81. Sarah Purcell
Mrs. Sarah Evans.
Mrs. Sarah Evans, relict of the late Mr. James Evans of Castlereagh, died at the residence of her daughter (Mrs. Charles Wright), Castlereagh, on Wednesday last, at the age of 94 years. Deceased was a native of Castlereagh, and spent the whole of her life in the district. She had been in fairly good health, but the intense heat of the last week proved too much for her. Seven children survive, her, viz. :— Mr. George Evans (Picton), Mesdames, R.. Rees (Peak Hill), E. Stevenson (Lewisham), D. F. Russell (Auburn), W. Eagle (Strathfield), A. T. Easterbrook (Murwillimbah) and C. Wright (Castlereagh). Her husband pre-deceased her by 27 years. The funeral took place on Friday, the remains being laid to rest in St. Stephen's Cemetery, Penrith, alongside deceased's late husband.
Source: Nepean Times 30 Dec 1922
Sudden Death
MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR.
The whole District was thrown .into a state of alarm on Monday last when it was known that Mr. James Evans, of Mulgoa Road, had died suddenly. The old gentleman had been seen about town on Saturday, aud was spoken to by several people, all of whom say he was in excellent health'and spirits. His sad death will ever remain a mystery. The deceased gentleman was a native of the District, haviug resided the whole of his life here, and was 66 years of age. He leaves behind him a widow and nine children, all of whom, with one exception (a, daughter of twenty-one years of age), have married and settled down. Mr. Evans learned the trade of blacksmith, and we believe served his apprenticeship with the late Mr. Henry Hall, of Emu plains. For very many years he carried on farming successfully at Castlereagh, principally on the farm at' present occupied by Mr. F. A. H. Cork. His business transactions in that line being always of the straightest description. Later on he be came a Government contractor, - having built several public schools in the District, as well as some of the best houses in the town of Penrith. In this at a later stage he was not so successful, and finally gave it up. He again started farming at Castlereagh, on the premises now occupied by Mr. Small, the farm being owned by Mr. Simmatt. The altered condition of things in that line, however, was somewhat new to him, and he gave it up after a short trial. He then started in his old line, that of a blacksmith and agricultural implement maker, and there were none in this district who understood the business better. Finally he gave this up there was not enough business and has since done nothing of any importance, except to assist his son-in-law (Aid. A. T. Easterbrook) in the butchering business. Mr. Evans was highly respected throughout the whole district. For many years he occupied the position of alderman in the Penrith Municipal Council, and was for two or three terms Mayor. He was a.prominent Mason, having been a Past Master in the old Queen's Lodge, E.G. As a member of that craft ho was always looked upon as a Mason in every sense of the word. His lectures and charges in the different degrees were always perfect, and he did more to advance the cause of Masonry in this district than any other member of the various lodges that have been in existence. He never occupied the position of Master in the new Nepean Lodge, although he has ever been ready to assist in the raisings, passings, and instruction, besides delivering charges, etc. His funeral on Tuesday afternoon was a Masonic one, about forty of the brethren taking part in the procession. The W.M. of the Lodge (Bro. Oolley) read the service at the grave. The procession was the largest seen here for some time, aud considering the short notice, not only to members of the mystic craft, but to the public generally, the result must have been a source of comfort to the relatives. Some beautiful wreaths were sent, the coffin, being covered and the hearse full. Messrs. Arthur & Nelson Price had charge of the arrangements, and needless to say the affair was carried out in a highly creditable manner. ...
THE INQUEST
was held at Joyce's Hotel on Monday after noon, before Mr. J. K. Lethbridge, J.P., District Coroner, and a jury of twelve,' consisting of Messrs. D. J. Worboys, (fore man), J. H. R. Noble, J. Oostin, R. Benaud, T. F, Yellenoweth, E. Whitehurst, W. GK I. Dent, James Ausburn, T. Gow E. "Holm H. Richardson, J. Hyslop. Eva Evans, sworn, deposed : I am the daughter of .James Evans, lately residing, at Mulgoa Road, Penrith deoeased was 66 years of age last March, was a native of the Colony and district of Penrith ; he leaves a wife and nine children alive'; I resided with my father and mother, and was at home last night; only three of us resided in the house; saw my father last night, he went to bed at a quarter to eight he usually retired early;. he then appeared to be in good health and spirits, was talking to us up to the-time he went to bed, he usually had good health; about half-past six; this morning I heard him come out in to the dining-room from his bedroom; at first. I thought I heard him rinsing a knife in a glass; the knife produced was left on the dining-room table the night before; after that he came to my bedroom door, as was his wont, and called out "Eva " ; I replied I'm getting up, or words to that effect; I then heard him winding up the clock and setting it; he then went outside had a wash, and came in again ; he was standing on the verandah talking to me about the fowls; I was making the fire, he came and stood alongside me; he went out, and then: on going into the dining-room I saw him; lay on the couch; I said, " what is the matter, father ?" he said, " I have a pain in my stomach, I've had it all night I went out to bring the breakfast, thinking a hot cup of tea would do himi good: I heard no more till I heard my mother ask him, what was the matter, was he ill; he said yes, and could not speak any more : we stayed with deceased a short time, but as he seemed to continue to be iu Pain, we sent him sent in for Mr. Towle, and he went to Dr. Shand, who came shortly after; my father appeared: to be in good spirits, and in no way despondent; there have been two small bottles of poison in this house for 10 or 12 years; one was full, some has been used by my father for poisoning rats; the bottle produced, labelled strychnine, is like one of them and I believe is one that was in the house' when I first noticed him there was no change in his breathing, sometime afterwards he appeared to be convulsed and in much pain. The bottles obtained a crystal substance of a reddish color; cannot, say there was any other poison at the time; there was a half packet of Epsom salts on the shelf in the dining room like the one produced; two bottles of poison were in a small box on the chest of drawers in mother's bedroom; from something was said to me this morning I went to look at the place where the poison was kept; I was asked if there was any poison in the house, and I went to see if the bottles were in the Place where they were usually kept, and I found them there; some papers were kept m the same place, nothing seemed disturbed; the lid of the box was slightly disturbed, but this has been done before by my father throwing his shirt on the drawers; the strychnine was in the house ten or twelve years at least; my father has not been able to get work for a Iong time ; don't know that he has been pressed by anyone ; never seemed to trouble him before us about money matters, or want of work; my father being so long out of work our money was nearly all gone ; been paying for nearly everything for some time there is not more than three or four pounds owing to my knowledge ; my father was a very steady man of late years, and lived
happily with us. -
By the Foreman : My father has had no unpleasant family matters lately like to prey on his mind. . . ,
By the Coroner: Never at any time had any idea of him committing suicide. ,
By a Juror: After I was asked I went out to see that the poison, was in the same Place
By the Coroner: From something Dr. Shand said I went to look if the strychnine was in its usual place.
By the Coroner: When I went into the diining room some glasses and decanters were on the table; before father went to bed he always had a drink of water and the glass was left.
By Sergeant Thorndike: I locked the place up myself; no one was in the house afterwards; my father always had a glass of water first thing in the morning whenhe got up.
By the Sergeant: Deceased had not been taking effervescent drinks.
By a Juror: I often heard father complain of pains in his stomach, but they were of slight effect, and generally went away; he was not in the habit of taking salts regularly.
