Coronial file for Georgie, South Sea Islander - Goodna Hospital for the Insane - 1898

The following is a transcript of the Inquest of Death, concerning Georgie, a South Sea Islander, at Woogaroo Asylum who died in 1898. It is based on the Microfilm copy held at the Queensland State Archives Item ID 2734577, all statements were handwritten.

The intent with this post is to make primary sources more readily available, hence there is little comment. However I will comment that this inquest is one of three related to death by tuberculosis in a short space of time.

390/98

"INQUESTS OF DEATH ACT OF 1866.”

CERTIFICATE OF PARTICULARS.-- INQUEST OF DEATH. 

I HEREBY CERTIFY, that on the twenty sixth day of September 1898, I held an Inquest of Death at Woogaroo Asylum in the Police District of Oxley and that the following particulars were then disclosed :-- 

Name of deceased : Georgie S.S.I.

Profession or calling : Labourer

Height, colour of hair, peculiar clothing, and any other means of identity: [Blank]

Where found and when : Woogaroo Asylum 25th September 1898

Date of death : 25th September 1898

Supposed cause of death : Tubercular disease of the bowel.

Persons last seen in company of deceased, and names of suspected persons: [Blank]

Accused : [Blank]

Names, residences, and calling of witnesses:

Dr Jas. K. Nicoll, Woogaroo 

F. Vieth, Attendant, Woogaroo

Suspicious circumstances: [Blank]

[Signed] W. Galdwyn M.

Coroner or Justice.

NOTE.- One Copy of this Certificate to be attached to the Inquest of Death Deposition and forwarded The Honourable the Attorney-General, and a Duplicate to be sent to the Commissioner of Police. See Section 3 of "Inquests of Death Act of 1866" (30 Vic. No. 3). A Copy must also be forwarded, together with the “Certificate of Information,” to the District Registrar of the District within which the Death took place. 

James Robert Nicoll on oath saith :-  I am a medical practitioner registered in Queensland and acting superintendent of the Hospital for the Insane at Goodna. I knew deceased patient Georgie a Pacific Islander. He was admitted to the Hospital on July 20, 1896 in good bodily condition and suffering from Melancholia. He remained dull and despondent and showed no sign of improvement mentally. Last week he was seen to be ill although he did not complain, and he was sent to bed in the Hospital. He sank steadily and died about 5:45 am September 25. Next day day I made an examination of the body and found the cause of death to be Tubercular disease of the Bowel - the pleura and peritoneum being also tuberculosis.

[Signed] Jas R. Nicoll 

Frederick Vieth on oath saith :-  I am an attendant at this Asylum.  I knew the deceased patient Georgie since 17th September last, on that date when I came on night duty I found him in Hospital. When I came on duty on the evening of the 24th Inst. there did not seem to be anything unusual the matter with him, about 5.45 am 25th Inst. I heard some breathing very heavy and on going into the room I found it to be Georgie. He died at 5.50 am 25th September 1898, in my presence. He was visited the evening before his death by Dr Nicoll.

[Signed] F. Vieth

Taken and sworn before me at Goodna this 26 Sept AD 1898.

[Signed] W. Galdwyn Me 

Coronial file for Charlie, an aboriginal - Goodna Hospital for the Insane - 1900

The following is a transcript of the Inquest of Death, concerning Charlie, an aboriginal, at Woogaroo Asylum who died in 1900. It is based on the Microfilm copy held at the Queensland State Archives Item ID 2735482, all statements were handwritten.

The intent with this post is to make primary sources more readily available, hence there is little comment. However I will comment that this inquest is one of three related to death by tuberculosis in a short space of time.

258/00

"INQUESTS OF DEATH ACT OF 1866.”

CERTIFICATE OF PARTICULARS.-- INQUEST OF DEATH. 

I HEREBY CERTIFY, that on the twenty first day of June 1900, I held an Inquest of Death at Woogaroo Asylum in the Police District of Oxley and that the following particulars were then disclosed :-- 

Name of deceased : Charlie (Aboriginal)

Profession or calling : None

Height, colour of hair, peculiar clothing, and any other means of identity: [Blank]

Where found and when : Woogaroo Asylum 21st June 1900

Date of death : 21 June 1900

Supposed cause of death : Tuberculosis of the intestines, Dropsy

Persons last seen in company of deceased, and names of suspected persons: [Blank]

Accused : [Blank]

Names, residences, and calling of witnesses:

Dr K. E. Shaw, Woogaroo Asylum

G. Locke, attendant, Woogaroo

Suspicious circumstances: [Blank]

[Signed] W. Galdwyn M.

Coroner or Justice.

NOTE.- One Copy of this Certificate to be attached to the Inquest of Death Deposition and forwarded The Honourable the Attorney-General, and a Duplicate to be sent to the Commissioner of Police. See Section 3 of "Inquests of Death Act of 1866" (30 Vic. No. 3). A Copy must also be forwarded, together with the “Certificate of Information,” to the District Registrar of the District within which the Death took place. 

Robert English Kane on oath saith :-  I am Assistant Medical Superintendent to the hospital for Insane at Goodna. I knew the deceased Charlie (aboriginal) who was admitted into the Hospital for the Insane at Goodna on the 3rd May 1899 attended him during his illness up to the time of his death which took place on the morning of the 21st June 1900. I immediately viewed his dead body before removal from the Male Hospital Ward No VI. 

He Cause of Death which was ascertained by postmortem examination was Tuberculosis of the intestines followed by Dropsy

[Signed] R. E. Kane L. R. ??? 

