SHOCKING FATALITY

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 318, 20 January 1902, Page 2

SHOCKING FATALITY

CAPTAIN THOMSON DIES FROM INJURIES RECEIVED.

Early on Saturday afternoon the Harbor master, Captain A. Thomson, accompanied by Captain Thorgeson, of the barque Armenia, went out for a d 've in the country. They had a pc' of horses, the dri\er being Capte . Thomson. When nearing Mr Hall’s p ut Mutawhero, on the mad tow . the bridge. Captain Thomson lost u right- hand rein; he endeavored tj recover it, but failed to do so. The hjrses, finding they were not under control, started oti' at a gallop. Charles Stewart and a young man named Rodgers, who were riding in the direction of town, witnessed the affair. As the horses galloped past them they turned round and galloped after them, with the iutention of recovering the lost rein. Unfortunately a cart was being driven in the middle of the road, the driver not having sufficient time to pull off. The animals in their mad career attempted to pass between the cart and telegraph post, but collided with the latter, the impact causing the telegraph post to break off short. Captain Thorgeson was thrown clean over the ditch. He got up at once, but was much shaken, and had his right ankle sprained. Capt. Thomson was thrown into the ditch, and apparently fell on the side of his head. Mr Arnaholdi soon arrived on the scene, and, with Messrs Rodgers and Stewart, did everything possible to assist the injured man. A telephone message was despatched to town for assistance. Unfortunately the first message that arrived informed Sergt. Siddells that the man was dead, and the Sergeant immediately left for the scene of the accident. At Makaraka Sergfc. Siddells met Messrs Rodgers and Stewart, who informed him of the nature of the accident, stating that Capt. Thomson was living. From that place a messago was despatched to I)r. Craig, who was absent at the time, and Mrs Craig immediately telephoned for Dr. Fisher. Mr Stewart, in riding to town, met Dr. Cole, who was attending a patient in the country, and he informed that gentleman of the nature of the accident, and Dr. Mle proceeded post haste to the scene. On arrival ho did everything possible to relieve the injured man. It was seen that the injuries to Captain Thomson were very serious, he being insensible. Dr. Fisher arrived shortly afterwards, also a brake to convey Captain Thomson to the Hospital. By this time Mr John Thomson, one of the injured man’s sons, arrived on the scene. Dr. Fisher and a number of willing hands carefully removed the sufferer to the brake, and he was taken to the Hospital.. Shortly after his arrival at the institution Dr. Craig was in attendance, and that gentleman immediately recognised that the injuries were of a critical nature. Everything possible was done to relieve Captain Thomson, but he died at 9 yesterday morning, without having regained conscientiousness. After the collision the horses broke free from the buggy, which was completely wrecked. The horses galloped over the bridge, successfully passing a traction engine that was crossing at the time. One horse was so badly injured that it will probably have to be destroyed. The deepest sympathy is felt for Mrs Thomson and family in their bereavement. Yesterday, flags were flying at half-mast from the bell-tower, the shipping, and from a great many buildings. The captain was well known throughout the district, and was very popular, and his sudden death came as a great shook to the whole community. In all the ehurehes, feeling reference was made to the sad affair. At the great public meeting hold last night, a motion of condolence with the widow and family was carried,,on tho motion of the Rev. J. G. Paterson, seconded by the Rev. B. F. Rothwell; tho motion was carried in silence, the audience respectfully standing. The late Captain Thomson was about 66 years of age. He was born at Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1836, and was the second son of Mr Aloxander Thomson, a prominent Arctic explorer, who died at the ripe age of ninety-two years. Captain Thomson was educated at Potorhead, and afterwards studied navigation in London, and passed his examination as master before the Metropolitan Board of Trade. Mr Thomson joined the merchant navy in 1854, when he shipped as carpenter upon tho barque Leonidas, and sailed under three masters for seven years to various parts of tho glope. Subsequently he served on the Arctic whaler Columbus, and then transferred to the s.s. Iniut, a whaler, Captain Allardice. This vessel was wrecked in the Arctic regions, and the crew was rescued by the brig Lady Franklin, and landed at Peterhead. On returning to London, Mr Thomson again shipped under Captain Allardice, trading to Brisbane, nnd was afterwards engaged in tho intercolonial trade between Java, Sydney, Melbourne, Mauritius and New Zealand. In 1861, Captain Thomson returned to the Old Country, where he remained until 1863, when, as chief officer, he joined the ship Prospector, trading to Valparaiso and Australia, and in 1867 he was appointed master of the vessel. Later he had command of the William Cargill, trading to the west coast of South America. In 1876, the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand employed Capt. Thomson to bring out tho s.s. Waitaki from Glasgow to Dunedin, via Suez. After his arrival in New Zealand he traded to Kaipara, Newcastle and Dunedin as master of coastal vessels until 1890, when he was offered and accepted his Gisborne post. An inquest concerning the circumstances of the death will be held at two this afternoon. It is not certain that Captain Thorgeson, who returned to the barque, will be able to get ashore to-day, in which case the inquest would have to be adjourned, after aDy other evidence had been taken.

It had not been decided up to last night as to whether the funeral would take place this afternoon or to-morrow.