NEWS ITEMS
1878 - ALLEGED MURDER NEAR GULGONG. FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
On Saturday last our townspeople were thrown into a state of excitement by the report that a horrible murder had been committed at Tallewang. Senior-constable Richard Henry Oliver, with constable Goodyer, were at once dispatched to the scene of the tragedy, and found an old man named John Goodwin lying dead at Peterson's Hotel. They at once made every effort to trace out all matters concerning the sad affair, and every credit is due to constable Oliver for the manner in which he has carried on the inquiry. On Sunday despite the boisterous state of the weather, Mr J. T. Plunkett J. P. accompanied by Mr Wilson Ramsay, M D., proceeded to the spot for the purpose of holding a magisterial inquiry which resulted in the arrest of Peter Anderson a Swede, charged with the offence.
On Monday Peter Anderson was brought up at the Police Court on the charges of having murdered one John Goodwin by striking him upon the head with a paling at Tallewang, on the night of Friday, February 8. The case was heard before Mr. T. Browne, P M , and Mr J. F. Plunkett, J. P.
Richard Henry Oliver, senior constable, stationed at Home Rule sworn, said: By virtue of a warrant issued by Mr J. F. Plunkett, J.P., I arrested the prisoner Peter Anderson now before the Court, charging him with killing at Tallewang, on the 8th instant one John Goodwin; I read the warrant to the prisoner, and in reply he said, "God help me".
On Saturday John Peterson, landlord of the Tallewang Hotel, informed me that a man named John Goodwin had got his skull fractured at his hotel; I at once proceeded to the place and found the man dead with a deep long wound upon the side of his head, I searched deceased and found some few articles upon him. There was a quantity of blood upon his clothes; I saw the prisoner and asked him what he knew about it he replied "No one killed him, he killed himself, and I will show you where he took the paling from to do it;" he showed me a place about 50 yards from the road where a paling had been pulled off. I then cautioned him, and prisoner said "We had a row, I am sorry for the poor fellow;" a coat was upon the fence which prisoner said belonged to deceased; about 58 yards from this place I found a pool of blood upon the road the paling was close to the spot; I examined prisoner's clothes,
the front of his shirt and sleeves were stained with blood. There was a Chinese hawker camped about three paces from the scene of the occurrence.
Mary Peterson deposed: I am the wife of John Peterson, landlord of the hotel; on Friday night prisoner and deceased had a quarrel; prisoner knocked deceased down, and was going to kick him; I called my husband, who parted them and scolded prisoner for trying to ill-use an old man; I persuaded the old man to go to his camp; he left by the front door, and prisoner was then in the dining-room. I closed the front door, so that deceased should not see the light and return; a few minutes after I heard a cooey, and
thought it was deceased voice; I opened the bar door, and saw my husband coming from the stable with a light, which went out; he said, "I heard an unnatural groan and must see what it is;" we lighted the candle, and I saw prisoner standing at the extreme end of the verandah; to get to this place prisoner must have gone by the back of the house; I watched my husband, who called for help, saying the old man was in a pool of blood; I got some water to bathe deceased, and called the Chinaman and prisoner to come to the injured man's assistance; they came without delay, and carried him to our place; I gave deceased some brandy, and attended to him, but he never spoke; my husband exclaimed, "Why, his head is knocked in;" I bandaged his head; while doing so prisoner said, in a joking way "He'll be all right;" my husband, Taylor, and myself retired to wash off the dirt upon us, leaving deceased, the prisoner and my son in the dining-room when we returned prisoner said we ought to have a good "shaunty" or song on the occasion; I checked him, and said, "The man is dying;" he laughed and said it was all nonsense; prisoner left and went to bed, and I did not see him till next morning, when he said he had had a fine sleep; Goodwin died at ten minutes to 8 on Saturday morning, a man named Taylor was watching him, and said "He is gone;" prisoner replied, "Then he must have killed himself."
John Peterson corroborated the evidence of the former witness but said also: When I left to go to the stable prisoner was in the dining-room, and in coming from the stable I heard a heavy groan; a cry like one in distress, I thought someone was hurt and went down the road and found deceased in a pool of blood; I called to my wife and others for help there was a hole in the man's head; while deceased was on the ground, prisoner said he must have killed himself; there was a large paling lying near deceased's feet; we carried deceased to the hotel and laid him upon the sofa; prisoner and deceased had a quarrel,
but I do not know what was the origin of it; I heard no threats made.
Wilson Ramsay, M.D., stated: Yesterday I made a post mortem examination on of the body of deceased, which I found in the forage room at Peterson's Hotel, Tallewang; I found a jagged wound upon the left side of the head penetrating through the skull and down to the scalp; I found a fracture four inches in length of the left parietal bone with a laceration of the middle melingeal artery of the dura mater which was the cause of death; the paling produced would cause such a wound; the paling has marks of blood and some grey hairs upon it; I calculate the age of deceased to have been between 50 and 55 years; there were no marks of violence upon the body; I heard the prisoner say deceased did it himself; the wound inflicted could in no way have been self-inflicted.