Abraham Thomas Easterbrook, sworn, deposed: I am a butcher, residing at Penrith, and a son-in-law of the deceased ; last saw deceased alive and well, before being sent for this morning, on Saturday afternoon; this morning about a quarter to eight, while delivering my orders, Mr. Towle, who was going for Dr. Shand, told me Mr. Evans was very ill; on being told that I came straight down, told my wife and came on to deceased's house ; he was lying on the sofa; Mrs. Evans, Miss Evans (his wife and daughter) and Mr. Gow were present; I said " Well, boss, how are you getting on, what's up with you ?" this is my nsual way of speaking to him ; he said, " Well, Abe;" I asked him if he had been drinking anything in the morning; he said " Spirits - I asked him what sort of spirits it was; he said it wasn't whisky and it wasn't brandy; I said, " What did you drink ?" he shook his head, but did not answer.
At this stage Dr. Brady wished to question witness. Sergeant Thorndike objected Dr. Brady persisted and used some rather insulting remarks to the Sergeant, who then referred the matter to Mr. Lethbridge, the Coroner, who said Dr. Brady would have to wait till the examination in chief was concluded. This he made apply to one of the jurymen as well, who persisted in a similar course.
Witness continued : I kept asking him would he tell me what he drank, he only shook his head; Dr. Shand was present at the time; he was in Dr. Shand's hands, who was treating him; the doctor remained three-quarters of an hour; I went in a little while afterwards when I left deceased appeared easier; the doctor said there was not so much pain just then. I went home to tell my wife how her father was, and returned within a quarter of an hour; deceased was worse then; Mr. .Towle had again gone for Dr. Shand; Dr. Shand came and attended to him ; the doctor went away and came back the third time with Dr. Brady; the two doctors remained with him until he died: I did not think that deceased was in want of anything ; he lived as far as I know happily with his family ; know of no one having any ill-feeling towards him; never heard him speak of anyone feeling so; was at his house last Tuesday; I saw Mrs. Evans, Mr. Evans, (deceased) was at my house; deceased was a sober man lately.
By Dr. Shand: I am not aware deceased suffered from colic ; henrd Miss Eyans ask what was the matter with him when you went in the second time ; you did not answer her,but called me on one side ; you told me you suspected he had taken some thing; you then asked to have Dr. Brady in consultation ; I volunteered to go for him ; you said you wouid ask Dr. Brady to come, with you when you went for the stomach pump and other things; I followed you and said I thought deceased had taken arsenic; found you speaking to Dr. Brady in front of your house ; when you and Dr. Brady returned to the patient I produced the bottle (the empty one marked strychnine); you then told me that was the poison you suspected.
By the Foreman ; I am not aware of any unpleasant relations with any of his family likely to prey on his mind.
By a Juror: I was not aware of deceased being in any financial difficulty ; Dr. Shand brought the stomach-pump on "the third occasion ; I did not know what was the matter. .
Dr. Shand: First time you went there you made a search; discovered half a packet of Epsom salts; noticed you examining very minutely a quantity of powder on the knife; you injected morphia into his side the first time you went; you told me that it would allay the pain and that he appeared conscious afterwards.
Freeman Pepper, sworn, deposed : I am Small Debts Court bailiff for this district; knew deceased; last saw him alive on Saturday last, between 10.80 and 11 a.m. saw him in front of Mr. Easterbrook's shop, High-street, Penrith, and told him I had a warrant to distrain on his goods and chattels for rent due, amounting to £5 10a . he told me could not pay it then, but to meet him on Monday (to-day), in the after noon, and he would settle with me; it appeared to trouble him slightly at the time, and asked me not to execute it till this afternoon, when he would settle it; I did not put it in.
By a Juror : The conversation took place in front of Easterbrook's shop; Easterbrook was not present, and, to the best of my knowledge, he know nothing about it; no one was present.
