WILLIAM CARTER WADE

William Carter WADE (1852-1890) was born at Lue on March 4 1852, the son of Thomas Wade and Elizabeth Carter who arrived in Sydney in 1848 then moved to Lue, Mudgee and Gulgong.

“William” was another Wade family name and “Carter” was his mother’s maiden name. 

William worked as a boundary rider. He was unmarried. He died when struck by lightning on November 24 1890 at Biraganbil, near Mudgee and was buried at Gulgong. he was only 26.

Court papers of William WADE who died intestate in 1890. 

1890 - Struck by Lightning. TERRIBLE ACCIDENT NEAR MUDGEE.

The following is the evidence taken before the Mudgee. Coroner touching the death of William Wade, who was killed by lightning on Monday near Biraganbil : —

George Fletcher, being duly sworn, states: I am a constable of police stationed at Gulgong; I have seen a dead body here to-day, which I understand is the body of William Wade; last night about 6 o'clock I received certain information, in consequence of which I went out to Biraganbil station on this side of the river; I saw the deceased; he was lying face downward on the sand and gravel; there was also a horse just behind him lying dead; I turned deceased over, examined the body and found life extinct; the face was black, and he was much discolored; also on the chest and each side of the legs there were discolorations; I searched the body, and in the left-hand pocket was a small pipe which had been apparently alight, and the whole of the pocket was burnt through; in the other pocket was a knife and tobacco, one half-penny by the side of him, and, another pipe near his hand; there was also a tin match box there, one portion two yards from the deceased, and the other portion about 6 yards further away; there was also his hat, which had been apparently burnt, and lying about 5 or 6 yards in front of him, and a portion was between the dead horse's legs behind him; I examined the horse, and found some portion of the legs of the horse was singed; I procured a cart and conveyed him to where he now lies; between half-past 4 and 5 o'clock there had been a heavy thunderstorm with lightning in the locality.

To the jury: The knife was shut in his pocket; the bridle was on the horse, and apparently sound: I did not notice if he had sleeve links.

William Quinn, being duly sworn, states: I am travelling with a stallion in in the employ of W. Duggan; I have seen a dead body here to-day; I did not know the deceased; I was near Biraganbil yesterday about a quarter past 5 o'clock and saw the deceased lying in the sand at the bank of the river, about 300 yards from the road; a dead horse was lying near him; rode up as close to the body as the horse would allow me, and satisfied myself the man was dead; then returned to Andrew's house, the nearest place, about 150 yards away; saw Andrews and told him there was a man dead on the bank of the river, when he immediately returned with me to the place, and said it was the body of W. Wade; I went to Biraganbil station, and told someone there; I did not get off my horse.

James Andrews gave corroborative evidence as to the finding of the deceased; in company with the previous witness.

R Rouse, junr., sworn, deposed : I have seen the dead body here to-day; it is that of William Wade, a boundary rider, in my employ; my book-keeper came to me at the shed and told me it had been reported that Wade had been found dead; I had been working with the deceased about an hour previous, drafting sheep, and had sent him away with a mob of sheep to one of the paddocks; the place where he was found dead was on the track he used to return from the paddock, on a sandy portion near the river; at once got a horse, and found the deceased lying on his face on the sand, quite dead; the blood was oozing from both ears, and his whiskers appeared to have been singed; noticed several bruises on the body where the clothing had been torn; he was found about 100 yards from the river, and about 150 yards from Andrew's house; sent a horse and cart to Gulgong with the body; noticed the mane of the horse singed, and a singed streak running down the shoulder to the hoofs on both fore legs — on the inside of one and the outside of the other; there was also a singed streak running down the spine, and underneath the saddle, and from the hip it passed down both legs to the fetlocks; neither the saddle or bridle were injured in any way; the deceased had been in my employ for a long time, and has borne an excellent character; he was unmarried, and the support of his widowed mother, who always lived with him, and who is 86 years old; he was 36 years of age; knew him, since boyhood.

Dr. Harding, sworn, deposed: I have seen a dead body here to-day; it is that of a healthy man from 30 to 39 years of age; I examined the body; the left eye was bruised, and there was a cut on the lip; on the front of the chest, from the top down, the skin was burnt; it was of a dark yellow colour, and to the feel dry and horny; the hair was singed off; on the left side of the hip there was a black charred burn; the marks of the burn extended down both sides; from the evidence I have heard I think the marks were caused by the action of the lightning, but the blackened mark on the top, I think, was caused by a burning pipe.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death caused by being struck by lightning.
Source: Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal (NSW : 1851 - 1904) Fri 5 Dec 1890 Page 4