1863

1863 - SUDDEN DEATH.

A German, named John Martin Bossler, died rather suddenly on the 6th inst, at Guntawang. He had been affected with a bad throat since Christmas, but though using some remedies, he did not apprehend any danger, and was supposed to get better of the complaint, except that he felt some oppression at the chest On Sunday last he visited Mudgee, chiefly with the objedt of obtaining some advice for one of his children, also affected with a bad throat. Late in the evening, he returned to Guntawang and felt much exhausted when he arrived there; on Monday morning, however, he felt considerably better, and went to his usual occupation in the garden, until about noon, then he felt very languid, and somewhat giddy, and had to retire to his bed; he had, also, some difficulty in speaking, but no immediate danger was apprehended until about midnight, when one of his countrymen started for Mudgee to fetch a medical gentleman, who had not left half an hour, when the poor fellow breathed his last almost without a struggle. No doubt his exposure on Sunday and Monday morning, the great exposure to the sun, whilst evidently labouring under a more serious malady than he was aware of, accelerated his death. He leaves a wife and four young, helpless chilldren (two of whom are unwell) utterly unprovided for.

Source:  The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893) Sat 17 Jan 1863 Page 5