Morning Post (Cairns, Qld. : 1897 - 1907), Friday 6 July 1900, page 5


Death of Capt. E. A. Delisser

Sympathetic expressions of regret were ex-pressed throughout the district last Sunday when it became known that Captain E. A. Delisser had on the previous Saturday been called to his last account. Directly the news

was received in Cairns, Mr R. Sturt started away post haste for the " Walter Hodgson " mine, the scene of the sad occurrence, arriv-ing about 3 a.m. on Monday. Inquiry showed that deceased was in the act of bathing in Butcher's Creek, near his mountain camp, about 35 miles from Cairns, when his final call came. Mr . Delisser (he dropped his military rank in Cairns, and we therefore prefer to speak of him in his civilian capacity) arrived at his 71st birthday two days prior to his death, and on that date in-scribed in his diary—" Except for my arm I feel as if I were fit-for anything." The ear-liest record we can find of his career dates back to May 21st, 1851, when he held a co-mission as Lieutenant in the 78th Highlan-

ders, then stationed at Aden, where he was attacked just outside the town by a fanatical

Arab armed with a kris. Lieutenant Delisser dismounted from his horse, wrested weapon from the Arab and slew him. The affair caused considerable stir in England. Six years later he sold out of the Army, and from 1859 to 1864 was engaged on the survey for the Adelaide waterworks; and was Captain

and Adjutant oí the first Volunteer Force in South Australia. In 1864 he qualified as a surveyor in Victoria, and in 1869 was regis-tered in Queensland. Between 1878 and 1881 he conducted the trial and permanent surveys of the Townsville-Towers line, and in the same year was appointed District Engineer in charge of the Central Railway Division, resigning in 1883 through ill health. In May,

1884, he was appointed principal assistant engineer for the Central and Northern Divi-sion, resigning again in 1888 after the com-pletion of the Gladstone-Bundaberg survey. He then came to Cairns, and in conjunction

with Mr Walter Hodgson, of Melbourne, and invested in the goldmine of that name, and for over thirteen years has labored unceasingly to develop this claim. He is properly de-

scribed as "a dear old man," gentle, cour-teous; ever kind and considerate for the welfare of others, and esteemed by all who knew him, as an upright honorable gentleman. His death was clearly the result of heart failure, as although the body was found face down in about a foot of water, there was a total absence of all indications of death by drown-ing. Every possible respect was shown to all that remained of the worthy old pioneer, his body being buried by Mr Sturt near the mine, at a spot selected by the deceased some months previously. After a life lived so serviceably and honorably, it is comforting to note that notwithstanding the very heavy monetary outlay regularly made by Mr. Delisser, his affairs are all in satisfactory order. His life was insured for £1000, and his debts are small. The Walter Hodgson mine is un-doubtedly a valuable property, and up to date

has been endowed with a developing expendi-ture of over £20,000. Captain Delisser now lies buried in one of the prettiest spots in North Queensland.