Kent & Sussex Courier, 8th July 1881 .

GROOMBRIDGE.

RUN OVER BY A TRACTION ENGINE AND KILLED.

An inquest was held at the Tunbridge Wells Infirmary on Monday afternoon last by J. Rogers, Esq., coroner, on the body of Wm. Isaac Rye, who met with his death on the preceding Tuesday, under circumstances detailed in the evidence:-

The jury of which Mr. Walsh was chosen the foreman, having viewed the body, Sarah Stephenson, a married woman, of Groombridge, deposed to the deceased being her brother. He was twenty last birthday, was a labourer, and married. On the previous Wednesday in consequence of receiving information of the accident, she started out for Edenbridge, but on the way met her brother being brought in a van. She asked him how he became hurt, and he said he was offered an iron "nut", and his taking that was partly the cause of the accident. They were then told not talk to him. His wife did not live with him. She came with him to the Infirmary, and afterwards visited him on the Thursday. He was not then insensible.

Alfred Knight, a lad aged 11, a schoolboy, living at Edenbridge. deposed that on the previous Tuesday he saw a traction engine in Greybury Lane. There was one carriage attached to it, which was empty. It had been taking brick sand then returning to the brick- yard. There was a man riding on the truck. That was at about half past six, and half an hour before that he found a "nut,” which he believed belonged to the engine, was having his tea when the engine passed, but he ran out and offered the “nut” to the deceased, who was on the truck. He went right between the engine and the truck attached while in motion to give it him. He held the nut up to the deceased, and he reached out and took it out of his hand. The driver of the engine told him to get out the way, and he did so. On looking round a moment afterwards he saw the wheels passing over deceased's body. One wheel went over the lower part his body, and the other over the upper part his legs. The engine was stopped directly, someone calling out that there was a man run over.

In answer to the jury, witness said that the whole affair occurred in a few moments. He did not see deceased fall.

The Coroner remarked that the lad, by his conduct, put his own life in danger, and hoped this would warn him not to be indiscreet.

Annie Seal, of Godstone Grove, Edenbridge, a single woman, deposed that on the previous Tuesday she was standing some 30 to 40 yards from the engine, which was going towards the brickyard at about seven o'clock, when she saw a man riding on the front of the truck, with his feet on the back the engine. The last witness went between the engine wheels and truck wheels, but she was not close enough to see what happened. She afterwards saw the deceased tumble off the truck, and two wheels passed over him. She went to where he was lying, and asked him if he was much hurt. He replied! "I don t know. I don’t think I am." The engine was stopped directly. The deceased was taken to a neighbour’s house, by a juror. She heard the steerer tell him, "It is entirely your own fault, and had no one to blame but yourself." Deceased said, "He knew he had not, and that he had only himself and the boy to blame." They were perfectly sober. In answer to questions put to her, witness said that the manner in which deceased fell was that his feet went up in the air and he tumbled over. He had been cautioned not to sit there, but he would do so.

Superintendent Embery mentioned that there were three men with the engine, one being present as a witness, one absent, the other being deceased — Charles Turner, who was showing the engine, gave corroborative evidence, and said the deceased was perfectly sober. He did not see deceased fall. There was about four feet space between the engine and the truck. There was no sudden jolt to cause deceased to fall off. Deceased had been cautioned not to sit in the position he was riding in.

Eliza Baldwin said the deceased was brought her house after the accident, and she remained with him all night. Dr. Gregory attended him, and ordered his removal to the Infirmary next day.

Mr Edwin Tanner, of the "Junction Hotel," Groombridge, proprietor and owner of the engine, was called, and said the position in which deceased was riding was a most dangerous one, and he had been cautioned about it.

Mr Footner, house surgeon at the Infirmary, was examined, and described the injuries deceased had received. It appeared that the internal injuries sustained the deceased were an extensive character, and quite sufficient to account for death.

The Coroner said he held this inquest because he thought it desirable to have such cases thoroughly inquired into.

The jury thoroughly concurred in the course adopted by the Coroner, and returned verdict of "Accidental death."

Mr. Tanner was requested to caution his men with a view of preventing a recurrence of such accidents.