Taken and sworn before me this 21st day of June 1900 at Goodna

[signed] W. Galdwyn Me 

George Lock on oath saith :-  I am an attendant at this Asylum. I knew the deceased patient Charlie since the second of the present month on which date he was received into the Hospital from No. 1 Ward and put to bed. He took his foods fairly well but did not seem to improve. When I came on duty this morning he appeared in a sinking condition. He died in my presence at 8.30 am 21 June 1900.

The body was viewed after death by Dr. Kane.

[Signed] G Locke

Taken and sworn before me this 21st day of June 1900 at Goodna

[Signed] W. Galdwyn Me 

Coronial file for Ah Foong - Woogaroo Asylum - 1895

The following is a transcript of the Inquest of Death, concerning Ah Foong, at Woogaroo Asylum who died in 1895. It is based on the Microfilm copy held at the Queensland State Archives Item ID 2733147, all statements were handwritten.

The intent with this post is to make primary sources more readily available, hence there is little comment. The only reference in the media of the day I could find to this event was a note in the statistics for the asylum week ending 26 October 1895. “Died on the 21st instant, Ah Foong, Chinese, late of Georgetown, aged 42 years.” Foong was the only patient to have died at the asylum in that week.

I have another post about an Ah Foong, who may or may not be the same person, based on newspaper accounts. When completed I will link it here.

The cover of Coronial File for Ah Foong
Queensland State Archives Item ID 2733147

325/95
"INQUESTS OF DEATH ACT OF 1866.”

CERTIFICATE OF PARTICULARS.-- INQUEST OF DEATH. 

I HEREBY CERTIFY, that on the twenty third day of October 1895, I held an Inquest of Death at Woogaroo Asylum in the Police District of Oxley and that the following particulars were then disclosed :-- 

Name of deceased : Ah Foong - Chinese
Profession or calling : Cook
Height, colour of hair, peculiar clothing, and any other means of identity: [Blank]
Where found and when : Woogaroo Asylum 23 October 1895
Date of death : 21 October 1895
Supposed cause of death : Concussion of the Brain
Persons last seen in company of deceased, and names of suspected persons: [Blank]
Accused : [Blank]
Names, residences, and calling of witnesses:

• Dr Jas R. Nicolls, Woogaroo Asylum
• Simon Kelly, attendant, Woogaroo
• Timothy Taeffe, attendant, Woogaroo
• Tom Moore Smith, attendant, Woogaroo

Suspicious circumstances: [Blank]
[Signed]
Justice.

NOTE.- One Copy of this Certificate to be attached to the Inquest of Death Deposition and forwarded The Honourable the Attorney-General, and a Duplicate to be sent to the Commissioner of Police. See Section 3 of "Inquests of Death Act of 1866" (30 Vic. No. 3). A Copy must also be forwarded, together with the “Certificate of Information,” to the District Registrar of the District within which the Death took place.

[Left side Margin] Under Col. Sec. for perusal please return 26/10/95
[Overwritten] U. Sec. Justice. The accusations in this case were supplied to the Col. Sec by Wm Scholes. 29/10/95

James Robert Nicoll on oath saith :- I am a medical practitioner in Queensland and assistant superintendent of the Hospital for the Insane at Goodna. I knew the deceased patient Ah Foong. He was admitted to the Hospital on May 8, 1895 suffering from Dementia. Physically he was in poor health and never robust while his habits were very dirty. He appeared to be in his usual state when I saw him on the evening of October 21. On the same date between 5.30 and 6 pm I was called to see him and found him in a state of hopeless collapse with symptoms of concussion of the brain. He died very soon after. Next day I made an examination of the body and conclude that the cause of death was Concussion to the Brain.
Taken and sworn before me at Goodna this twenty third day of October AD 1895
[Signed] James R. Nicoll
[Signed] W. Galdwyn [?] 

Timothy Taeffe on oath saith:- I am an attendant at this asylum I knew the deceased patient Ah Foong about five months about half past five on the evening of the 21st Inst. I was preparing for the tea, I thought I heard a row on the verandah of No 2 Ward. I turned around and saw James Bow a patient having the deceased by the waist. The deceased had a piece of bread in his hand I sung out to James Bow to let him go. I then went towards them but James Bow threw deceased on the verandah he fell on the back of his head before I could reach him, he lay unconscious on the verandah. I then reported the occurrence to Attendant Kelly who is charge of the wards. Ah Foong died in my presence 6.5 pm 21 October 1895.
Taken and sworn before me at Goodna this 23 October 1895.
[Signed] Timothy Taeffe
[Signed] W. Galdwyn. [?]

Tom Moore Smith on oath saith :- I am an attendant at this asylum I knew the deceased patient Ah Foong, about four or five months. I was on duty in No 2 Ward about 5pm on the evening of the 21st October last. I was looking towards the bottom fence. Heard some patient say that a chinaman was stealing bread. I looked toward the dining room and saw deceased lying on his back in the doorway his legs being out. I ran across and saw that he looked stunned. I went and got a wet towel and put it on his forehead. The Chief Attendant came into the yards, after which the deceased was carried and put on a bed. I afterwards reported the matter to Dr Nicolls.
Taken and sworn before me at Goodna this 23 October 1895.
[Signed] Tom Moore Smith
[Signed] W. Galdwyn

Simon Kelly on oath saith :- I am an attendant at this asylum I knew the deceased patient Ah Foong, since 8th May last, on the afternoon of the 21st Inst. about 5.30 at tea time I found the patient lying down on the verandah apparently unconscious. I sent for the chief attendant and doctor both arrived shortly after. I put the deceased to bed when I noticed the state he was in.
Taken and sworn before me at Goodna this 23 October 1895.
[Signed] S. Kelly
[Signed] W. Galdwyn [?]