>From The Cork Examiner, 21 January 1863 FATAL ACCIDENT AT TIVOLI STATION. -------------- YESTERDAY, in Courtney's-lane, Mr. Coroner Gallwey held an inquest into circumstances attending the death of a pointsman named Timothy Sweeney, the particulars of which appeared in Monday's Examiner. The evidence was as follows:-- John Johnston, fireman, stated that on Monday morning he was on the engine of the good's train from Cork which arrived at the Tivoli station about 20 minutes past nine intending to attach a truck of rails ; deceased at the time was near the track and signalled to have the engine come back to it ; witness had the break [sic] on the engine and could have stopped it immediately ; deceased gave the signal to come close, he standing at the time near the truck ; the buffers of the engine were also close to it ; as the engine approached very slowly deceased, instead of getting out on the road as he should have done, remained where he was when he gave the signal ; the buffers then met, and so lightly that witness did not consider that any accident could have occurred ; the driver called out to know if all were right, but receiving no answer called out again and then with witness jumped off the engine and found deceased lying on the line between the rails, apparently dead. Witness, in reply to the coroner, said that deceased was not in his proper place when the accident occurred. To Mr. Jameson--The rails projected over the buffer. William Lawless, engine-driver, deposed that on the morning in question he told Sweeney, on arriving at Tivoly [sic], that he was going to clear the siding, to which deceased replied that he (witness) would have to bring the truck off himself as there were no men there to do so ; went in on the siding, and when nearing the truck saw Sweeney cross in upon the siding where the truck was ; when the engine came up so close as to allow the truck be attached witness stopped, being under the impression that deceased was about attaching it ; not receiving an answer to his question "if all were right" he leaped off the engine and found Sweeney lying between the rails ; Sweeney was dead at the time. Dr. James Curtis described the nature of the wounds deceased received. All the bones from the left eye to the back of the head were broken ; these injuries were the cause of death. The Cornoner having summed up the evidence, The Jury consulted, and after a good deal of deliberation returned the following verdict:-- "That the said deceased Timothy Sweeney was killed on the 19th of January, 1863, having been crushed between a waggon and engine on the Youghal and Queenstown Railway, at Tivoli, in the borough of Cork, and we think the Company censurable for allowing the iron rails to project over the front of the waggon. We strongly beg to recommend the family of the deceased to the consideration of the company." The Coroner hoped that the company would act on the recommendation of the jury. Mr. T. L. Jameson, solicitor, and Mr. Trew, assistant-secretary, watched the proceedings on behalf of the company. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dennis Ahern | Ireland Newspaper Abstracts Acton, Massachusetts | http://www.IrelandOldNews.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -