DEATH OF JOCKEY

Southland Times, Issue 21265, 11 December 1930, Page 5

DEATH OF JOCKEY

CONCLUSION OF INQUEST. FRACTURE OF SKULL. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, December 10. A verdict of accidental death was returned by Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., Ihe Coroner, at the adjourned inquest concerning the death of Benjamin Kinsman Deeley, aged 48, a well-known jockey, on December 4. William Murdoch Murray, a chemist, said that at about 4.30 p.m. on December 3 he was informed that a man was lying on a stairway landing in St. Kevin’s Arcade in Karangahape Road. On going there, witness recognized the deceased, who had a shop in the Arcade. As he was unconscious witness carried him into the shop. When he regained consciousness, however, he refused to lie quiet and later left the shop to go to his home. Continuing, witness said he saw the deceased walking unsteadily along the footpath. In witness's own opinion, the deceased fell down about eight steps before he hit the landing. At each step there were marks of blood which came from the back of the deceased’s hands, showing that he fell backwards. Ruby Paterson, deceased’s housekeeper, said that the deceased appeared to be all right when he came home at about 5.30 p.m. although he was quieter than usual. Early on the following .morning witness was awakened by the sound of a bump and on making investigations found that the deceased had fallen out of bed. He was lying unconscious on the floor and the doctors, who were summoned, ordered his removal to the hospital, where he died. Dr Main said that the post-mortem examination disclosed an extensive fracture of the skull, with a large inter-cranial haemorrhage. This, with accompanying brain damage, was the cause of death. In returning a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, the Coroner said that he was satisfied that death was accidental.