Dr. J. Shand, sworn, deposed: I was called at half-past seven this morning to visit deceased ; the messenger informed me that deceased suffered from colic ; I immediately proceeded to deceased's residence, and found him unconscious, and stupid on slightly recovering - consciousness ; : being told he was suffering from colic, I injected some morphia under the skin, which appeared to have a very beneficial effect; on account of extreme exhaustion, which I attributed to his suffering from colic over the night, as his daughter also informed me he had done, I tried to get him to lake a little brandy and water, but he would not take it; after waiting "for half-an-hour I noticed some slight nerve symptoms, and I gave him another injection of morphia, and asked Mr. .Easterbrook to send for some medicine, immediately; during my visit I asked deceased if he wouldn't tell me anything about his ailment, how it began; be said he had had some spirits, some whisky, then he contradicted himself and sid he had had no whisky; having waited three-quarters of an hour and, having had sufficient suspicion aroused in me to look round the room and look into a packet of.Epsom salts, and also to examine the faintest trace on the point of my finger on a knife of something chrystaline, I did not feel justified from any suspicions I held and mentioned my suspicions to his relatives, and so, at the end of three-quarters of an hour, no paroxysms having appeared to justify my suspicions, I left the patient for the first time ; soon afterwards I was called agan, but I was engaged, and in a few minutes the messenger returned, when I went immediately; when I went back to the house I ound the deceased recovering from, paroxysm, and, in putting my hand on his head to see if it was hot, I noticd slight jerking in response to the excitement from my hand : I then felt his pulse at the wrist, and I noticed a similar jerking ; with these symptoms my previous suspicions of poison were aroused ; I then noticed that the morphia which I had given to him to allay the supposed spasms or colic had acted as an antidote to strychinine poisoning, and prevented the paroxysms recurriug which I had waited for on my first visit, morphia being one of the best antidotes we have for strychnine poisoning; deceased's daughter wanted me to say what was the matter with her father ; I did not care to reply, but retired to an adjoining room with Mr. Easterbrook ; I asked to have a consultation with Dr. Brady, as I thought he had taken something ; Mr. Easterbrook offered to go for him, but I said I must go immediately for the stomach pump, mouth gag, chloroform, etc. ; I me Dr, Brady opposite my house, and told him the case; Mr. Easterbrook then came forward and said there was a small bottle of arsenic previously half filled, and on seeing the bottle found it was labelled strychnine, and empty ; Dr. Brady and I drove down and found deceased with severe jerkings and injected more morphia with a little atropin,. and proceeded to chloroform the deceased ; a paroxysm came on aud I hesitated to pass the stomach pump as he appeared very ill ; I, however, passed it, and washed out the stomach ; when completed he died; the fluid received by the stomach pump I had caught in a dry vessel and put it in-the bottle I now produce, and conveyed it personally to Sergeant Thorndike, together with an empty vial labelled " strychnine, poison," and also a half packet of Epsom salts. Mrs. Evans told me that the half packet of Epsom salts had been left by her there on a previous occasion.
By a Juror .- Arsenic is not an antidote for strychnine poisoning ; cannot say what time, deceased, died:; the general effect of strychnine poisoning is difterent on different people,: some requiring a larger, some a smaller dose. The probable cause of death was an overdose of strychnine;
The Coroner asked if the Jury required a postponement for the sake of having a post mortem ; he did not require it, nor did he think it necessary. After a short consultation the Foreman announced .the Jury did not require a postponement,- they did not think a postponement necessary.
The following verdict, was returned:
" That the deceased, James Evans, died at Penrith on Monday, 20th April; 1895, and that , such death was probably caused by an overdose of strychnine,, but that there is no evidence to. show how, or by what means, such strychnine was administered."
Source: Nepean Times 4 May 1895
Lived at No. 7 West Bogan Station, Girilambone before his death
MR JOSIAH FIELD.
A very old resident of Bedgerabong, in the person of Mr Josiah Field, passed away at Bedgerabong on Friday last. Deceased was 76 years of age, and for very many years he had resided at Bedgerabong, his residence being quite close to the church there. Senile decay was the cause of death. The late Mr Field leaves a family of six sons and one daughter. The funeral took place at Bedgerabong cemetery on Saturday afternoon, the Rev. A. J. Gard- ner conducting the service.
Source: Forbes Advocate 17 Aug 1915