The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-12-20 00:00:00

SHOCKING FATALITY AT THE LYE..

On Saturday night a man named Thomas Aston
(53), a spadetree turner, residing at Netherend, met
with a terrible death whilst proceeding towards
home from the Lye. It appears that the unfo-
tunate man left his son, who lives in Orchard Lane,
Lye, and on going towards home, instead of going
over tr:e le% el crossing between the Lye Station and
Hayes Lane Box, he turned towards the right and
walking on the line, as the nearest way to his re i-
dence, was knocked down by the 940 p.m train nd
cut to pieces in a dreadful manner. His legs end
scalp were severed from the body and he was muti-
lated beyond recognition,
An inquest was held on on the body at the Spieacl
Eagle Inn, Dudley Road, Lye, on Tuesday evening,
before R. Docker, Esq., coroner.
Thomas Aston said he lived in Orchard Lane,
Lye, a.,,d deceased was his father. He had resided
at Netherend and was a epadetTe3 turner. He was
53 years of age. He last saw him alive about three
minutes past eight o'clock on Saturday night, the
13ib. inst. He left him in Orchard Lane on his way
home. He had been with him some time before,
about an hour, at the Windmill Inn, Dudley R9ad,
His faller was neither drunk or sober. He did not
see him again until he saw him dead about twelve
o'clock the same night, on the railway near Hayes
Lane Box. It was his nearest way home from
Orchard Lane.

By the foreman: His • body was found on the
other side of the crossing, about 100 yards. It was
his nearest way home, tut he would be on trespass.
James Hill said be lived at the Lye. On the night
of the 13th inst. he was coming from his borne to
the Lye, about ten minutes past nine o'clock. He
had passe I the level crossing about a fields length
when he saw the deceased lying on the ground on
the side of the root. Witness spoke to him anti
pailed bin and he got up. Witness asked him his
name, and he said "01(1
.Tem Aston." Witneis
assisted him lip and he said he was all right and
went towards the level crossing. Witness went on
about his business and did not hear auything more
about deceased until the next morning when he
heard he was dead.

Henry Townsend, signalman at the Hayes Lane
Box, said on Siturday night he was going on duty
about twenty minutes past eleven o'clock. He got
about 200 yards from the level crossing when he
kicked agaiost a man's hat. He picked it up and
looked at it and went about twelve yards further
, when he found the body. The body was lying on
the down line across the inside rail. He went and
callpd the station-master at the Lye, and they went
and found the body. Mr. Morgan sent %itness for
the police who came down and saw the holy. The
remains were collected and taken to the Spread
Eagle Inn. The lower part of the body was in the
middle of the don road and the other part in the
six-foot. It was cut in two.
Sergeant Cope said he went with last witness to
the spot, about 200 yards above the level croesing,
on Saturday night, about 11-45 p.m. He found the
body of deceased lying across the e.inner rail of the
down line. The body was very much cut, and about
a dozen yards from the body he found the right
hand of deceased on the down line. He got as ist-
ance, gathered up the remains, and they were re-
moved to the Spread Eaglo Inn. Ho picked up
some coppers which were lying on the ground, and
a baeket was handed to him by Mr. Morgan, the
station-master,
I3y the foreman : The head was partly severed
from the body.. It was altogether out of his way up
the line, and he was on trespass.
By a juryman: There was some ballast in the
six-foot, near where the body lay.
Thomas Whittinghamsaid he lived at Stourbridge
and was shed foreman. He heard of deceased Lki !s-
-killed and he exam;ned the engines that first came
off the branch. He found some tufts of Liman
hair on the stay rod of the engine of the 9 o'clock
train from Birm:ngham. Thu-e was also rome
blood by the hair. The train would get to the spot
where dee&sed was killed at 9-40 pm.
Mr. Morgan. station—master, at the Lye, said the
next train would be at 10 4, another at 10.20, and
another at 1038. All these trains moult have
passed over the body.
Whittingham said he examined the coginb cf the
10.1 train and found a smell portion of congealed
blood on the life guard, as if it had caught the body
in passing.
_

ifoseph-Gibson, an engine-driver in the etuplt;y of
the Great Western Railway Company, s..id he was
the driver of the train which passed the spot where
the boiy was found, at 9.40. It was a very dark
night. He did nt feel anything unusual in the
tunuing of the engine or OBE, he should hays slopped,
By the foreman: We always whisre beft.re
coming to the cros:,ing. _

Thii- jury returned a verdict of " Accieutally
kink,' whilst trLspassing on the railway."

IVJWLEY LOCAL BOARD.
,Oo Monday, an ordinary meeting of this Buiird
was held; Mr, W . Ba..sauo pro-id in..
The medical eifi(-er reportcd 1 leaths, giving a
death rate of 19 5, The assistant mi.dical officer
rep ii ted 21 deaths, and a death rate of 18.2 in the
tower division of the pari,h.
A letter was read from Mr. George Heaton. of the
Brads Steel Works, Oldbury, protesting against
the Tramway Company laying the tramway with
Rowley rag on the Dudley Bowl, Brades Vdlage,
and T4Fidale, and stating that if the Board allowed
the work to go on they should at once apptlid to the
Board of 'Dade.
The chairman said that sine.- receiving that letter
' arrangtme:its had been made with the company to
lay the line (.11 the Dudley Road with macadam, on
the uuderstan,_ang that if the Board did not appruve
of the macadam the cort,pany should take up
again and lay it according to the specification.
Mr. Heaton was satisfied with that arrrangernent,
and the company had already get 240 yards of the

line laid with macadam. He had seen a piece of
line being worked in Corporation Street, Birming—
ham, which was laid with macadam, and it ap-
peared to be perfectly sound and to be far
superior to the granite. After some discussion it
was decided to allow the company to lay the whole
of the tramway in the district with macadam, on
the understanding that they should take it up if
not approved of when called upon.
The Chairman pointed out that at the last meet-
ing,it was decided to oppose the lafinc, of the tram-
way in the Blackheath district, tut he then stated
that he would prefer having some meetings
in the parish, and testing the feeling of the people
upon the subject Those meetings had been held,
and a large deputation wished to see the Board.
The deputation then entered the room, and con•
tended that the tramway would be beneficial to the
ratepayers in general, as at the pros ,nt time they
had really no direct railway accommodation to
either Dudley or Oldbury ; and further, that it
would be a saving to the rates in the making of the
roads. It was decided to support the laying of the
, tramways, and that a special meeting of the Board
should he called to consider the claus3s of the
provisional order.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1884.