Mental health is today something that we are much more aware of. In 1898 it was still a crime to attempt to kill yourself and was so until the mid 1960’s in most Australian states. This would be why Sergeant Sellenger said he would take no further action. Western Australian Goldfields Courier 8 January 1898, […]
“Cock-Eyed Bob” Sheds light on House of Death.
Truth – Perth – 18 February 1928, page 9 “Cock-Eyed Bob” Sheds Light upon House of Death Compact. The fair, slimly-built Detective Parker took his last survey of the faded and dusty rooms. His work was complete. The mystery of the Kalgoorlie Death Pact was a mystery no more. The admissions of the man and […]
The Murder of the Duke of Sutherland:
John Sutherland, better known as the ‘Duke of Sutherland’, died on the 26th of February 1895 in his own camp at Nannine, in the Meekatharra district. His age was not known. He was a miner who was shot dead by an old friend, Henry Augustus Muller, who then killed himself. Both men were old identities […]
Murder or Suicide – that is the question.
While conducting extensive research into those buried who are buried in the Cue Cemeteries, John Pritchard came across this unusual story about the death of a man who was among the earliest burials in the most unusual circumstances. BURDETT Robert Ambrose — 43 yrs, d 26 Mar 1894, in Cue WA, he was born in […]
Death by Despair – Leonora Snapshots
In the last edition of the ‘Leonora Cemetery Snapshots’ we looked at ‘all the little children’. This edition looks at suicide which was a sad but common cause of death in the early days of the Goldfields. Sometimes it was a release from certain and horrific death by thirst or heat. Other times it was […]