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ABERYSTWYTH.

ABERDOVEY.

TOWYN.

-! BARMOUTH.

MERIONETHSHIRE COUNTY GOVERNING…

THE FATALITY AT LLWYNGWRIL.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

THE FATALITY AT LLWYNGWRIL. INQUEST AND VERDICT. On Wednesday week the adjourned inquest touching the death of Alartha Jones, daughter of David Jones, Llwyngrwil, who was killed on the Cambrian Railways on the 15th ult, was resumed before Mr W. R. Davies, county coroner, and jury, of whom Air W. Williams, Pentrebach, was the foreman. Mr Corfield, solicitor, Oswestry, appeared on behalf of the Cambrian Railways Company* The first witness called was Dr Williams of Barmouth, who said he had examined the body and described the injuries inflicted. He said the body was that of a young girl. The chief injuries were a wound on the right side of the scalp two inches long, and penetrating to the bone, and a wound at the base of the skull from which brain substance protruded. Proceeding, lie said In his judgment the cause of death was the fractured dislocation of the top of the spine near the neck. There was another bruise on the left shoulder blade. In his opinion the dis- location was caused by being knocked down. It might have been caused by contract with a sharp instrument. It was possible that she might have been knocked down before receiving the incised wound. He had not attended the girl profession- ally before the accident, but had always known her. Jane Jones, 13 years of age, sister of the deceased, residing at Craigydon, Llwyngwril, sworn, said:- I live with my father and mother, and went to the beach with my sister. We started about 2-30, and intended having a bathe. We went through the Trail wny field near the Qnaker's graveyard. We reached that place by walking along the railway, and then we crossed the gates and reached the shore. It was a very warm day. No one was with us, and we went towards Friog. We both went into the water, but my sister said it was very cold. My sister left before me. She dressed whilst I was in the water. Deceased did not put on her hat because she had wet her hair and wished it to dry. I saw my sister going towards the crossing, and stop by the gate looking towards the village, waiting my aunt to come down. I went up to my sister. She was then sitting on the gate watching for my aunt, who had promised to come to bathe with us. She said she thought she could see my aunt approaching, and added that she would follow me to the shore. When I turned again I noticed she had crossed the gate and was walking towards Llwyngwril, at the same time waving her handkerchief towards me. The train came in a little while, afterwards, but as the bridge was high I could not see my sister when the train approached. When I went up to the railway I noticed the train had stopped and there were people about. I did not see the body. My sister spoke as cheerfully as usual, and did not mention to me that she intended doing away with herself. In reply to a juror, witness said she was preven- ted by a man named Griffith Griffiths from going to see the body. By P,C.Evans: I said It must be my sister," and he replied Oh! no; it is a gipsy." Deceased was on the sea side of the railway. Lewis Pugh, mason, Llwyngwril, said he saw the two girls going through Llwyndu field towards the shore. The deceased spoke to him in a cheerful manner. This was about five o'clock. John Lloyd, Gwastadcoed Isaf, said he noticed deceased standing on the gate looking towards the sea. He next heard the engine's whistle and saw the train had stopped. He went to the railway and saw a body but he had no idea whose body it was. The body lay between the rails, and nearer the lower than the upper, a distance of 46 paces from the crossing. The crossing is a dangerous one by reason of the sharp curve close by. It would be impossible for the engine driver to see anyone on the railway until he had passed the curve, and then the train could be stopped immediately. Thomas Plumb, the engine driver, said he lived at Alachynlleth and was employed on the Cam- brian Railway. He was in charge of the train, which left Barmouth at 5.25 p.m. on the day of the accident. Just after shutting off steam when approaching Llwyngwril Station, he saw a woman come out of the hedge on the sea side of the road, about 40 to 50 yards in front. Proceeding he said She was in the cutting. I saw her deliberately staring at me and deliberately going between the rails. I whistled but she still went on and placed herself between the metals. I was then about 50 yards from her and my mate shouted out She is committing suicide." I immediately applied the brake and pulled up the train before it had gone ten yards further than the body. She was standing upright with her back to the engine. The draw- bar hook came in contact with her head. She must have been struck down straight for the train went clean over her. If she had been running towards the other side, the wheels would have gone over her body.