Long Island City, NY Horse Riding Accident, May 1893

RICHARD LAVELLE'S NECK BROKEN.

THROWN FROM A MUSTANG PONY AND INSTANTLY KILLED.

Long Island City, May 30. -- RICHARD LAVELLE, who, with JOHN O'DONNELL, conducts a Wild West show at North Beach, was thrown from the back of a fiery mustang pony last night and was almost instantly killed, the fall breaking his neck.
Late in the afternoon he rode to Flushing to buy some blankets and other articles for the troop of cowboys and Indians. His partner, O'DONNELL, and a friend accompanied him in a light wagon. Before he started his partner warned him that the mustang was frisky and dangerous.
LAVELLE retorted:
"Oh! I'll ride him or he'll break my neck."
His words were prophetic, for it was on the return trip, just before 8 o'clock, that the accident happened. When nearly back to North Beach the pony shied suddenly, throwing LAVELLE headlong to the ground. O'DONNELL, from his wagon, saw the accident and went to LAVELLE at once. He was dead when picked up.
He was a married man, forty-five years old, and lived in Houston Street, New York.

The New York Times New York 1893-05-31
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!