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| Keywords: tasmania blackandwhite monochrome outdoor sport vehicle railroad black and white A shocking accident happened at a level crossing near North Bridgewater at about 7.40 on Friday night, a carrier named Albert Victor Bayley, aged 30, residing at Broadmarsh, being killed and his wife seriously injured. The deceased had been employed by Mr. C. Nichols, of Broadmarsh, as carrier, and at the time of the accident was returning from Hobart in a four-wheeled vehicle, drawn by two horses, having been to the capital, as was his weekly custom, for goods ordered by residents in the country. He was accompanied by his wife and a little girl, 2.5 years of age, their two other children having been left at home. Mrs Bayley had the child in her arms. Mr. Bayley was just on the point of driving across the railway line, a few hundred yards above the North Bridgewater railway station, when Mrs. Bayley exclaimed "There's a light!" Her husband replied, "Where?" The word was scarcely out of his mouth when the train, which left Brighton about 7.25 p.m. for Hobart crashed into the vehicle. Mr. Bayley's death must have been instantaneous. When the train was pulled up, and it pulled up with great suddenness, his body was found under the truck next to the engine. He had been decapitated, and otherwise terribly mangled. The vehicle had been carried a distance of about 150 yards, the cowcatcher turning it over and over. Mrs. Bayley and her child were carried along in the wreckage, and had a most miraculous escape from instant death. Mrs. Bayley sustained some broken ribs, and she is naturally suffering acutely from shock, and is also badly bruised. Her condition is critical. With a mother's devotion, she clung to her child, and she said, 'I shielded it." After the accident it was found still in her arms, and was uninjured. The two horses were cut to pieces. Assistance was quickly at hand, and Mrs. Bayley and her child were brought to the Hobart General Hospital by Mr. Stanley's motor-car with all possible speed. The police gathered up the fragments of Mr. Bayley's body, and took charge of it, pending an inquest. At the level crossing there were formerly gates, but these, under the retrenchment scheme, were removed, and cattle guards substituted. No one who saw Driver Mitchell as he brought his train into the Hobart station could help being sorry for him. He could hardly speak, and when questioned about the accident could only say, "It was not my fault." Later he added, "I am sorry I cannot tell you more than you appear to know, but I must first make my report to the department." The train was due at 10 minutes to 9 but it was nearly two hours after that time when it reached Hobart. Two passengers only alighted, and the questioning of both of these only elicited the fact that they had boarded the train close to the city. The train consisted of 21 carriages and trucks, the latter being heavily laden with firewood and produce. A survey of the cowcatcher revealed nothing, but going down the train one of the steps of a first-class carriage was noticed to be twisted out of position, and, although a porter was slashing into the iron bars with an axe, he was unable to get the step into position. When Mrs. Bayley and her child were picked up her first inquiry was for her husband. The scene was a shocking one, for the body of the victim was literally cut to pieces—"about as big as that book," said one person, pointing to a volume quarto size. Mr. S. Mann, the traffic superintendent, on hearing that the two children of the deceased were alone at home, proceeded to Broadmarsh at half-past 10 last night to make provision for the little ones. An inquest was opened at Bridgewater on Saturday, but was adjourned until next Friday. A shocking accident happened at a level crossing near North Bridgewater at about 7.40 on Friday night, a carrier named Albert Victor Bayley, aged 30, residing at Broadmarsh, being killed and his wife seriously injured. The deceased had been employed by Mr. C. Nichols, of Broadmarsh, as carrier, and at the time of the accident was returning from Hobart in a four-wheeled vehicle, drawn by two horses, having been to the capital, as was his weekly custom, for goods ordered by residents in the country. He was accompanied by his wife and a little girl, 2.5 years of age, their two other children having been left at home. Mrs Bayley had the child in her arms. Mr. Bayley was just on the point of driving across the railway line, a few hundred yards above the North Bridgewater railway station, when Mrs. Bayley exclaimed "There's a light!" Her husband replied, "Where?" The word was scarcely out of his mouth when the train, which left Brighton about 7.25 p.m. for Hobart crashed into the vehicle. Mr. Bayley's death must have been instantaneous. When the train was pulled up, and it pulled up with great suddenness, his body was found under the truck next to the engine. He had been decapitated, and otherwise terribly mangled. The vehicle had been carried a distance of about 150 yards, the cowcatcher turning it over and over. Mrs. Bayley and her child were carried along in the wreckage, and had a most miraculous escape from instant death. Mrs. Bayley sustained some broken ribs, and she is naturally suffering acutely from shock, and is also badly bruised. Her condition is critical. With a mother's devotion, she clung to her child, and she said, 'I shielded it." After the accident it was found still in her arms, and was uninjured. The two horses were cut to pieces. Assistance was quickly at hand, and Mrs. Bayley and her child were brought to the Hobart General Hospital by Mr. Stanley's motor-car with all possible speed. The police gathered up the fragments of Mr. Bayley's body, and took charge of it, pending an inquest. At the level crossing there were formerly gates, but these, under the retrenchment scheme, were removed, and cattle guards substituted. No one who saw Driver Mitchell as he brought his train into the Hobart station could help being sorry for him. He could hardly speak, and when questioned about the accident could only say, "It was not my fault." Later he added, "I am sorry I cannot tell you more than you appear to know, but I must first make my report to the department." The train was due at 10 minutes to 9 but it was nearly two hours after that time when it reached Hobart. Two passengers only alighted, and the questioning of both of these only elicited the fact that they had boarded the train close to the city. The train consisted of 21 carriages and trucks, the latter being heavily laden with firewood and produce. A survey of the cowcatcher revealed nothing, but going down the train one of the steps of a first-class carriage was noticed to be twisted out of position, and, although a porter was slashing into the iron bars with an axe, he was unable to get the step into position. When Mrs. Bayley and her child were picked up her first inquiry was for her husband. The scene was a shocking one, for the body of the victim was literally cut to pieces—"about as big as that book," said one person, pointing to a volume quarto size. Mr. S. Mann, the traffic superintendent, on hearing that the two children of the deceased were alone at home, proceeded to Broadmarsh at half-past 10 last night to make provision for the little ones. An inquest was opened at Bridgewater on Saturday, but was adjourned until next Friday. | ||||
