting for the train to pass. The witness then detailed the occurrence of the death of the deceased exactly as given by the last witness. The train was travelling about five miles an hour, and was stopped as soon as possible. There was no time to stop the train before the occurrence took place. There are no gates at the crossing. He saw no one speaking to deceased, but there was a woman about after they were picking up the remains.
Charles Bollo, engine-driver in charge of the nine o'clock train, deposed: On approaching the Castle street crossing from the North, about 8.58, I saw a man walk up to the line and stop — clear of the rails. He looked over his shoulder, and suddenly threw himself right across the rails, when the engine was about 6ft from him. I don't think it possible that he could have tripped and fallen. If I had known that he was suffering from drink I should still have the opinion that he threw himself across the line, I had a good light on the engine. As soon as I saw the occurrence I reversed the engines, and whistled for the brakes, which were put on immediately. We were travelling about six miles an hour, and three parts of the train had passed over the body before we had stopped. It was impossible to stop the train in time to save his life.
The Coroner, in summing up the evidence, said it was evident from the depositions that the man was suffering from what was very unusual for him — the influence of drink. It was possible that this being the only time he had drunk anything it might have taken an unusual effect upon him. It seemed strange that a man with no cares upon his mind should have deliberately attempted to commit suicide, and there was nothing to show that in an ordinary state he was of unsound mind, He left the matter in the hands of the jury. If they thought there was evidence of deceased being insane, a verdict should be brought accordingly; or if, in their opinion, it was a case of unpremeditated suicide, a verdict should be brought in in accordance with that view. It certainly seemed impossible that he contemplated suicide.
After consideration, the jury returned the following verdict, — "That the deceased committed suicide by throwing himself across the rails whilst laboring under a fit of temporary insanity; no blame attaching to anybody." -Evening star, 15/12/1882.
The unfortunate lad Henry Martin, who was killed recently at the railway-crossing, was buried on Saturday last. He appears to have been of very steady habits and to have been generally respected by his acquaintances, a large number of whom refuse to accept the idea that he committed suicide, and opine that a feeling of giddiness must have seized him whilst watching the approach of the train, causing him to throw his arms up to his head and fall. This is not an improbable theory, seeing that the lad was suffering from the effects of drink, to which he was wholly unaccustomed. -Otago Daily Times, 19/12/1882.
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