Old news from Armidale and New England

Saturday 23 November 1878, The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser

NEW ENGLAND

(From the Armidale Express, Nov 19)    

On Sunday last, a girl about nine years of
age, named Hannah Power, in the employ of
Mr. McCully, farmer, of Baker's Creek, not
returning home to dinner, search was made
for her, when her clothes were found lying
on the bank of a washpool, in which was
about nine feet of water ; the very natural
conclusion arrived at at once was, that the
child met an untimely death by drowning.

The police were communicated with, and
constables with the necessary appliances
were engaged in dragging the washpool, but
without effect. The banks of the pool were
then tapped, and the water having been run
off for several feet, the body in a nude state
was found lying on the bottom, from whence
it was removed to the surface. An inquest
will be held upon the remains.


On the 9th instant, a magisterial enquiry
was held at Bundarra, before Mr. G. P. Morse,
J.P. upon the body of William Gray, who
was drowned in the Bundarra River on the
5th instant. Mr. Morse found as follows :
"I find, from the evidence adduced, that the
deceased William Gray was accidently
drowned, in the Bundarra River, on Tuesday
the 5th day of November, 1878." The
following are the particulars of the case ac-
companying the finding :- Deceased was a
resident of Bundarra district, and his father  
and mother reside at Yarrowick. Deceased
was working at George's Creek, and came to
Bundarra on the morning of the 5th instant
he remained at the Royal Hotel till about 5
o'clock, that evening, and then started on
horseback to swim the river, which at the time
was flooded ; when he got into the stream,
the horse came in contact with a log; de-
ceased plunged into the water, and swam
strongly towards the bank, but before he
could reach it he became exhausted, and was
washed down the stream. A boat pulled off
to his assistance, but deceased sank before he
could be grasped, and was not seen alive
afterwards.