THE INQUEST.
The inquest was held on Friday evening in St. John’s Parish Room before Dr. Henry Watson. J.P., Coroner, and a jury of whom Mr. Walter Church was foreman.
Inspector Thomas was present on behalf of the G.W.R. Company, and Mr. G.K. North, the station master was present.
Mr. Francis James Cambridge. railway inspector at Newbury, identified the body as that of George Banwell, plumber. employed on the G.W.R.
Douglas Fidler, clerk in the Borough Surveyor’s office, said on Thursday evening about 7.30 he was standing on the lower end of the down platform. and saw deceased walk to the edge of the platform, with a newspaper in his hand. He saw an engine coming up from the west. and he called to him to stop. He was In the act of jumping and he could not stop. The engine knocked him down in the middle of the permanent way. Deceased was reading the paper just before he jumped. There was a train in the station on the other line and he could not have crossed without going in front of the engine.
Mr. G.K. North, stationmaster. said he was standing on the up-platform at 7.15 p.m.and heard the driver of the engine blow his whistle before coming out of the siding. He saw him start, but did not take any further notice of the engine. Hearing something he looked toward the engine again and a man's body disappearing under the engine He called out to the driver to stop. They searched and found deceased lying under the van. Dr. Major of Hungerford, was on the platform, and witness asked to examine him and see if anything could be done for him. Dr. Major examined him, and although he did not pronounce him dead. asked it there was a mortuary near. He said he could not recover, but would be doubtless dead before they could get him to the Hospital
Thomas Walter Hunt. the driver of the engine, said on Thursday night at 7.15 he had charge of an engine starting out of No. 7 siding to go up into the bay at the other end of the train. He was looking ahead to see that the Winchester train had got clear, Ali at once his mate called out to him that a man had stepped down in front of the engine. Witness blew the whistle. applied the brake, and stopped as soon as he could, in nearly its own length. He jumped off and crawled in under the coach, and lifted the deceased back so that he could be picked up. He could find no pulse and thought he was dead. Some people picked up the body and put it on a stretcher. Witness went to his engine and left for Reading.
William Taylor, fireman on the engine, said he saw a man come from the bookstall. and jump down in front of the engine. Witness hollowed (?) out and his mate blew the whistle and applied the brake. When they stopped they found they had gone over the man.
The Foreman said no witness had cleared up the motive of deceased crossing the line.
P.C. Gibbs said it had been reported that it was to get a paper for the driver of the Winchester train, but this was not correct.
Inspector Thomas said the deceased was not one of the station staff.
Mr. Cambridge said deceased left work early In the evening, and there was nothing to call him to the station. His duty was to attend to the plumbing work at the stations. his district extending from Woodborough to Theale. and from Didcot to Winchester.
A juror said the engine driver was to be commended for stopping his engine so promptly.
The Coroner said the only consolation in the case that death was instantaneous. His thigh was terribly smashed. but from the peaceful look on his face there was the hope that his sufferings were put to an end immediately. It was also a satisfaction that there were no children, but at the wish of the Foreman he desired to express sympathy with the widow in her terrible bereavement. There was no doubt that death was the result of an accident. which they all deplored, and they could not bring in any other verdict. The jury returned a verdict of Accidental death.
The deceased was a Forester, and the funeral on Monday was attended by 20 or 30 members at the Order. including the chief Ranger, Bro. J. C. Burningham, who read the charge, and the Secretary, Brother J. Gillett. Some 23 of the deceased's fellow workmen also attended to show respect for their late comrade.
A number of wreaths from relatives and sympathising friends were placed upon the coffin. The funeral ceremony, which took place in the cemetery, was performed by the Rev. R. Dunn. |
