FATAL BUGGY ACCIDENT AT CRAIGIEBURN

AN ELDERLY WOMAN KILLED.

     Mrs. Mary Mercovich, an elderly widow, residing in North Carlton, was killed instantaneously yesterday by being thrown out of a buggy at Craigieburn, while Mrs Tierney, the wife of the owner of the horse and vehicle, was severely shaken by the accident. Mrs. Mercovich who was the mother of Constable Mercovich, of the Carlton police, lived at 20 Sutton street, North Carlton, and numbered among her acquaintances Mr. John Tierney, a well-known local contractor, and his wife, who reside not far distant, at 249 Canning-street. In the pursuit of his business, Mr. Tierney is compelled to make extensive purchases of horses, and about five days ago he bought a fine looking, speedy animal, apparently well broken, and quiet enough for driving in his buggy. In different trials the horse seemed to be perfectly docile, and yesterday morning, when Mr Tierney decided to drive to Craigieburn to inspect another animal he meditated adding to his possessions, he asked Mrs. Mercovich whether she would care to accompany him and his wife. Mrs. Mercovich consented, and the party left Carlton shortly after breakfast.

     The drive was accomplished in fast time, and on arriving at Craigieburn Mr. Tierney thought he would give the horse a rest, and allow it to browse on the long grass fringing the roadside. Pulling up, he jumped to the ground, with the reins in his hand, intending to go to the horse's head whilst the ladies alighted. No sooner had his feet touched the road, however, than the horse took fright, and bounding forward threw him to the ground and galloped off up the road.

     So heavily was the owner of the buggy thrown down that his head was cut open, and he was subjected to a severe shaking, but he was quickly to his feet and in chase of the bolting horse, which continued to gallop up the road, with the vehicle swaying to and fro at every stride. At last, after about 300 yards had been covered, one wheel of the buggy collided with an obstruction in the road, and Mrs. Mercovich was thrown head first against one of the stone walls which line the roadsides in that locality. The unfortunate woman's head was knocked in like an eggshell, and she was killed instantaneously.

     The horse meanwhile continued his mad bolt towards the north, but after going about another 100 yards, a second stone was encountered, and the impact pitched the buggy clean over, landing it in the road, with the wheels spinning in the air and with Mrs. Tierney crushed underneath. The struggles of the infuriated horse now caused the harness to burst, and it at length broke free, and started galloping across the paddocks, out of sight.

     A florist named Parker, who was driving into town from his nursery at Fawkner, came on the scene as the horse got away; and, releasing Mrs. Tierney from her place of confinement, he was astonished to find her still alive, and apparently suffering from only few bruises. Further down the road he found the body of Mrs. Mercovich, and placing it his buggy he conveyed the injured woman and the dead woman to the residence of the former, in Carlton. There the circumstance was reported to the police, and after Mrs. Tierney had been put to bed under the directions of Mr. Kenny, M.B., the body of Mrs. Mercovich was conveyed to the Morgue by Constable Cone.

     Mr. Tierney had meanwhile pursued his horse, and, recapturing it, had righted the buggy and repaired the harness sufficiently to admit of the animal bringing it back to the city. The buggy is very badly smashed up, but the horse has escaped the slightest injury. Mrs. Mercovich was 57 years old, and leaves a grown up family of three sons and one daughter.