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"DEATH CLAIMS NOTED GENTLEMAN -RIDEEw The news is confirmed of the deatli of Capt. Paget OBrien Butler R. A. M. C. I heard at Leopardstown on Saturday that his death resulted from wounds. There is a story told, which is wnrth retelling, as illustrating that though all the siort-ing fraternity in the United Kingdom, and even iu India, knew of the prowess in the saddle of Capt. Butler, his accomplishment was not known to everyone. Wlieu the different corps of the expeditionary force were being formed an officer In one of the cavalry regiments rang up the Imad quarters of the R. A. M. C;. saying that he wanted the name of one of "you doctor chaps, who e-ould sit on a horse, to be attached to the regiment, which was going to the front." The cavalry officer concluded his inquiry with the. doubtful compliment that "he supposed theyd have to tie the doctor on the horse." Whoever answered the phone at the Medical Corps end askeil tlu inquiring officer somewhat meekly if "Capt. OBrien Butler would do." There must have been a vein of very quiet humor in the person who so rtis-Ingeniously suggested Capt. Butler after the al- ready-expressed view of the cavalry man that the doctor would have to be tied on! The name of OBrien Butler conveyed nothing to the inquirer, who asked "Who is he";" "Can he ride." The medical man now had bis chance, and be ustl the opportunity to good effect. "Well, yes, he can ride just a bit. You see. lie has ridden tliirteei winners in Ireland this season. He has headed the list of winning riders in Ireland; has ridden in tho Grand National; has won the Prince of AValess Plate at Puuchestown and other races there; has ridden many winners in India; rode for the late-King Edward VII.; and was this year presented witli a cup by the Emperor of Austria for winning the Presbury Steeplechase at Vienna; and " "Ring off" was sharply snapped from the otlu r vml! Paget Butlers fame had become known to nt least one other. I do not know if Paget Butler was gazetted to the regiment which wanted the "doctor chap who would not need to be tied 011." but 1 think not, for the story is told in connection witu a corps other than the 5th Lancers, to which the deceased was attached. It is tragic that Capt. Butlers brother -Pierce OB. Butler, the Irish international Rugby full back should also have met his death in war. The international, who was, I think, attacbed to the Ritle Brigade, was killed in the Boer War. Can-tain Butler had been riding ror a great many seasons, for he commenced in 1903. and each season subsequently he had a busy time of it, and even when iu India his services were in much demand. , When at home lie rode mostly in Ireland, but occasionally during tiie summer he rode at meetings in England in which country he was frequently asked to accept rides in the winter. Capt. Butler won his" first race in August, 1903, at the now extinct Carriekmaeross meeting, and it is interesting to note that iu the fourth season of his riding he topped the poll of tho "amateur riders with thirty-one winners in 1900. And it was not that lie had an "easy passage" to do so, for in that year the cream of the amateur talent were riding ii Ireland in the persons of Mr. J. W. Widgcr, -Mr. Harry Nuttull, .Mr. T. Price. Mr. J. Manlev. Mr. Lushington, Hon. It. Bruce. .Mr. M. Hayes, Mr. It. IT. Walker. Mr. L. Brabazon. and others. It was iu favor of Capt Butler that he cuild 20 to scale at a light weight for an amateur, and so it was always possible for him to accept mounts that others had to dee-line. He was wonderfully strong for one of his build, for lie looked frail, and anything but physically robust: but. despite ap pearances to the contrary, lie was wiry, and com pressed within his slight frame no small amount of bodily power. I do not think I would be wrong iu saying that "the mount" he most relished was oji the chaser Paddy Maher a half-brother t The AVhite Knight, over the Puuchestown banks and doubles. Paddy Maher was not a great chaser, but was wonderfully good over Puuchestown, where he always required a lot of beating, though singii larly enough he met bis death on that course, through crashing into a bank aud breaking h.s neck. Dublin Letter to London Sporting Life.