Thomas Alfred Peterson, son of John Peterson, said: On Friday night I slept in the dining-room and recollect Goodwin being carried into the room; my mother, father, and Taylor left to wash themselves, leaving the prisoner with deceased; prisoner put his hands into deceased's waist coat pocket and took out a knife and some tobacco, which he put upon the table; he then put his hands into deceased's trousers pocket and took out a purse, and I heard some money rattle; he put the purse into his own pocket; after the quarrel deceased left by the front door, and the prisoner went out by the back; I could see all that took place; prisoner had a lighted candle.
Margaret Kelly landlady of Kelly's Hotel, Gulgong, gave evidence showing that deceased stopped at her house ten days, during which time she had the care of two £5 notes which belonged to him, after settling up with her and purchasing articles for his own use, he left as servant to her son and his mates who were traveling, taking with him £6 and some silver; arriving at Tallewang, they were overtaken by the storm, and her son, James Kelly, with Samuel Wright and Thomas Connor, returned for forage and remained in the hotel until Mr Peterson informed them on Saturday of the tragedy; during their absence Goodwin was left in charge of the horses, drays, and camp.
William Taylor, sworn: I am a labourer in Mr Peterson's employ; I have known the prisoner since Christmas; on Friday, I went to bed early, and Peterson and the man killed came for a bag of hay; I gave it, but it was not taken away; deceased asked Peterson to let him sleep in the forage room; late at night they both came to the stable. Peterson asked me about the horses and they left; I heard a voice say, "I must die, and will die before tomorrow;" I think it was the deceased's voice; I never heard the words
"or have revenge " some time afterwards I was awoken by Peterson, who told me the old man was dying; I got up and saw deceased lying upon the sofa; myself and Peterson picked up the paling. By prisoner: Did you hear me say, "Cut the — throat." Witness: "Yes." Prisoner: "God help you."
Jimmy Chong, a Chinese hawker, gave evidence of his camping near the deceased, and being awakened by Mrs. Peterson to assist in removing the body. John Peterson recalled, denied the statement of Taylor,
relative to the deceased going with him to the stable. Samuel Wright, one of the travelling party, gave
evidence to the fact of leaving deceased in charge of the camp, and himself and mates returning to Gulgong; did not know what money deceased possessed.
Mr Peterson recalled: Did not hear Taylor say "The old man will die," or the prisoner say, "Cut his —
throat." At this stage, a stop was put to the proceedings, for upon the Bench wishing to recall Peterson, junior, sergeant Keenan said he had given him permission to go to Tallewang, in the morning, and had sent constable Goodyer to fetch him. Sergeant Keenan asked for a remand for a few hours. Mr. J. F. Plunkett censured the police officer for giving a witness permission to leave without first consulting the
magistrates, and then adjourned the Court till Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Alfred Peterson, recalled, stated: Prisoner said to cut deceased's — throat; Blanchard said, "Hush, the man will die." Martin Blanchard gave evidence similar to that given by the previous witness, and stated that prisoner was left with deceased; witness kept watch all night; deceased died at
8 o'clock on Saturday morning. The usual caution was given from the Bench to the prisoner, who reserved his defence, and he was then committed to take his trial at the Mudgee Circuit Court, to open April 12, on a charge of wilful murder.
FEBRUARY - GULGONG. [FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Thu 21 Feb 1878 Page 7
ONE of those scenes which are public insults, as well as desecration of the Sabbath, occurred in this district on the afternoon of Sunday last, viz., the escorting of the supposed murderer of John Goodwin from Tallawang to Gulgong.
In a tray buggy, the horse being driven by the undertaker, who was accompanied upon the seat by a lady witness, the coffin, containing the body of the murdered man, was carried, and upon it were seated the constable in charge and the supposed murderer. Accompanying the buggy were one mounted sergeant, a trooper, and three residents of Tallawang. Upon arriving at the camp the prisoner was safely lodged in the lockup, while the buggy and its attendants proceeded to the Necropolis for the interment of the poor remnants of humanity. No doubt the officers in charge did their best under the circumstances. The day was frightfully stormy, and heavy rain falling, and they were without any proper means of transit; but whatever might have been done upon the road through the bush, there was no necessity to insult the inhabitants of the town by such an exhibition. The troopers could have escorted the prisoner, allowing the undertaker to proceed to the cemetery. No doubt the officers were glad to get to their quarters, being as they were wet to the skin; but the very notion of a murderer, or a supposed murderer, sitting upon the coffin of his victim, and riding some eight miles in that position, seems horrible to contemplate.
Source: 1901 - TALLAWANG
The application of G Cohen for a renewal of the license of the Tallawang Hotel was opposed by police. The bench granted the application, licensee to make extensive additions within four months.
Source: The Gulgong Advertiser, January 11 1901
Mr G Cohen, the popular boniface of the Tallawang Hotel, will hold a monster day’s races on Easter Monday. Everything is to be run on the straight.
Source: The Gulgong Advertiser, April 5 1901
AN EFFIGY—There is hung upon a tree near the Tallawang Hotel an effigy of a local resident. Practical jokes of this description are only calculated to scare passing horses and to breed ill-feeling between neighbours.
Source: The Gulgong Advertiser, May 31 1901
Mr G Cohen’s Hotel is now an ornament to the city of Tallawang, the repairs at the hand of contractor Pyne.
Source: The Gulgong Advertiser, June 7 1901
