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Reato ofthe Master of Titles
Tho news of tho death of the Master of
'Titles, Mr. Horvoy Morris Murray-Prior,
barriator-at-law, will lie heard of with surprise
.and regret by many of our readers, .but
especially so by those of his friends who saw
him in Brisbane on Friday, looking and feeling
(bettor in health than ho had demo for Bome
rtimo .past. Ho left Brisbano on that
ixnoniing by rail for Peak Mountain, p<4
lpswich, intending to go to visit his father's
irosidonoo at Maroon, .whore ho' purposod to
sponU-.tho Now Year's holidays, returning to
LBrisbano on . Tuesday. From tho particulars
furnlrihcd by our Ipswich correspondent, and
from -otlici' sources, .'it appears, that, ho
,4,!lundhofi" at tho Peak Mountain Hotel, and
iabout 2 p.m. mounted his horse, which had
-boon -taken to- that plaoe by rail, to purnu'o tho
arenntiriing thirty- miles of his journey on horso-
ibock. A storm Bupcrvenod on tho intense heat
<rf itho morning, but Mr. Murray -Prior appeors
to havo travoUod throngh it all. Mra. John-
eon, tfibo wifo of a selector, on the
route, saw him, and begged him to remain
at. tlhoir house until tho next morning.
He, however, declined tho hospitable offer,
saying ho would push on and reach Maroon
that night. Ho is toid to havo been seen
several hours later at - Wttilofco's Creek. If
that an feae, and there is no reason to doubt tho
statement, it is quite door that Mr. Murray-
Prior had missed the way, as Wullaoo's Crook
is several inilca off the track... Ho would
appear, howoven, to have retraced his steps
and gained too right road, travelling as for as
Harper's Crossing over the Toviot' Creek, dis
tant about fifteen miles fromMaroon. Judging
by aB'the circumstances, it is thought that the
anxiety of too night's journey through the
storm and the exposure to tho weather brought
on a fit after he had crossed the Toviot Creek.
Ho seems, however, to have been able to
dismount from his homo, and scat himself on the
bank of too creek. Taking out his pipe, ho
managed to light it, but it docs not appear
that he smoked it for more than a minute or
two.- His horse, unconscious of its master's
condition, grazed near by, after divesting
itself of the saddle by rolling over, or in some
other way bursting too girths. At daybreak on
Saturday morning a stockman in too employ of
Mr. J. T. M. Bell, of Cochin, and residing near
Harper's Crossing, loft hU house to cut some
gross. Seeing a norae wearing a bridle stray
ing about, his attention was arrested, and ho
at onoomodo for tho crook. On his way ho
found too saddlo with toe girths burst, and a
short distanco away ho camo upon Mr. Murray-.
Prior half-sitting, hulf-rcclining, on tho hank
of tho creek. The man questioned him but
ohly elicited In reply a few incoherent words.
Thd unsmoked pipe and a match which had been
struck were lying besido Mr. Murray -Prior, who
only livod about an hour after he was found.
Information was at onoo sent to Mr. C.T. Mac-
donaldt,J.P., of Dugandan, and Mr. J. T. H.
Boll, J.P., of Cooohrn. These two gentlemen,
on arrival atHarpor's Croefling, mado all ncocs-
Bory arrangements, and hold a magisterial in
quiry, taking all too ©vidonoo available on too
spot. Nows of tho sad event was also sent ;to
Mrs'. T. Murray-Prior, jun., 'at Maoon, arid
that lady at onco sent out' horses and a buggy
to convey tho body to Ipswich, or render any
other neooesary eorvioo A ooffin was made on
tho spot, and tho body plaoed in it and con
voyed to Ipewioh, a distanoe of nearly thirty
miles. Ontoo woyhrit wos met by Mr. Thomas
Murray-Prior, jun., whohadarrivodfrorahissta-
tionoo the Darling Dowiis at 8 o'clockonSatur-
daynlght. Thatgcntlcmanhodsccrihisbrotoerin
Brisbanq on Thursday, hearty and well, and.
had unsuccessfully endeavoured to dissuade
him from going to Maroon, as' it would' bo
rather loncfly for him there; He therefore
hastened his business on the Downs, arid ' was
sufficiently suoccssful to return to Ipswich on
Saturday night, intending to at onoo proceed
to Hnroon, and spend the Sunday with his
brother,, too. news of whose death ho heard
on reuchmg- M'Gjll'H. Palais Royal; t Hotel.
Tho.body /was transferred to a leuaeu sholl in
Ipswich after examination hy Dr. Lightoller.
It wua then convoyed by special train to Oxlcy,
whore tho deceased gentleman has resided with
Iris family for somo timo. It will bo remem
bered that somo months ago Mr. Murray-Prior
was thrown from hia horse at tho Toowong
railway bridge. Ho was severely injured in
tlie head, and was unable to resume his duties
at tlio Titles Office for about six . or seven
weeks. A gentiomnn who know him inti
mately states that he was novcr qnito as well
after that acoident as bofqre it. Tho effect of
too fall on that occasion may havo added to
his excitement during the , storm on Friday
niglit, but Dr. Lightoller, of Ipswich, who
know him well, and was' his chief medical
adviser, luul no hesitation in certifying that
heart diecaso was the immediate causo of death.
Dr. Lightoller had previously treated him for
somo affection of the heart, and wo understand
that it, is his opinion tho anxiety of losing his
way and tlio exposure to tho stormy night
brought about Mr. Murray-Prior's doatb.
Tlio deceased gentleman, whose portly frame
was well known in legal aud duo circles in
Brisbano, was only in. his 31afc year, and haves
a widow and ono child to mourn their loss. Ho
was a eon of tlio Hon. T. Murray-Prior,
M.L.O., wlio is at present in England, and is
not expected to leavo for Queensland before
March next. He was u distinguished pupil at
too Ipswich Grammar Sdiool, and subsequently
nt tho High Sdiool, Tasmnnin, whore ho gained
ono or two important scholarships From
Tasmania ho went to tlio Sydney University,
where in duo course graduated B.A. with
great credit, being nearly, at ' tho head
of tho list in his year. Shortly after he
was called - to tho Queensland Bar, and
in March, 1883, was appointed .Crown
Prosecutor for too Southern distriot. In
July, 1884, ho was appointed Master of Titlen,
which office lie hdd up tohisdoatll. Ho boroa
good roputationas abarristcr, nndhia knowledge
and grasp of tlio lown refitting to rei'U property
iuv ottlu . w uu»u lHjUll »t
waa engaged conjointly w
.aadrMrrBlaodxnyth on,
Commentary on tho Real
colony, rind which was n
press, Tho funeral proa
Toowong Railway Static
Cemetery at i o'dock this
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