William Wulff, aged 55, died 21 June 1876 and was buried 22 June 1876 at Gulgong Cemetery.
William came to Australia from Germany. He worked as a fruit dealer. His cause of death was "Syncope heart disease".
1876 - Sudden Death
An inquest into the sudden death of William Wulff was held at the Belmore Hotel by Coroner T A Browne. Evidence from Dr Wilson Ramsay who stated that the heart of the deceased was greatly enlarged and the pericardium distended with verix, death would have been instant. Charles Willaston stated, I live in the same house as the deceased in the next room, spoke to the deceased who said he would try to get up, heard a thud and turned around and the deceased had fallen from the bed, went and brought Mr Lyon but he was dead. He had complained of pains in his chest previously. Hannabel Lyon stated he had know the deceased about 18 months, the last witness called out and I went to the house, the deceased was lying on the floor, he was dead. Verdict died of heart disease, he was a native of Germany and age 55 years.
Source: GULGONG EVENING ARGUS, 24 June1876
On Wednesday morning, a poor fellow, named William Wulff, while in the act of dressing fell dead from off the bedside. Within a few hours, a post-mortem examination was made by Wilson Ramsay Government medical officer, who says he found the heart greatly enlarged and the pericardium filled with serum; the heart's action must consequently have ceased instantaneously, and death resulted; and the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony.
This is all very well, but the sequel is disgraceful to a Christian community. The order for internment, I presume, was given and at 10 o'clock next morning the poor fellow was placed in his narrow box, passed into a cart, and trundled off to the cemetery. No mourners; yes, one—Tom Howlett, the newsman; no minister of religion, no burial service, no earth to earth. The deceased was a man whom times gone by had been in moderate circumstances at a tradesman, but though reduced, still kept himself respectable and obtained a living by vending fruit and delivering bottles, and was generally respected. He was not a penniless pauper, for under his pillow was found £3 12s. This, with other property, if realised upon would have paid the expenses of a decent funeral; but I presume all funds must have passed to the Curator of Intestate Estates. Had but an hour's notice been given by the Government contracting undertaker of the hour of internment, dozens would have followed the poor fellow to his last resting place; and I feel certain that had the Rev. M. Newton or the Rev. Mr Trevor been informed, either would, in the true spirit of Christianity have attended to the grave the poor remnants of humanity.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Thu 29 Jun 1876 Page 3
