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Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931), Thursday 18 January 1883, page 2
A Man Poisoned.
Queanbeyan, Thursday.
William Gilligan, a butcher, from Bungendore, who had been drinking for some days, took poison at 7 p.m. yesterday and died at half-past 10 in great agony. The deceased declared that he took the poison in mistake.
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Queanbeyan Age (NSW : 1867 - 1904), Friday 19 January 1883, page 2
LOCAL NEWS AND NOTES
Coroner's Inquest
Mr. Coroner Parr and a jury of twelve held an inquest yesterday at Mr. Scott's hotel on view of the body of William Gilligan, an old resident of the district, and recently following business of a butcher in Bungendore. He was said to be a widower, and for some time past had been much addicted to drinking to excess. The following evidence reveals the facts and circumstances of the death:-
Senior Sergeant Cornett, being sworn, said - On last evening, the 17th instant, I met Dr. Richardson in Monaro st. From something he told me I went in company with him to Messrs. Pooley and Malone's coach stables. When I got to the stables I saw a man lying down on the floor in the forage room. It was the deceased William Gilligan. This was about 9 o'clock. He appeared to be very ill, and recovering from a fit. Dr. Richardson was present and administered an emetic. Deceased afterwards got another fit, and his body was convulsed and he was making a great noise, and appeared to be in great pain. With assistance we raised him into a sitting position. He retched some little phlegm. The doctor gave him a second emetic, which caused him to retch again. He was then laid on his back, and appeared to be a little easier. Dr. Mountain arrived then. He and Dr. Richardson injected morphin into his arm. I spoke to the deceased then, and he said he felt a little easier. In the course of a minute after he got another very heavy fit; his body was all in motion, and he appeared to be dying. He recovered from that fit, and every half minute afterward for the period of half an hour he had continuous fits, but they were not severe. He complained of thirst and burning pains all down his stomach and according the doctor's instructions I gave him a spoonful of water at short intervals to wet his mouth. Every time the water touched his mouth the fits came on again, but they were only slight. I asked him if he had taken anything. He said, yes, I have taken poison (strychnine) in mistake. When I found it was poison I spat some of it out and some of it I swallowed. I produce a small bottle labelled "poison - strychnine," which Dr. Richardson gave me, it is initialled "A. W. Gabriel." Deceased told me he took the poison in mistake for a gingerette powder. I made search but could not find any gingerette powders either in his clothes or where he was lying, or anywhere about the premises. At times deceased appeared to be delirious. I asked him if he knew me. He replied "I know you, sergeant." He repeatedly entreated the doctors not to leave him, as he would not get over it. His words were, "It is too far gone now; I shall not get over it." About five minutes before he died I asked him if he would like to see the priest; that I would send for him. Deceased replied, "Never mind, it will do in the morning." Mr. Scott, who was present, went for the priest. In about three minutes after this, deceased took another fit, and died in it. This was at half-past ten o'clock last night. I saw the deceased on the 11th of this month in Queanbeyan; he was then in Mr. John Young's shop. That was the last occasion I saw him previous to last night. I searched the body of the deceased and found a silver watch and guard chain. 9s. in silver and a razor in a case, and some papers, amongst which was an unopened letter. (The letter was opened by the coroner and was found to be a business letter from Mr. William MacFadzen.)
To a Juror - I do not know that the deceased was on a drunken spree with John Young in this town; nor do I know that there was a warrant issued for his arrest by the Bungendore Bench; I have no knowledge of its existence. I do not know if he has any chattel or other property. He is said to have come to Queanbeyan on the coach.
Benjamin Joseph Jones, being sworn, stated - I am a butcher by trade, but at present am following the capacity of a groom, and am living at Mr. Pooley's. Yesterday morning, between half-past 8 and a quarter to 9 o'clock, deceased went with me from Mr. Pooley's to the stables, and told me that he wanted to get away from the drink, and while looking around the place and at the horses, asked me if I had any objection to his stopping with me for half an hour. I told him I had no objection, he could stay there all day if he liked. He gave me money (eighteen pence) to go and get him a drop of beer. I fetched three pints. He seemed perfectly sober at the time. He remained at the stables all day. When I returned from dinner he was lying down asleep in the forage room. That was about two o'clock. I brought him a tin of sardines, some biscuits, and a second three pints of beer. All the day throughout he did not drink a pint of the beer; it was drunk by persons who came to the stables during the day, and by myself; I believe I drank the largest portion of it. Deceased did not appear at all intoxicated during the day. Before tea-time he asked me to fetch him some beer and that would do for him through the night; he gave me the money to fetch it. On my return, between 8 and 9 o'clock, deceased exclaimed, "O, my God, I have taken poison by mistake." He told me to go for a doctor and I fetched Dr. Richardson. He told the doctor in my presence that he had taken poison by mistake. I did not see the small bottle produced till I saw it in the doctor's hands. He told me in the morning that he was suffering from the effects of a spree, and wanted to get off from it, and did not want to be knocking about the streets. The day before yesterday I saw him drinking at Pooley's. I had seen him only two or three hours altogether within the last few days. He mostly appeared to be sober enough; but I saw him drinking.
