Further details have reached us of the death of William P. Anderson, the son of Major General Anderson commanding the British Forces in South China, who was killed by French express train while crossing the line at Hesdigneul station. Mrs. Anderson, returned home recently from Hongkong intending to spend Holiday with her sons at Hesdigneul, which is fifteen minutes by rail south of Boulogne and within a short walk of the State forest of Hardelot.
On thevafternoon of the accident, Charles and William Anderson, the two elder sons, aged 17 and 18 years, decided to go to Pont-de Briques, a pretty village on the road to Baul: gue, and were accompanied by thi aunt. They were to go by the train which comes from Amiens calling at Hesdigneul station at 1.60 p.m. The train was six minutes late and was drawn up at the platform when the three travellers presented themselves at the booking office to take return tickets. Charles Anderson got his ticket first and crossed the platform without hindrance to the train on the upline. Mrs. Russell was following but stayed to wait for her other nephew, William.
At the moment there arrived on the down-line the Calais-Bale express about 12 minutes late and running at the rate of 50 miles an hour. William Anderson came running forward; @ station porter put out hi arms to prevent him crossing the line and the other servants of the railway shouted to him to remain on the platform. He had his hand his cap which the strong wind was threatening to blow of and was down her so that he did not notice
that but thought that he could cross the line before the express passed.
However that may be, as he was leaping across the line he was caught, by the engine and thrown nearly thirty yards forward. The body fell between the metale and was crushed, by the wheels of the locomotive and frightfully mutilated. A ery of horror burst from all the witnesses of the accident, and his brother rushed, to the help of the unfortunate young man, who however, had ceased to live.
Mrs. Russell, who was horrified witness of the tragedy, was overwhelmed with grief and was afterwards in a state of prostration, which caused her friends much anxiety. According to one account she broke the news to the mother, who being unable to believe thet her son was dead implored the people to bring him to her living, but there are Meanwhile the body was removed to a room at the station, where Dr. Dutortre, who had been sent for, could only certify that life was extinct The 8 placed in a coffin the same evening, with a view to its being conveyed to England at once. M. Decourroux, the Commissaire, who acts for the administration in these matters, opened the inquest immediately. According to the statements of witnesses the engine driver of the express blew the whistle several times because it seemed to him that Mrs.
Russell was too near the main line, but he did not appear to have perceived Willia A French paper in the night between Saturday and Sunday. It says: Mrs, Anderson saw in a dream her son William crushed by an express, The poor lady did not, however, suppose that this dream, would become next day " shocking reality.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.