HOW SEARLE DSED.

NZ Truth, Issue 91, 16 March 1907, Page 5

HOW SEARLE DSED.

INATTENTIVE HOSPITAL

NURSES.

The Most Wonderful Sculler

Who Ever Lived.

Killed by Cruel Neglect.

Mr Tliemas Spencer, .. who died recently m Sydney, was one of the Spencer Brothers, dentists, who were world-famous as . backers of , scullers and who "discovered" and supported Hjenry Ernest Searle, the greatest oarsman who ever got into a boat. Shortly before he passed away Mr Si!CTicAr r was -mter^iewed" by ar.repre— "sehfcitive ■of a Sydney paper- and, among other reminiscences, told for ;the first time the true story of how. the gallant lad died, from which it will be seen that he was another victim to the callous neglect of hired nurses. Mr Spencer said: "I will tell, for the first time THE TRUE STORY of Henry ■ Searle's,.. death— something that will surprise everyone that reads It. He left' England m the Austral, and on her arrival .at Albany we: got a cable stating that he was down with typhoid' fever, and asking far Dr.. Lovel. I went and met the maijk ■boat at Adelaide; taking Dr. Lo^el with me. After seeing Searle on -the' boat we decided that it would be better to send him on to the Williamstown Hospital. Dr. Lovel accompanied him on this part of the voyage, having . the assistance of two nurses w,ho were travelling by the vessel, and whom we engaged. "On the assurance that he was getting on all right m the hospital I returned to Sydney, and so far had Se'arle progressed that he was^ to have followed m : a fortnight. A" few days after my return a wire came saying that he was very ill, and COULD NOT LAST LONG. I went to Melbourne, and saw Searle. I was surprised at the sudden change m his condition. He said to me, 'l wanted a drink of water, and there was no one here to give it to me, so I got out of bed and tried to lift the water jug up to my mouth, but I fell down, and the jug hit me iii the stomach. I laid there until somebody came m to see me. ' -v "You may imagine," went on* Mr Spencer, 'what a state I was m when I heard this, v and, turning round to the nurses and the doctor, I asked how it was that he came to be left alone and neglected. The nurse said, 'Oh, he's raving.' But I knew the poor fellow spoke the truth, and told them so. He had evidently FATALLY INJURED HIMSELF, land no power on earth could save him. He died the same nighti And so passed 'away the greatest man the world ever saw." "Had you won much money backing Searle ?" ' "Yes ; thousands of pounds." Mr Spencer went on to say that there was some 'trouble after Searle's death, and that uncomplimentary letters had been published about Searle's supporters, leading the public to believe that the great sculler had not been treated too well. "We sent him home £500 for his stake," -explained Mr Spencer, "and the exmenses of himself and his trainers, iHe had a free hand, and when he jwon lie placed the whole of the stake, other moneys to his credit. He : never lived to settle up with us, and iwe wore ronsefmently great losers 'over Ihat Irin. I say to-day, as I ; said thon, that Sesirle was always ,wp!l looked nfter by us." ! "It seems bardlv credible," mused Mr Spencer, "that the toll, COUNTRY-LOOKING YOUTH, who came to see us one day, could have turned out such a wonder, and Him to ha', c been snatched away fiv-m s .11 so soon. He was only 23 when he died." - . . •