Widnes Examiner. — 1907-08-31 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

RAILWAY TRAGEDY AT WARRINGTON.  Old Servant's Terrible End.  A shocking discovery was made on the London and North-Western Railway at Dallam sidings, Warrington, in the early hours of Monday morning. A fireman named Cartledge, of Crewe. was in the neighbourhood of the engine sheds when he found the mutilated body of Peter Wikinson, es-engine driver, 46 years of age, 34, Bewsey-road, lying on the permanent way. No one saw the deceased meet his death, but it was evident he had been run over by a passing train. The case was investigated by Mr. S. Brighouse, county coroner, at the police station on Wednesday morning. Mr. C. H. Unsworth appeared for the deceased's relatives. The Coroner said that according to the police report Wilkinson had,up to a week ago,been employed by the London , and North-Western Railway Company as an engine driver. He was discharged it being alleged that he went on duty under the influence of drink. On , Sunday evening be left home at 7 o'clock and went to the Imperial Hotel, where he had a few glasses of beer. He left at 10 o'clock, apparently sober, and shook hands with the landlord. At 12.30 on Monday morning his body was found on the up main four foot on the railway line passing the engine sheds at Dallam. His watch had stopped at 11.35. The 10.40 train from Manchester had passed at 11.34 and there was no doubt that was the train which ran over the deceased. Henry Whitfield, engine driver, 34, Bewsey-road said deceased was his cousin and lived with him. Witness left home at ten o'clock on Sunday morning and on returning was told that deceased left the house at 7 o'clock.He never returned. Wilkinson had been employed by the company for 31 years and had always maintained that he was innocent of the offence for which he was dismissed. Witness thought it was impossible for him to have got drunk on the night of the alleged offence for he left home perfectly sober at 10.20 and had to "book on "at 11. When be arrived at the sheds he was sent home. He had been very quiet and depressed since his dismissal but *had never threatened to take away his life.  Tlie Coroner said that if deceased was not drunk it seemed a very drastic proceeding to discharge him, but if he was, it was only right. Engine drivers had so many lives in their hands that they were bound to keep sober. If they wanted to drink they must go into retirement where they could do as they liked. Questioned by Mr. Unsworth witness said he believed there was a dispute between deceased and his foreman as to whether he was drunk. When deceased left the house at 10.20 on the date in question he had only just got out of bed. When he was sent home he was suspended for a week and afterwards there was an inquiry and he was dismissed. On Saturday night he said he had got, a situation as engineer at a steam laundry at Blundellsands. Deceased might have been going to the sheds for some tools or to say " Good-bye ' to his fellow workmen when he met his death. The Coroner: There was a particular reason why the company should be careful on the occasion when deceased was said to have been drunk. You know who was travelling on the line on that day? Witness: I believe the Queen was passing through Warrington. Continuing witness said deceased had to sign some papers when he went on duty. He never was a good scholar and he made a blotch of the signature. He was therefore told that he was under the influence of drink.  The Coroner : I hope other people are not judged by their handwriting or I should be in a poor way. (Laughter.)  , Mr. Unsworth The deceased leaves three young daughters. It seems hard that after 31 years service with the company he should be discharged in that way. The Coroner : It does seem hard on the face of it but I know what the company would say in reply. Albert Edward Cresswell, foreman in the employ of the Railway Company, 245, Lovely-lane, said that at 2.30 on Monday morning he was in charge of a gang of men in the siding at Dallam when a Crewe fireman came to him and said he thought someone had fallen out of a passenger train which had just passed on the down line. On crossing the lines witness found the mutilated body of Wilkinson. His watch had stopped at 11.35, and on going to the signal cabin witness found that the 10.35 passenger train to Chester had passed the spot at 11.32. The engine was ultimately examined and a quantity of flesh and blood was found about the springs. Witness had only seen deceased once since he was suspended, and he appeered to be in very good spirits. He said he had got a good situation, and did not require a character from the Railway Company. Witness had known deceased three years, and had never seen him the worse for drink.  Thomas Partridge, licencee of the Imperial Hotel, Bewsey-road, said that on Sunday night deceased had about three glasses of beer. On leaving he shook hands with witness, and said he was going to a fresh situation. He seemed quite cheerful. The Coroner suggested that the idea of suicide was completely eliminated. Deceased was discharged, but he had got a fresh situation which he could go to on his merits without a character. There were many legitimate reasons why deceased should go on to the line. After the jury had consulted a short time the foreman (Mr. E. Pickavance) said they had agreed that the idea of suicide was eliminated and unanimously returned a verdict of " Accidental death." They wished to express their sympathy with the relatives. Mr. Unsworth thanked the jury and added that perhaps it might not be unreasonable to expect a little consideration from the Railway Company towards deceased's children. He believed legally they could not claim anything but he hoped that on the grounds of sympathy he would be able to induce the company to do something for them.  Mr. E. Bernard Reece, the Cardiff district coroner, while playing billiards at Glamorgan County Club, at Cardiff, on Wednesday night had an apoplectic seizure whicl: ended fatally in half an hour. Deceased was sixty-eight ..years of nge._  Tiieciief'engineerGthe Public Works Department, Cape Colony, draws attentian, in his annual report, to the deserted appearance of Port Alfred. at the mouth of the Rowie River. "Harbour works representing an outlay of £330 000 might as well not exist as far as their usefulness is concerned,"he writes.