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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 553, 20 February 1868, Page 3

A Chat mi on Bcsn Life.—Fatal Accident ax the Logan.—Tho Brisbane iCourier learns from its correspondent that one of the most painful and shocking accidents, and which ended in death, occurred on tho Log.m. It appears that on .‘ianday 22nd lust, a party of sporting characters were trying the now racecourse at JJrrui'iu’s llottl, and severed races wore run. These were “ wetted down,” and the weather being excessively hot, more and more “ moisture ” was made use of, until ! races for “ bottles ” were do ilei on. j When a lot of men get '* top-heavy,” and |on horseback, it is easily unde; stood how I they now and again find tho ground in • their mad gallopiugs ; whist, on tho can* :trarv, it is just as mystenjus tiiat more d aths do nut occur from these wild sprees; j but tho Devil, it. is said, always takes care of his own and danger is not generally apprehended. However, hero goes a race —a mad race, all of a heap, some on the course, ami some amongst the trees. One man gallops after to look on; his horss stumbles somehow —it either catches a stick or a hole—and oh' tho rider goes with the force that only a large gi\m tree or the earth can stop. It is a hundred to one if some bones are not broken, the head split, or something worse. It was only lust year, in this neighborhood, a wild man ran his horse bang across another with a woman on, and sent the woman neck and heels at least a dozen yards. One horse was killed, the other had to be killed, tho man lamed, but the woman, luckily, was only more frightened than hurt. Such are some of the wild antics attending races. Well, this accident occurred by the stumbling horse and the heavy fall, severely fracturing the skull, and all the lot were drunk and scarcely knew what had happened, Aid was sent for from Brisbane, and Dr O’Doherty arrived on tho scene, but only to proclaim his inability to do any good. Tho man died on the Wednesday, and whether tho party were ever any soberer or not between the time of the accident and the death I do not know, but on Thursday they were in such a helpless condition the magistrate found the whole lot totally unfit to give any evidence whatsoever, and had to postpone tho inquest till the follwmg day. Of course the verdict was acci* dental death. Andrew Ryan (for such was the young man’s namej was a tall, smart, and bandsume-looking Irishman, about 24 years old, exceedingly well built, and altogether a man of mark amongst bu mates.