To a juror - He did not seem to be disturbed at all in his mind, and I never saw him drunk. There was nothing about the place, or with the deceased that he might have mistaken the strychnine for.
Dr. Richardson, having been duly sworn, stated - I am a legally qualified medical practitioner, residing at Queanbeyan. About 20 minutes to 9 o'clock last night I was called to attend the deceased at Mr. Pooley's stables. On speaking to him he told me he had taken strychnine in mistake for some other powder he had. I was then shown the little bottle produced, which I have since shown to Mr. Gabriel the chemist and he informed me it was the bottle in which he had given the deceased strychnine five days before. I applied remedies to deceased, immediately I obtained them, as soon as possible, and directly after, meeting Dr. Mountain, I asked him to see the case with me. He and I continued to apply remedies, but without avail, as the deceased died about half-past ten. During the time I was present with the deceased he had convulsions and complained of great pains in the stomach and bowels, which are symptoms of poisoning by strychnine. He died from convulsions. This afternoon I have made a post-mortem examination of the body of deceased. It was that of a healthy man of about 50 years of age, strong and well-nourished. The rigor mortis was well marked. I found all the organs healthy, but the heart was strongly contracted. I am of opinion that the deceased died from the effects of strychnine poisoning. I have saved the stomach in case an analysis should be necessary.
Dr. William John Mountain, having been sworn, stated - I am a legally qualified medical practitioner residing in Queanbeyan. About ten o'clock last night I was asked by Dr. Richardson to see the deceased. He was then suffering intense spasms, apparently from nux romica poisoning, and I applied the usual remedies, but deceased died at 10.30 by my watch. I assisted to-day at a post-mortem examination of the body, and saved the stomach. All the organs were healthy; there was no external marks of violence, and the body was well nourished. I am of opinion deceased died from poisoning by strychnine shortly after its administration.
Augustus William Gabriel, being sworn, stated - I am a chemist residing in Queanbeyan. The deceased William Gilligan came to my shop on Friday last the 12th instant, and asked me for a few doses of strychnine to poison some dogs that were destroying his sheep. I sold him about fifteen grains of strychnine in the bottle produced. He particularly requested to have it in a bottle. I labelled it "Strychnine - Poison. A. W. Gabriel," as it now appears, and made the necessary entry of the transaction in which the deceased signed my book. Deceased was pretty sober and rational in every respect. I sold him no gingerette powders, I keep nothing of the kind.
Charles Scott, having been sworn, stated - I am a publican and keep the Commercial Hotel in Queanbeyan. The deceased had been staying at my house, and came here on the coach on Thursday, the 11th January, instant. He slept here every night till I went away on Sunday morning. He always stopped at my place when he came to town. I only returned home yesterday. I have known the deceased over 20 years. So far as I know deceased he was a sober man; he was not known as a confirmed drunkard. He only drank ale, and very little of that while I saw him here. After my return yesterday I was told the deceased had taken poison, and I went to Pooley's stables to see him.
To a juror - Deceased brought nothing here but what he stood up in.
John Gilligan, having been sworn, stated - I am a farmer, and reside at Bungendore. The deceased was my brother. He lived in Bungendore, and was a butcher. I last saw him alive on Tuesday in last week, and I heard from Mr. McFadzen, his late partner, that he came to Queanbeyan on the coach on Thursday morning, but I don't know what for. He was a widower, but his four children (the youngest 14 years of age) are all away from him. He owned no property whatever. He was boarding at a private place in Bungendore. He was 48 years of age and a native of Windsor in this colony.
To a juror - Deceased owned no sheep, and needed no poison for the purpose of destroying dogs given to worrying his sheep; nor was he in charge of any other person's sheep.
The coroner summed up, and the jury, after a brief deliberation, found that the deceased William Gilligan died on the evening of Wednesday the 11th day of January 1883 from the effects of poison (strychnine) administered by himself,
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Goulburn Herald (NSW : 1881 - 1907), Tuesday 23 January 1883, page 2.
CASE OF POISONING AT QUEANBEYAN. - Mr. Parr, coroner, held an inquest at Queanbeyan on Thursday last on the body of William Gilligan, an old resident of the district, and recently following business as a butcher in Bungendore. He died on Wednesday last from the effects of strychnine, which he stated he had taken in mistake. He was a healthy man of about fifty years of age, but was latterly addicted at times to drinking. He was stated to be a widower. The jury found that the deceased died from the effects of poison administered by himself.
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Interment.net
Bungendore Cemetery
Bungendore, Southern Tablelands Region, New South Wales, Australia
Gilligan, William, b. c 1836 Windsor, d. 11 Jan 1883, parents: Peter & Jane Carr, buried Catholic Section, unmarked
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