TRAINER’S DEATH.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20360, 18 July 1934, Page 7

TRAINER’S DEATH.

Accidental Fall From Tin.

VERDICT AT INQUEST. A verdict that William James Tomkinson died from injuries received through accidentally falling across the edge of a rubbish tin was returned by the Coroner (Mr H. A. Young) at the inquest this morning. Mr Tomkinson, a well-known trotting horse trainer, was injured on May 16 and died in St. George’s Hospital on June 29. Sydney Payten, cartage contractor, said that he was employed bv Tomkinson on May 16 to take horses to Lyttelton. He called at Tomkinson’s residence at about 4.30 p.m. to take ur> some gear. Tomkinson assisted with this work. On the top of one of the floats were some sulkies. When witness was in the road-way, he saw Tomkinson get on top of a dust-bin, which was about three feet high. He stood on the tin for about a quarter of a minute, and as far as witness could see, he got up there to look at the sulkies. The lid of the tin tipped sideways, and Tomkinson fell sidewavs across the tin. Witness went to pick him ut>, and he replied, “ Leave me alone: I’m all right.” He appeared to be winded, but otherwise unhurt. He was assisted into the house, and there said he felt “ a bit winded.” Witness felt to see if any ribs were broken, and it appeared to him that they had not. Ilis actions were similar to those of a man who had received a blow in the stomach. Tomkinson was a very active man.

Dr Louisson said that he attended Tomkinson for the injury on Mav 16. Tomkinson said he had fallen off a garbage tin when putting a sack straight on a van. He had received a blow on the abdomen, but at the time, except for a slight tenderness, there was no sign of much injury. An hour later witness was called back. and Tomkinson said he had had a severe r> ain some fifteen minutes before. Witness called in Dr Foster and they had decided to send Tomkinson to St George's Hospital. lie was well enoitgh to go home in a week’s time, but after three or four days walking about they had sent him back to be X-raved. The showed no sign of injury. Some two days later Tomkinson was found to have an abscess in the intestines. From this he developed septicaemia, and eventually died on June 29. In witness’s opinion death was due to septicaemia following on an abscess due to the accident. George Murray Mouritz, horsetrainer, described how the accident had happened. James Purdon gave corroborative evidence.