'THE ST HELENS RAILWAY FATALITY'

Mr S Brighouse, county coroner, held the inquest at Peasley Cross, St Helens, on Wednesday, on James Garner, aged 51 of 148 Mill-brow, Sutton, who was killed on the Ravenhead branch of the L and NW Railway at St Helens on Monday morning. Mr. H. L. Riley appeared for the widow, being instructed by Mr. A. Means, secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. Inspector Bonney appeared for the company. The coroner said the company ought certainly to have sent a solicitor. He would not allow the inspector to examine the witnesses. A rich company like that ought to be represented and render every assistance in their power. He had noticed a growing disinclination on their part to attend those inquiries. If they only came to show some sympathy with the men who were killed he should appreciate it. If it had been a colliery case they would have had a full plan drawn to scale, but they had a rough sketch drawn on a piece of paper torn from a grocery book, and was of very little assistance to them. Deceased was a foreman shunter who had been employed by the company for 27 years. On Monday morning he was directing shunting operations on the Ravenhead branch near Bibby's copper works. John Penketh, shunter of 53 Robins Lane said there were 30 wagons coupled together and he detached 3 by order of the deceased. Gamer rode on the first wagon which was going along at a good pace. The wagons travelled about 140 yards and ran against some stationary wagons. Deceased said he would attend to braking the wagons as they went along. He expected Deceased would put the brake on with his foot. The coroner said it seemed that in shouting to give an order to a man named Baker, Deceased had got too near stationary wagons before applying the brake and when collision came, he was knocked off the wagon and fell with his legs underneath and his legs were both run over at the thigh. By Mr Riley — In one day of 10 hours they often had to deal with quite 1,000 wagons in and out of a great mass of sidings. The shunting staff consisted of the deceased, a shunter and a pointsman. Although Deceased was foreman, he had to do a great deal of the shunting. The jury returned a verdict of "accidental death".

St.Helens Reporter Friday May 16th 1902 - Contributed by Pauline Ball

'Sutton in the News This Week' features Sutton and Bold news stories and is updated on Sundays