Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), Saturday 1 September 1877, page 7


GENERAL NEWS.

Another sad case of drowning has occurred at War-rill Creek. The unfortunate was named William Cub bins, a grazier aged ?? and owner of a freehold of about 280 acres of and of some forty head of cattle. It appears that he went to get a drink out of a wateror rather mud-hole, and in the act of drinking, on his hands and knees, he must have fallen in, head fore-most, up to his waist. He was found in that position by James Bunton, who reported the matter to the police, and who, with Dr. Dorsey, went out to the place at fire o'clock p.m. The deceased had'no re-lations living with him on the freehold ; but we be-lieve he has a son-in-law named Crow, a settler on the Upper Brisbane River, to whom the news of the acci-dent has been communicated.-Queensland Times.

The Rockloy correspondent sends us (Bathurst Fríe Press) the particulars concerning the death of an old man named John McKay, which occurred on Friday, Aug. 17, under rather peculiar circumstancoB. It appears that tho old man left his house at Camp-bell's River, on the Friday afternoon, carrying an axe, it is thought with the intention of falling a tree in an adjoining paddock. He was then in his usual health, but as he did not return when expected,

search was made for him and his dead body was discovered lying by a jOJ|¡ a ¿pprbnce ; over which he had apparentlyTalWn. ThVaxo he had been carrying was lying partly under Bim, and his hat and pipe a short distance away. The body wag removed to the house, and an inquest was subsequently hold. The only marks of external violence on the body wera two or thros superficial abrasions on the forehead, but a post mortem examination led to the discovery of a considerable quantity of extravasated blood boneath the scalp, ond a slight injury to the skull, the bloodvessels of the head and neck being very much swollen. Dr. O'Brien gave it as his' opinion that death had resulted from congestion of the brain, which had probably boen caused by a fall from the fence near where deceased was found. The jury returned a verdict tu that effect, Mrs. McKay stated that her husband was 70 years of ago, that he had not tasted spirits for three months, and that ho was perfectly sober when he lett the house.

Last Sunday evening (says tho Bathurst Free Press of tho 22nd), the Chinese quarter in Howick-streat was the scene of disgraceful riot on a small scale, the persons engaged being a large number of the purest larrikins and several of the Chinese residents, There aro different reports as to the cause of the dis-turbance, but we believe it was originated by the boys. At ono time it seemed probable that there would bo bloodshed, but the arrival of the police temporarily checked the riot. As it was, however, the doora and windows of the houses inhabited by the Chinamen were smashed, volleys of stones having been thrown at thom and the occupants by the mob of rowdies assembled in tho straot. The proceedings will form the subject of a police court inquiry, as the police have summoned eight of the persons who were known or supposed to have takeu part in thus disturbing the penco. «-.

A paijty of gentleruen\ went out to Leeholme on Friday uiBt (says tho /Bathurst Times) to shoot hawks, Äid jeeturarffif the afternoon with four enor-mous birds 'ah shearesult of the trip. The largest hawk measured lemriy eight feet between the tips of the wings, ond a socínd was found to moasure seven feet six inches, Since the introduction of hores, these birds have become unusually numerous in the locality of Bathurst, and parties frequently go out for the purpose of destroying them,

Mr. G. Smith, of North Yass, reports the Southern Argus, had his hand severely bitten by a horse u few days ago, while attempting to ascertain his age. The bite lins been very painful and inconvenient to Mr, Smith, and it satisfied him the animal did not

want his bridle tooth.

A brown snake was killod on Sunday last (reports the Bathurst Times) by Mr. T. H. Hellyer, in Mr. Saville's garden, at the top of Russell-street. Tho reptile was in the vorandah when first observed, and "showed fight" when attacked, It is not often that snakes appear 6o early in the season, but for this period of the year the weather is unprocedoutly mild

The Southern Argus reporta :-An old man, com-monly called " Old Mo," but whose correct name is Moses Cavanagh, in the employ of Mr, George McConnell at the Beehive Hotel, corner of Auburn and Clinton streets, Goulburn, wub seriously injured by falling from the top of a ladder on the evening of Thursday last. Upon being removed to the hospital he was attended by Dr. Hayley, who found him greatly prostrated and much bruised about the body. When the swelling of his left thigh had somewhat subsided, it was discovered that the bone was fractured close to the hip, aud this having been set, he now remains in a precarious, but not imme-diately dangerous condition, his ultimate recovery being rendered doubtful from the fact of his age having reached over 65 years.

A somewhat extraordinary and painful accident happened to Mrs. Matthew Gamble, at Colac. It appears (says the Colac Herald) that Dr. Rae had called in to see a member of the family, and handed the bridle of his horse to Mrs. Gamble. The lady was standing inside her door with the bridle twisted round the forefinger of her right hand, when the animal became in some manner frightened and made a plunge. This brought Mrs, Gamble's finger in contact with the door-post, and, not being able to release her hand, the top joint of the finger was pulled completely off.

