THE LAST RIDE OF THOMAS O’HARA

The Armidale Express - Tuesday 15 Sep 1896, p.4:

News of the Day --  Glen Innes News  -- One of the pioneers of Glen Innes passed away on Tuesday, by the death of Mr. Thomas O'Hara, of Plainfield.  Deceased had been ailing for the past two years and four months with an affection of the kidneys, and some 18 months ago his life was despaired of, but he rallied sufficiently and has since been confined to the house -- During the past three weeks a complaint has been prevalent in the town which may be rightly termed a disease of the lungs and many cases are at present engaging medical skill.  On Wednesday morning at midday a young man named Percy Connelly; aged 27, succumbed to the complaint in the local hospital, after a fortnight's illness -- On Thursday afternoon, whilst the horses attached to the hearse were being turned around before the funeral procession of the late Mr. O'Hara started from his late residence the pole of the vehicle broke and the horses took fright and bolted. The driver (W.E. O'Connor) finding he could command no control over the animals, clambered out over the back of the hearse. When alighting became by some means entangled in one of the hind wheels, and was carried round for two or three revolutions. O'Connor had a narrow escape from serious injury, but he got off with some bad bruises and a severe shaking. The horses after going some distance pulled up, and were cut about from the jagged edges of the broken pole. A fresh pole was secured from Mr. J. Mitchell, Highfield, and the hearse proceeded on its mournful mission. §

Note:  The above newspaper account would have been picked up by the then bi-weekly The Armidale Express from the Friday 11 Sep 1896 weekly edition of the Glen Innes Examiner and General Advertiser.

Transcription (2001) by J. Raymond, Brisbane, Queensland