The motor trolly accident which happened at Young Siding on April 28 last, in which a fettler named Edward Sharp received injuries which resulted in his death a few days later, was, responsible for a coronial inquiry which occupied the attention of the coroner, Mr A. E. Burt, at Albany, the whole of Monday last, while it was found necessary to recall Dr. Johnson on Tuesday morning. In all seven witnesses were examined.
It appears from the evidence of those who were at the siding at the time that a stock train was engaged loading sheep when the Denmark - Albany train came along, after which a trolly came up from the direction of Denmark, with five men on it, namely, G. Goldsmith, E. Baldwin, J. Weight (ganger), Edward Sharp (deceased), and J. Kay. Owing to the stock train being on the road, the trolly was stopped some distance on the Denmark side of the siding, but shortly afterwards the ganger, while speaking to Guard Bamford, of the stock train, between the main line and rhe loop, beckoned the men on the trolly, which was about 120 yards down the line, to come up. The call was responded to. When the trolly got in a line with Weight and Bamford travelling at about two miles per hour, the former jumped on the back step of the trolly. Seeing the trolly did not stop, Bamford called out to Weight, "the points are open down there, Ted." Weight nodded his head and raised his hand in acknowledgment that he had heard the caution from Bamford. Bamford then walked back, to his train, when Driver Pritchard drew his attention, saying, "look, look." On Bamford looking down the line towards Albany he noticed the trolly at right angles across the rails. Pritchard then remarked that they had better go down and see if anyone was hurt, and on reaching the trolly he saw the other men lifting Sharp out of a drain on the side of the line. Pritchard, a first aid man, took charge of the injured man, and took him to the brake van and had him taken to Albany, and he was taken to the hospital. Guard Bamford, in reply to Superintendent O'Connor, stated that a disc was at the points where the accident took place. There was nothing to obscure, the view of the men on the trolly when he looked.
The Verdict.
The following morning the coroner returned the following verdict:- "That deceased came to his death on the 28th day of April, 1926, from a railway motor trolly at Young Siding, on the Denmark line, which was derailed at the points at that siding, owing to the culpable negligence of Joseph Frederick Kay, who was driving it."
Source: The Southern Districts Advocate, 24 May 1926, Page 4