An act fulfcpf sheer spleernand vindictiveness was given'vèht liiT'imii 11 I lijjjilf ß ni ii Argus) one night last week, attthe Mlwoy station, and it is a pity its perpetrator whs nWcaught, as his deod might bave resulted in serious lnjury^if not loss of'life, if it had not been found out in time to stop the'chance of such a mishap. While Mr. Hart's wnggo'netto, which plies to and from the railway station lit Yass for the conveyance of passengers, was at the terminus awaiting tho arrival ot the train, some person cut the reins of the horse on both aides eo deep that the slightest pull would have severed them from the winkers. At the time there were several ladies in the wnggonotte, whose lives would have been jeopar-dised if the evil design of the peison had not been noticed before the driver took his seat,

The Southern Art/us (Goulburn) of the 28th reports :-Margaret Jones, quite a young girl, resid-ing at the Lost River, near Wheeo, was thrown from a horse on Mouday of last week and fractured the bone of her left arm close to the elbow. Her friends not being for some time aware of how great was the injury she had sustained, it was only on Friday that her removal to Goulburn took place, when she was

received into the hospital and surgical attention paid to her by Dr. Gentle. The youthful sufferer is

announced to be progressing favorably with every prospect of a speedy recovery.

The Moko of Tuesday says ;-ThiB forenoon the City Ceroner held, at Punch's Hotel, Woolloomooloo Bay, an inquest touching the causo of death of Jarnos Scabell O'Grady. The following evidence was taken: -John O'Grady, gardener, residing at Victoria Lodge, at the north-east outrance to the Botanic Gardens, deposed'that deceased was his eon, aged two years and eight months ; about 1 o'clock yesterday, as he reached the back gate leading to his residence,ihe met his wife, who SBked him if he had seen the child, moaning deceased ; he said he had not, and hie wife Bald that he had been in a little garden between the houso and the water, and abo thought he had gone to meet him ; they both called on the child, but got,1 no reply ; witness weritto the garden, and hiawifeto wards the water, and he directly after beard a scream from the waterside ; be at once got over the fence, and saw the child dead in his mother's arms ; his clothes were wet ; a doctor was sent for, and in the meantimohis clothes were taken off, and means adopted with the view of restoring animation, but without success; Dr. M'Laurin on his arrival pronounced life to be ex-tinct; between the fence and-the closet there was a space by which deceased could get out, but he never knew bim to do so before, Mrs. O'Grady deposed that in going to the waterside she saw the deacons,d lloatiñj; lace upwards clost) to the brea t wall ; she hiid only to stoop do .vii and catch hoid of him. JJr. M'Laur.n deposei that death had resulted by suif j

cation by drowniug, yf of accidentally drowy

At the City Court/ Thursday last, Henry Griffin

of age, was charged with Bigamy.

of Carolino Baird, whioh set out the

1874, " he did intermarry with one Emily Elizabeth

Cockerell, his wife. Alta Griffin being then alive.

It appears that in November, 1868, he was married at Ballarat to a Miss Alta Heath, whom he shortly afterwards deserted, and it is believed decamped toa neighbouring colony. Some four years afterwards he returned to Victoria, and on the 6th May, 1874, he was married to Miss Cockerell, under the name of Henry Baker. On his return to this colony he opened a butcher's shop in Little Collins-street, and his niece carried on the business. His indentity was discovered by a friend of his first wife, who recognised him while in the shop, and Mrs. Griffin, who resided at Ballarat with her mother, came to town and satisfied herself upon the point. Detectives Forster and Hayes arrested the man on Wednesday evening ; and from a letter found in his possession there is no doubt that he was about to escape to Castlemaine. The document in question was signed by Mr. Windsor, his attorney, 'and introduced him to Mr. George Richards who was requested to put him out of the way of arrest, as an attachment had been issuod against hm in a divorce suit for alimony. On being brought before the court a remand was applied for, to enable the authorities to arrange for the attendance of the necessary witnesses, and the prisoner waa remandod for seven days, bail being allowed in two sureties of £150. The letter found upon the accused formed a subject of comment. Mr. Faussett, who appeared to prosecute, remarking upon the somewhat strange fact that Mr. Windsor had given the document to Griffin after having arranged with him (mr.Faussett) to pay a portion of the money (the subject matter of the suit in question) that day. Mr. Windsor pointed out that he had boen actuated by no desire to enable the prisoner to evade justice in tho case before the Court, but merely wished to delay the serving of the attachment upon him in ilia civil suit referred to in the letter.