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Note: Educated in Bendigo. Maude arrived in W,A, early in 1903 to wed Matthew Walker.
Shipping records show that she arrived in Fremantle on 22 June 1903 on the Arcadia having travelled from Melbourne. Initially lived in goldfields and subsequently moved to farm at Wagin. Reputedly the first European woman in the East Wagin area (Pioneer Womens Register)
Maude was a key witness at the inquest of William Henry Walker
Extracts from "Southern Argus" dated 16th Dec 1905
1. William Henry Walker, aged 30 years and a resident of Jaloran was shot dead on Thursday last. On the news being brought into Wagin Mr Sinclair J.P., Dr Corley and P.C. Jones proceeded to the scene of the fatality. A jury of settlers from the
surrounding district was empanelled and an order for the burial of the body
made. So far very few particulars in connection with the fatality are
available.
2. Very few people unacquainted with rural life have the slightest
conception of the hardships which beset the farming community. On Thursday
last Mrs Walker of Jaloran, sister in law of the unfortunate man who was shot,
walked five miles, carrying a fifteen month old child, to her nearest
neighbour who conveyed the news to Wagin.
Extract from "Southern Argus" dated 23rd December 1905.
THE JALORAN SHOOTING FATALITY
Coronial Enquiry Verdict of accidental death On Tuesday last, before Mr R. Sinclair, Acting Coroner, an enquiry was held into the circumstances surrounding the death of William Henry Walker. Messrs Toll, Bray and Rutherford were empanelled as a jury, the first named being chosen foreman. Maude Walker, Sister-in-law of the deceased, was sworn, and gave evidence to the following effect:-
Know of no reason whatever for the deed; deceased seemed to be in good spirits all day; he was speaking to me a few minutes before the accident; I was then inside and he had the rifle in his hand; he was asking me if there were any kangaroos in the crop;; he wanted to know what I was working all day for and asked me to come inside and have a rest and talk to him; that was the last he said to me; I replied
that as soon as I had brought the clothes off the line I would; I just walked
over to the line and heard him speaking to my little boy; I then heard a
rifle shot; my little boy screamed and I ran to pick him up, and as I was
doing so I said " What is the matter, Bill?" He just looked up as he was lying
on the floor, and I asked him to speak to me; I tried to raise his head, and
I found he was quite dead, and I ran outside; I just coo- eed and walked down
the road until I met my husband who was in Wagin; I told him what had
happened and he wanted to go on home as he thought his brother may only have
been wounded; I wouldn't let him go home until he got someone to go with him.
We turned back and met Messrs Evans, Rutherford, Woods and Bray. We told them
what had happened and Mr Woods and Mr Bray went into Wagin for the doctor and
the policeman. By the time Mr Walker and I got home they had removed the
deceased from of the floor; The accident happened as near to five o'clock as
I can tell.
To Mr Jones; There was no other person about at the time; did not see the deceased when I came back; when I left he was lying with his head
under the sewing machine.
To the foreman of the jury; I have frequently seen him handle his rifle carelessly and spoke to him about it several times, but he said it could not do any harm if the hammer was not cocked; also often saw him blowing down the barrel, also looking down same, but not on the day of his death; he never gave any suspicion whatever that he thought of taking his own life; he was making several arrangements for the near future and talked of
where he was going on Sunday.
Several other witnesses were examined, but all
the evidence seemed to strengthen the evidence of the above witness. viz.,
that the case was neither one of suicide or murder, but that it was purely
accidental. After a brief retirement, the jury returned the following
verdict:- "We are of the opinion that the deceased came about his death
accidently through the careless use of a rifle, and we must add a rider to the
effect that the rifle is a particularly dangerous one, as it goes off very
easily when at a certain cock" The jury were then discharged..
After the shooting accident Maude travelled to Victoria to be with her Mother. Her second child Alice Maud (Cis) was born in Victoria
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