—Pressed as to the accuracy of his state- ment by the coroner, Witness said: She was coming out of the hedge when I saw her. I whistled and she stared towards me and deliberately went and stood between the rails placing her back towards the engine. When trains came suddenly behind people they became confused and often do not know which way to turn. He came at the usual rate of speed—about 30 miles an hour, and would come 110 yards, from the curve to the place where the girl stood, in about one-eighth of a minute. In reply to Mr. Corfield, witness said he was shutting off steam and the rate of speed was con- siderably reduced. The brake had evidently taken effect. George Caffrey, the stoker on L uty, deposed I live at Machynlleth. The girl ran from the hedge and looked at the train. The driver whistled. She stepped across the metal, turned her back to the engine, and placed her hands by her side. I shouted to the driver, Whoa, mate, she is going to com- mit suicide." The driver applied the brake in- stantly with full power, and the train was pulled up within its own length or thereabouts. The guard and I went towards her and found her on the four foot face downwards. The lips were swollen, and her face was covered with blood. I assisted the guard to turn her over, and P.C. Parry, who was in the train, took possession of the body. She was forty or fifty yards away when I first saw her. Witness then went on to corroborate the evi- dence of the driver. Pressed by a relative of the deceased, witness said he would be glad if he could come to another conclusion regarding the girl's motive, but he was now, as he was then, firmly of opinion that it was a case of suicide, and could not alter his mind. Thomas Owen, the guard, was the next witness, and said he saw something on the line after the train passed. He went up to the body and saw that blood was oozing freely. They brought the train liaok to the scene of the accident, wrapped the body in a canvass and brought it to Llwyngwril station. Sergt. Hughes stated that there were two cross- ings. The place where she fell was 64 yards from the crossing and the body had been dragged 13 yards. P.C. Parry, Corris, v.Tho was in the train when the accident occurred, corroborated the evidence of the guard. He also added that he fonnd the boots —one under the body and the other about two yards in front. Sergt. Hughes, Towyn, recalled, said he came to Llwyngwril with the next train from Towyn the body had not then been identified. He took the measurements on the following day. He was under the impression that the driver and stoker were con- fused with the two crossings. The Coroner having summed up the evidence, pointed out that no blame, in his opinion, was attached to the railway company for neglecting to place a watchman on the crossing because it was an occupation crossing which was kept locked by the man who used it. There was no doubt that the young girl was looking towards Llwyngwril, and the train came suddenly ronnd the curve. The driver blew the whistle and did everything in his power to prevent the accident, but sometimes people come for a moment confused and did not exactly knew what to do in cases of this kind. They hesitated and the hesitation often proved fatal. The stoker was evidently rather shocked and although his evidence was quite honest there was no doubt that he had been affected by the sight and could not remember details very dis- tiLctly, so the evidence of the engine-driver and stoker could not be altogether relied npon. E was therefore very likely that these people had been a bit mistaken regarding the girl's motive. It would be for the jury to say whether the young girl placed herself wilfully before the train or whether she became confused. The jury having consulted in private for a few minutes they returned a verdict of "Accidental Death," and said they exonerated the railway officials from all blame. The Coroner said that his attention had just been called to a paragraph which had appeared in a local paper giving a report of the accident. He would like to ask the jury whether they considered the heading Accident or suicide to be sensational, and whether the reporter had not taken upon him- v self the duty which rested with the jury. If they wished to express an opinion about it they were at liberty to do so. The Foreman said he had seen the report and so had most of the jurymen. The Coroner The reporter is present and will no doubt put matters right. Air J. R. Thomas (Abergynolwyn) said that he had written a letter to the editor of the Toivyn-on- Sea and Merioneth County Times, but that gentle- man had not corrected the mistake. two The reporter informed the Coroner watter letters had been received referring to other, one of which had been published.. nature written by Air Thomas, was of an a^3^1^oU and was not considered worthy of pub %vhich The Foreman said he had seen the e had appeared, and thought it was nnnec say anything more about the matter. tbo The jury eventually expressed an opinion heading of the report in the Tony'1-011J- ag Merioneth County Times was to be regre atjCl might have occasioned pain to absent r^^er.v ards might also misrepresent what was < ascertained to be the cause of death.

TOWYN.

THE VOLUNTEER CA^LP-,