TRAGEDY WAGER.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 49, 27 February 1924, Page 4

TRAGEDY WAGER.

• ! SHIP'S FIREMAN DROWNED, j RACE IN SYDNEY HARBOUR. I I END OF AMAZING BET. ] (From Our Own Correspondent.) j SYDNEY. February 22. j Features connected with a drowning; fatality in Sydney harbour this week, | made "it the most amazing occurrence j of its kind on record. The tragedy marked the conclusion of a mad wager, and William Patrick Sellick, who entered the water, though he could not swim, was the victim. Four firemen from the steamer Osterley made a wager to be decided by a swim in the open harbour at 6 p.m., from No. 3 wharf. East Circular Quay, to the Watson's Bay Ferry pontoon. The distance is about 50 yards, but the strange part of the whole affair is that they should decide to swim in the harbour at that hour, when at least ten ferries would be starting Out On the 6 p.m. trip. Sellick could not swim, and a mate promised to dive with him and protect him, though they thought his plea that he was a non-swimmer was a trick to receive an advantage over the others. The four men, only partially dressed, mounted the fence near No. 3 va'harf at 6 o'clock and took off together. Sellick 6ank immediately, and although another man dived in" to protect him, as promised, Sellick did not rise to the surface again. Other men, realising the seriousness of the position also dived for him without success. ] In the meatime the other three con- | tinued to swim, all finishing at the | Watson's Bay pontoon, where they were . nauled out, dripping but triumphant, by j civilians and police. The Water Police were informed of '■ the disappearance of Sellick, and after j some dragging, recovered the body some j distance from where he sank. , I