WHISTLER'S LAST WRESTLING MATCH.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 258, 30 January 1886, Page 3

WHISTLER'S LAST WRESTLING MATCH.

According to the Sydney Evening News Clarence Whistler's illness was brought about by his own folly. Immediately alter his match with Miller he took to drinking very heavy, and kept it up for three weeks. On Sunday, October 11, he called upon Dr. Stirling and complained that he was very bad. The doctor examined him very carefully, discovered that he had severe inflammation of the right lung, and advised him at once to lay up, for it was evident that the inflammation was spreading, and the system generally was becoming seriously involved. He then took to bed, and on the following day was seen by I)r Stirling in company with Dr. James Robertson. Whistler told them of some ext aordinary feats he had performed during his drinking bout, and did not hesitate to say that he knew he could not live. He said he felt that he had killed himself. Twelve days later he developed symptoms of inflammation of his right leg, the .outcome of the pneumonic affection which gave rise to the alarm for his safety. However, the doctors got him over all this, and up to Cup Day he was apparently out of danger. On that morning he sat up and made a splendid meal of a chicken, and altogether looked better. Dr Stirling was so pleased with his patient that he felt confident of bringing him around; but later in the day he got a relapse, and from that moment he sank. His brain became affected, and he was comatose up to the hour of his death. His constitution was completely .broken up, and he was a complication of diseases; the lungs, heart, kidneys, and all internal organs in fact being more or less involved. Whistler, knowing how terribly he had overtaxed his strength and constitution, gave himself up from the first day he felt ill. He also had some domestic troubles, of which he recently got news from America. These preyed very much upon his mind, and, doubtless, helped to bring about his untimely end. With regard to his extraordinary feats of strength, &c, we may mention that while he was drinking so heavily he several times lifted heavy tables with his teeth, chewed up thick glasses, and very probably swallowed some of the broken glass. It is also said that he powdered some glass and drank it in a glass of champagne ; but there is no confirmation of such a daring performance. It is quite true, however, that he drank thirty bottles of champagne in one day, and took a shower bath after almost every bottle. The severe shock to the system from these shower baths had a great deal to do with bringing on the pleuro pneumonia, in the opinion of the medical gentlemen who attended so constantly upon him. [Continuation of News, see 4th Page.]