William Thomson, (1867-6/1/1887). "the tips of his fingers"

 FATAL BATHING ACCIDENT.

William Thomson, nineteen years old, eldest son of Mr James Thomson, farmer, Woodside, was drowned while bathing in the Kaikorai Stream, near the Brighton road, last evening. The deceased was bathing in company with some other young men about six o'clock, when he suddenly sank without warning, and never rose again. Dragging was continued till 2.30 this morning, when the body was recovered. Deceased's parents are old and highly-respected residents in the district, and great sympathy is felt for them.  -Evening Star, 7/1/1887.

INQUEST.

Mr Coroner Carew held an inquest at Woodside on Saturday on the body of William Thomson, who was drowned while bathing in the Kaikorai stream on Thursday evening.

Isaac Murphy stated that he saw about a dozen young mon bathing in the Kaikorai River on Thursday evening, on the Green Island side of the bridge. His attention was directed to a lad who was going to dive off the bridge. Immediately afterwards he heard a cry from one of the bathers named Hamilton for help, and for someone to go for a boat. He looked round and saw the deceased struggling in the water. He struggled for a very short time, and then sank. Hamilton was five or six yards distant from him at the time, and no other person was within twenty yards of him. A boat with two people in it came up and stopped within a couple of minutes of the cry for help. Some bathers also came up and dived at the place where he saw Thomson disappear. Deceased did not rise again. The water where deceased went down was about 14ft deep, but close to the deceased where Hamilton was it was only 5ft deep. There was no current running at the time deceased disappeared in the water. 

Robert Hamilton stated that he went to bathe in the Kaikorai River, and William Thomson and some others came while he was there. Thomson and he went into the water about the same time. They had been in about a quarter of an hour, and witness was swimming across the river, shaping for a shallow bank on which to rest. He reached the bank, and on looking round he saw a bather whom he took to be William Thomson about forty yards distant in deep water. Witness saw that he was sinking. He could not see his head, only the tips of his fingers. He heard no noise or cry previously. He called out for help, and a boat came up, also some bathers, who dived to find the body, but without success. The water was very thick and dark, and that was why they could not see or find the body. He had been bathing with deceased before, but never knew him attempt to swim before. He had been once across this river and back again, and was going out of the water, but he afterwards said he would cross again.  

Constable Power gave evidence with reference to dragging the river for the body, which, he stated, was recovered about a-quarter past two on the following morning.

The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased was accidentally drowned whilst bathing.  -Evening Star, 10/1/1887.

Green Island Cemetery.