MOUNTAIN TRAGEDY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10957, 27 April 1907, Page 8 (Supplement)

MOUNTAIN TRAGEDY.

THREE MEN LOSE THEIR LIVES

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES OF A SHOOTING PARTY. LONDON March 15. A "hunting foray" on the range of mountains m tlie northern part of County Antrim has been attended with the loss of three lives. Five young men, the sons of fanners, set out irom their homes, about Parkmore, early on Tuesday foienoon, and met at a prearranged rendezvous at the foot of Collin Mountain, wliich rises 1,700 feet above the Glens of Antrim. Ascending about lialf-way, they became so engrossed m the day's sport that tliey did not notice a thick cloudy mantle creeping down tite mountain side, and soon they became enveloped. W ith numerous ravine, around, and night approaching, they became wildly) alarmed, wandered about for a few hours, and lost their bearings. One of the party, Kielty, seeing, as he thought, a light m the distance, and thinking it denoted the small farmstead of a man named Courtney, whom he knew, went off, with one of his companions, White, m that direction to obtain guidance. They were not seen again alive. The other tliree, Mider, South', and Connolly, remained behind together, the last having become exhausted and ill. Out of the darkness they heard the voice of Kielty shouting, "Pat's down," and understood that Patrick White had probably fallen into a bog-hole or down a ravine ; but Kielty did not returnt They suffered so greatly from cold during the night .that Smith volunteered to attempt to reach Courtney's liouse and bring assistance. Scarcely able to crawl, Smith eventually reached tlie farmhouse, but fell insensible before he could de-' liver his message. With hot fomentations and such other rough and ready treatment as the cottage allowed, he revived alter a few liours and told liis startling story. Meanwhile Connolly had died /in the darkness of the mountain side. His sole companion, Mil'er, realising tliat he. could be of no further assistance to his comrade, marked the place where, his dead body lay, and with the approach of dawn he also crawled away. With many rests, he reached Courtney's farm. Courtney himselt, having previously learned some of the circumstances, hud set out, at break of day down the mountain to the nearest village post-office, Martinstown, and telegraphed to Connolly's father. When he returned Miller and Smith had sufficiently revived, and the tliree went off to find the body of young Connolly, which tliey/ carried on an improvised stret. chef to the village. . Meanwhile the. elder Connolly; had organised a search-party of a dozen friends. When the old man learned that his son's body had been already recovered he and his friends removed the remains to his home.

A. large body of police and oiviliiina went^ up the mountain seeking for Kielty and Wliite. Their bodies ' were iound late m the afternoon m a stream -which the melting enow and heavy rains had Bwollen to a raging torrent.