Comment | Qld Ref: 1892/000018
FATAL OCCURRENCE AT BOWEN DOWNS.
OUR correspondent at Bowen Downs writing on 4th June says:-A man named M. O’Donnell, but whose proper name is supposed to be P. Toohev, arrived here a few days ago, and, from his appearance, seemed to be very hard up. Be got rations in the usual way, and went to the travellers’ hut; be was subject to fits, and it is supposed that while in one of them he fell into the fire and burnt his left elbow and hip. He came up to the station and got some dressing for it, and did not seem to mind it much. I am told he was found early on Friday morning lying out in the road with very little covering, and, as Thursday night was very cold, he must have suffered much, as he was quite stiff when carried into the hut. He appeared in an unconscious state, and word was sent to Aramac for police and medical assistance; but, before either arrived, the man died. All that could be done was done, but he never spoke after being carried into the hut. A constable arrived about 1.30 p.m., and viewed the body. A magisterial enquiry was held before S. P. Fraser, Esq., J.P., and the body was decently buried in the afternoon. It is thought he got one of the fits he was subject to, and could not rally.
[source: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77215199 The Western Champion and General Advertiser for the Central-Western Districts (Barcaldine, Qld. : 1892 – 1922), Tuesday 14 June 1892, page 5]
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