DEATH OF A FOOTBALLER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2623, 22 June 1904, Page 31

DEATH OF A FOOTBALLER.

(Feom Our Own Cokbespondext.) WELLINGTON, June 15

The death is announced, under very painful circumstances, of Mr Edgar C. Thomson, son of the resident secretary of the Greymouth Harbour Board, and District Engineer for Public Works, who some years ago was in business as a photographer in Dunedin. In a Rugby football match on Saturday deceased received a knock on the head, but went on playing. On Saturday evening he appeared to be all right, but on Sunday he began to feel the effects of Ihe knock, and, though three doctors were called in, he grew gradually worse, _. and died early this morning. He was an only son, and had just finished his university career. His mother, who will arrive in Wellington from Greymouth to-morrow, will be met with the news that her eon is dead. Young Thomson, who was 23 years of age, was a member of the Wellington Club's junior team. Deceased informed Dv Logan that tho injury arose through his head striking another player's head. Deceased told the doctor that he played for about 15 minutes after the accident. It was on Saturday night that Dr Logan was called iD, and on Sunday night the sufferer was removed from his lodgings in Hawkef-tone etrect to a private hospital opposite. Oil Sunday Dr Logan consulted with Dr Collins, and next clay with Drs Collins and Ewart, as to the advisability of performing an operation. The result was that the operation was deferred. Last night deceased took a sudden turn for the worse, and Dr Logan intended to operate th's morning had not death supervened. The cause of death was hemorrhage of the brain, the knock having probably injured a vessel of the brain. Deceased was learning surveying, and recently entered Mr Scaton's office. An inquest will probably bo held to-morrow. George Kenneth Kilehing, captain of the Wellington team, states that in the last 10 minutes Thomson got a knock, rubbed his head, and went on playing. Kitching's impression was that Thomson, who was playing at wing three-quarter, went down to take the ball, and was kicked on the back of the head by a charging opponent, who intended to kick the ball. He could not say who the opponent was. The referee (Mr Shilling) etates that he does not remem-

ber any player being kicked on the head. He has some recollection of the head off a Wellington wing three-quarter in the second half colliding with the head of an opponent. The Wellington player rubbed his head, but went en playing. This bears out the statement made by deceased to the doctor. Algernon I<\ Worker, actingcaptain of Poneke, states that he does not remember seeing a Wellington man get a kick on the head. The only time j)lay was stopped was when lie (Worger) got a knock. Thomson, v,]iiio in Victoria, played Kugby sgaiust Mullineaux's English team, aad also pia3 r ed a season of the Vie torian frame. Last year he played on the Coast, and last Satin day he v> as playing for Wellington Second only to fill a vacancy.

A coroner's inquiry was held at Wellington into the circumstances surrounding the death of Edgar Thomson, aged 21 years, which occvircd on Wednesday from ihe coi>seq'i>viix= r,x a kick on the head loceiverl dining: a Rn^l.y match on Saturday. Evidence was ghen showing that while decea^ad was stopping a- iuth of opposing players he stooped to pick up the ball, and lece'ived a kick from a member of the Po'ieke t^ain, who tried to kick the ball. None of the witnesses co-aid give the name, of this s. layer. Tlie police pointed cut rhat ih would fen ?» good thine.' for footballer? to ieinpml<r that imy act which caused death cr serious injury came within the previsions of the CriniinaC Code It had been laid down in onu celebrated ca«o that it was not r.iateri,; 1 . to consider whether the act which caused death was or was not in aocordancp with t-bo rules and practices of the gai".e. A verdict o* "Accidental death was returned.