Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-03-06
A JOCKEYS TUMBLES
BILLY ooNoHuE, THE RACE RIDER.
TELLS OF HIS NARROW ESCAPES.
Several Times Picked Up from Cuder
Fallen Horss-He Had . Leg Over soDs
of the Fastest Animate That Evsr Went
( Under the Wire In America

Usder the Wire In America
William Donohue has ridden many Of the
crack horses in the past ten years, has been
the hero Of many close and exciting finishes
and has probably received more severe falls,
broken ribs and hips and sustained other IN
juries than any living jockey And yet IN
conversation and manner he Is as gentle and
refined as one OF the celebrated 100, never
abiding TO his narrow escape and brilliant
record as a horseman unless drawn out by
some personal friend
(which of your many falls was the worstF
THE most severe was at New Orleans on
April "A, lss2, on the grounds Of the Louisi-
ana Jockey club. 1t was in the Cottriu
stakes for ;}-year-olds at one mile and half
I had the mount on John Grayer's chestnut
gelding Warrington, a son Of War Dance and
Mamie F. Anglia was the favorite, with
Babcock second choice, and the other starters
being Ellie H. and Mamie W. Before an
eighth of mile had been covered Ellie II.
fell ahead of me and Warrington stumbled
over her Anglia, who was behind, came on
top Of me, crushing his hoof into my right
groin and breaking two ribs The reports OF
the accident in the papers and Guide vary,
but mine is the correct one. ASH fell
could see clouds of dust and horses all in
heap, but after that knew nothing until
awoke three DAYS later in the Hotel Dieu,
where the good Sisters Of Charity were nurs-
ing me- In that race Apollo finished first,
with Babcock second, and Mamie W. third
The accident took place just after the start,
as we were making the first turn | suffered
no pain at the time, but when l became con-
scious it was impossible to move in bed, and
had to be helped by the good sisters. who
handled me just like child
FOURTEEN DAYS In BED.
Il was in bed fourteen days, but suffered
no after effects whatever In fact, l have
been particularly fortunate in all my falls, as
| have never been annoyed by any OF them
after have once got well Had it not been
for the accident Anglia would have probably
won and Apollo been second, but there was
little hope for Warrington anyway. He
would have finished near the tail end. Still
his people had great confidence i'll him. I'm
like me, he has never been any good since the
fall Anglia got up after the accident and
jumped half way over the fence, where she
hung until lifted off Neither Given, who
rode her, nor Edwards, who had the mount
on Eifie H., was hurt said Anglia would
probably have won, because on the first day
Of the meeting she had beaten both Babcock
and Apollo in the Pickwick stakes in which
race also rode Warrington"
Didn't you have a severe tumble at Mon
mouth a few years ago."
'You mean that fall with Wandering.
Yes, it was big shake up, but was not Sc
verely hurt believe it was in purse race
at mile in July of 81 There were eight
starters and | had the mount on the late
John Spellnan's chestnut gelding Wander
ing His stable thought they had a veritable
'cinch,' and as was well within the weight,
los pounds, they put me up with instructions
to come away in the stretch. 1t was 5 to
on my mount and my friends were on to a
man At the post Wandering commenced
his old tricks, and with buck jumping stood
straight a steeple' in the air. | hung on
with tooth and nail and enjoyed the laughter
from the grand stand and lawn. The old
horse delayed the start some minutes, but
when the flag fell he was full of running. l
had him well in hand, turning for home, and
was preparing to make my effort, when
Greenland, with Meaton up, fell, and Com
pensation followed, with Willie Martin. l
was on top of them before | knew it, and
then all was blank Willing hands carried
me under the trees, close by, and it was not
long before | was able to ascertain my in
juries. was laid up for several days, and
with black eye, Commissions on forehead and
a disabled arm. OF course you want to know
who won the racei Well, it was Executor
a 20 to shot"
BOTH LEGS BROKEN.
"Do you remember any other fallsi"
'Oh, yes, lots of them | recall my first
tumble at Saratoga, away back in the seven
ties. The two ear-old Warlock threw me,
and though unconscious for nearly half an
hour was ready to ride in the next race.
But it was on the Gravesend track in 'S7 that
my left leg was broken through the careless
ness of "A brother jockey. There were eight
of lis in a sweepstakes at a mile and a furlong,
and Ada d. was hot favorite, My mount,
Santa Claus, was thought to have good
chance and was freely backed by his people at
the respectable odds of eight and ten to one.
Tornado however, took the lead and was
never headed. would have been second, if
not first, had not one of the boys crowded
old Santa into the rails on the first turn.
Ny horse stumbled and fell, turning a com
plete somersault with me. My mind was too
confused to think until after | struck the
ground This time | did not lose conscious
ness, but suffered great pain, as my leg was
broken. | was laid up for nine months and
the Brooklyn Jockey club kindly donated
SoV 'oWaru deirayihS expenses "nile us
aoeu' the SUI Plus remaining serving as
nucleus 10 u iuiiu ior Tue oehent vi SICK ana
dlsaoied Jockeys no, never ieei the erect
from thal iaii' ana .iiihh my sS Is stronger
than IL was before MY other leg was broken
when boy by party OF friends skylarklng !"
(which do you regard as the best horse
you ever rodef
THAT is difficult question to answer, as
have ridden many good ones and lots If bad
ones, but among the best were Thora, Giroae
San Savior and Eole In nv opinion Mon
- go IL -, t,,aIr., stro;'rh. -
from one hlle 10 three miles, and was up TO
any weight.
uo ,".lns % n'uea mp III .le lels'
'en Seai . anu so % '"o iaeuiS, Ahere are
more sVaI 'eis NJ" 'i'ih III 'ne GU uays, "nen
tnree oi ioui niaue up 'i.e neiu- VOW zen OF
."eise ne'iucn1s ~ " 'le Post, anu some
rnnes even hio'o' uA'e seen 'ni''y ouu ~
briehton' anu as you KNOW twenty odd nave
started IN Dig hahuicaps at oheel'shead and
oioosiyh-
| ne horses Oh Ten ana even twenty years
ago were equaiiy as good over short courses
ana much better over long ones than are the
/ horses OF the present DAY re" thorough
oreus OF tooay cal, 90 over distance OF
grounu uhe Tue OH tinies trainers and
owners are more honest and enthusiastic and
more interest Is eVihced by the puohc in the
sport
res you may say Tor me that the TURF is
! improving every year, ana that we already