The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-02-25 00:00:00

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT STOURBRIDGE

STATION.

A sad accident occurred at the Passenger Station on
on Saturday morning last, to a man named William
Stokes, parcel porter, and which unfortunately terminated
fatally the same day. It appears that as the 5.57 train
rrived at Stourbridge front Dudley, Stoke. attempted to

Jamea Hume Phillips, station master at the Great
Western Railway Station, Stourbridge, said he knew the
deceased. He was parcel porter, and lived at No. 2,
Park-street, Stourbridge. On the 18th instant he now the
deceased on the platform at the Stourbridge Station, at
about five minutes to ten in the morning. The 9.55 train
from Birmingham was due, and came in about two min-
utes after. After the train had passed the booking-office
door h e saw the deceased lying between the rails of the
13111 ill line. He went to deceased, arid found he had been
run over by the train. His left leg and shoulder had
been set erelt injured. He sent for asurgeon, who dressed
deceased,, and he was afterwards conveyed by train to
Birmingham, and then to the General Hospital. On the
way to the Hospital, deceased said, " Oh, master, I am
very sorry I have not taken your advice-. I should not
have come to this if I had.- Witness had cautioned him
the previous day about trying to get on to a train while
in motion, and threatened to have him tined. He rode
op by the train along the platform to get the parcels.
Witness had not the slightest doubt that was what the
deceased was doing when he got injured. The train
was goingiabout seven miles per hour. It came smoothly
into the station, where jt stopped. There was no par-
ticular jerk to throw him off.
Thomas Butler, foreman porter at the Stourbridge
Station, said on Saturday morning, the 18th inst., about
five minutes to ten o'clock, he saw the 9.55 train from
Birmingham coming icto the station. The deceased
was standing about two yards off him. He saw the de-
ceased run a couple of yards after the train, and try to
grip the brindle of the guard's van.
A Juror: Mr. Coroner, I should like to say that that
is quite wrong. He did not run to meet the train.
Coroner : It is not wrong, Sir, for I have not put
anything down yet.
Juror: Ton are wrong there, Sir.
. _ . .

Coroner Do you think Ido not know what a railway
carriage is, after having inquired so much about them
Ido not permit you to be impertinent. I say do not in-
terfere until the opportunity arrives ;it shall be given
you as soon as ever the information has been taken on
the part of the Crown.
Witness (continuing) : Deceased missed his bold, and
the back part of the carriage came against him and
turned him round. He fell down between the platform
and the rails. What occurred after that lie could not
aay, as deceased went down altogether.
Mr. May, house surgeon at the Coeneral Hospital,
said deceased was admitted at half-past eleven o'clock
on the morning of the 18th inst. He had a compound
comminuted fracture of the left humerus, and severe
laceration of the soft parts. Ile hod also a compound
fracture of the left leg. He was buffering from shock.
His injuries were dressed, but he became unconscious,
and died the same evening at eight o'clock.
The jury returned a verdict of" Accidental death...