view raw text
GOSSIP OF THIS TURF. Under peculiar circumstances John Hooks, nineteen years old, a jockey of Baltimore, Md., in the employ of Hardy Durham, was drowned at Coney Island Tuesday. He was swimming the racehorse Marito in the ocean when the animal became fractious and carried Hooks far out to sea. The jockey was unable to turn the horse and finally fell from the animals back. He was kicked by the horse and drowned before aid could reach him. His body was recovered by life Bavers. Hooks was well known about the race tracks of the east, and had made arrangements to go to Saratoga next Saturday. One of the best horses in Durhams stable was Marito, and Hooks was much attached to the animal. Horse and man had been in the ocean for perhaps twenty minutes when the animal became fractious, kicking up his heels Then the horse started seaward. Hooks made every effort to turn the animals head shoreward, but without success. Hooks was unable to keep his seat on the horses back. He was unable to swim and sank almost immediately. After the drowning the horse could not be induced to come ashore, and a mounted policeman forced his own horse into the ocean after the fractious animal. It required several minutes work to get Marito ashore.— New York-Herald.
