SAD ACCIDENT AT CROMWELL.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2082, 7 January 1870, Page 2

SAD ACCIDENT AT CROMWELL.

[FROM oue ows coeeespondent.] An accident of a very sad nature took place near Cromwell on the evening of Thursday last. Mr J. W. Garrett, oue of the pioneer prospectors of tire Bendigo Gully Quartz Beefs, met his death under circumstances which have east a gloom over the whole community. Mr Garrett had, during tire day, been attending the Cromwell Race, of which he was one of the stewards. At the termination of the day’s sports he returned to Cromwell, and after spending a few hours in the town he set out for the Lowburn, on the road to the reefs. This was between 10 and 11 o’clock, the night being very dark. Shortly after leaving the town deceased was joined by another horseman, and the two rode together. A few miles from Cromwell Mr Garrett fell slightly behind, and his companion was alarmed at hearing a splash. On returning to the spot he found Air Garj-ctt lying in a pool of water on the ground, and so far as he could seej just as he gob up, the horse rose from oft’ the top of him. The companion, named Barclay, spoke to the deceased, but he got no answer. Thinking that he was stunned, he bathed his temples, but as the deceased did not appear to revive, he became alarmed and oooey’d out for assistance. About a quarter of an hour afterwards a spring-cart came up, into which the deceased was placed and driven into Cromwell.' On arriving there, medical aid was at once procured, but, on examination, life was found to be extinct. At noon the following day, an inquest was held by Vincent Pyke, Esq., and a jury, The evidence went to show that previous to the accident Mr Garrett was perfectly sober, and that he was riding at not more than six miles an hour. The iiov-c was known to have been somewhat gone in the fore feet, and from the character of the ground it is pretty evident that the animal stumbled over a bank of earth. The medical evidence showed that he must have alighted on his head and died instantaneously—the neck having been broken in two places. The Coroner commented upon the sad character of the accident, and under his direction a verdict of “accidentally killed ” was recorded. Occurring as the accident did in the very midst of the gaieties of the season, it is easy to imagine the effect it has had upon the public mind. The evening preceding an amateur concert took place, at which the deceased was present and sang a couple of songs. Both songs were suggestive—the one “Kiss him for his mother,” and the other “You’ll remember me.” Solemnly singular, within twenty-four hours afterwards the singer was lying in the same apartment and on the very sa - re boards a lifele s corpse. Deceased was a member of Logan’s party, to whom t'.ic Province was indebted for having first brought the Bendigo Gully Reefs into notice. He was one of the first to take np the reef, and after j-ears of anxious labor lie had only just come to rca'isc the fruit of hi? toils. He was, comparatively speaking, a young man, and from his genial nature he was generally respected. He was a native of England, and has no relatives in this Colony.