 |
| Thomas and Louisa Wilkinson. Thomas was elected mayor of Brunswick in 1857. |
Alfred’s mother, Sarah Wilkinson was the daughter of Thomas Wilkinson, the ‘father of Brunswick.’
In 1912 Alfred committed suicide saying the pressure was too much for him.
Sarah married pharmacist Joseph George in 1856. Sarah passed away in December 1919, eight months after her granddaughter Ruby.
 |
| Sarah Wilkinson 1839 - 1919 |
SUICIDE BY HANGING.
PROSTRATED BY HEAT
A SHORTAGE IN ACCOUNTS.
PROSTRATED BY HEAT
A SHORTAGE IN ACCOUNTS.
The adjourned inquest touching the circumstances of the death of Alfred Howett George was resumed in the Boulder. Courthouse last week, before Mr. B. Leslie, J.P., and a jury consisting of Messrs. W. Daniel, D. Miller, and L. O. H. Pascoe.
Sergeant Goodridge conducted the proceedings.
Joseph Pittaway, a fireman in the Ivanhoe mine, stated that he had known the deceased for about three years. He was a fireman on the Ivanhoe mine, secretary of the Firemen's Union, and later, on the formation of the Amalgamated Surface Workers' Union he was elected secretary of that body. For about five months witness camped with him, on the Central and West Boulder lease. Witness left him on December 7, as witnesses’ wife and family came from Kanowna. In the interval witness met deceased three times, and he appeared to be in his usual frame of mind. He was a very cheerful man. He was temperate, but drank in moderation. On the evening of December 17 a meeting of the Surface Workers' Union was held in the Workers' Hall, and witness attended. Deceased was not there and sent no apology, though he was expected to attend. After the meeting, on the way home; witness called at deceased's camp on the Central and West Boulder lease. Mr. H. Millington, the president of the union, was with him, also Mr. E. Brown, the vice-president and Mr. J. Latey, another official. They arrived at the camp about 9.30 or 10p.m. and found deceased there by himself. He was sitting outside in a deck-chair and he did not seem quite himself. On hearing the voices of the party George remarked, "Cheer up." Witness had no reason to believe that his money transactions with the union might be irregular. Witness knew deceased's handwriting, and identified the letter produced as having been written by him. Witness called at deceased's camp, on his way to work on the following morning at about 7.15 o’clock, but he was not in. He called again at about 5 p.m., entering by the back way, and he saw deceased hanging by the neck from a 3 in. x 1 in. rafter 7 ft. from the ground. He examined the body, which he found to be cold and stiff. He went into Trafalgar and rang up the police. The long strap produced was similar to the one by which deceased was suspended. His feet were about 10 or 12 in. from the ground and a chair was lying on its back close by. Witness knew nothing regarding deceased's financial position. Witness was very intimate with him during the five months they were camped together, but he was not aware that he had any worries. Witness believed him to be about 48 years of age, and he was under the "impression that he was a widower. He had a brother who was a chemist in Perth. Witness identified the body on December 19.
The letter referred to was as a follows: "There is an amount of £8 paid by W. Daws, which I do not think has been credited. F. Bray paid me 9/6 the other day on the tram. I do not, remember crediting this. Charley Greaves, South Kalgoorlie, paid last fortnightly collections, and I think 14/6 of this has not been credited. He paid me 31/ yesterday evening, for which he has not been credited. Any letter for T. Kemble that should come addressed to the office please forward to Woolgar, c/o Mrs. P. Bremmell. Take possession of everything I have here, and any moneys due to me that are tendered, receive them. I have got into this mess through being overworked, and the salary is not sufficient as you are getting your lug chewed every day. I had no idea I was in the hole I am, so hope the boys will not think too hard of me.'' There was no address on the letter, and it bore no signature.
To the Coroner: Witness had never heard deceased express any intention of taking his own life, and he was always cheerful.
Dr. Sawell deposed that on December 18 he accompanied Constable Finch to deceased's camp. He saw a man hanging by the neck from a rafter. They cut down the body and placed it on the stretcher this was about 5.45 pm. The body was rigid, clammy and cold, and death had probably taken place about six hours earlier. There was no sign of any struggle, and death seemed to have been instantaneous. A post-mortem showed that the neck had been broken, as though the fall had been a small one, deceased was a heavy man. The body showed no sign of disease. Death was due to hanging. Harold Millington, president of the Amalgamated Surface Workers’ Union, said he knew deceased, who was secretary of the union. The salary attaching to the position was £5 per week, payable fortnightly. His duties were purely secretarial and he had the sole handling of moneys on behalf of the union. A balance sheet should have been prepared and presented to the meeting of the union, which was held on December 3, but this was not forth coming. The secretary explained that the balance-sheet was not yet ready; and he sent a rough statement of the financial position and promised to produce the balance- sheet at the forthcoming meeting on December 17. On the latter date the meeting assembled, but as the secretary was not in attendance it adjourned. No balance-sheet was then available. After the meeting under the guidance of Mr. Pittaway, Messrs. Brown and Lutey and witness visited the deceased's camp. This was between 9.30 o'clock and 10 p.m., and they found deceased sitting outside in a deck chair. Asked why he did not attend the meeting he replied that he was to un-well to do so, as the hot weather had got him down. He did not seem sufficiently responsible to carry on a conversation, but witness could not tell the reason. He might have been suffering from the great heat. Witness said they did not expect him to attend if he was not well enough, and asked why he did not send down the keys of the office: To this the deceased replied that he had not been able to see anyone who would take down the keys. At witness' request he promised to attend at the office at 10a.m. next day to assist in the preparation of the balance-sheet; and he also promised to attend a meeting of the union which was to be held on the night December 18. Witness asked for and received the keys of the office and safe. After about 15 minutes they left him and went to the office of the union. Messrs. Brown and Lutey witnessed the opening of the safe and the counting of the cash, and signed a document certifying to the amount, which was £17 9/6. They also made a casual examination of the books. On the following morning witness made an appointment with the auditors, Messrs. Opie and McCallum, at the office at 11 o'clock. The auditors balanced up the cash and there was apparently a deficiency. Witness last saw deceased alive on the night of December 17. He was a man of a very cheerful disposition. Witness had never seen him the worse for liquor. Witness knew nothing of his private domestic affairs.
To the Coroner: Witness knew of no reason why deceased should have ended his life. The shortage should not have been sufficient unless he was in an extraordinary state of mind. There was one week's salary due to him. The question of the sufficiency of the salary was a matter of opinion. Witness thought it sufficient. He did not think deceased had been overworked.
Albert Edward Opie, accountant, said he had audited the books of the Amalgamated Surface Workers' Union. He commenced on December 11, in the presence of deceased; and they made arrangements to continue on December 13. Subsequently he wrote to witness stating that he had been prostrated with the heat, and asking for a postponement till December 16, at 10 a.m., to which witness agreed. At 9.45 am on December 16 he rang up witness, and said he had been called out on urgent business, and would ring witness upon his return. Witness received no further message from him. Witness and his co-auditor, Mr. Mc Callum, continued the audit on December 19 and witness subsequently, completed it by himself. The audit disclosed a deficiency of £54 14/7. Witness discovered certain discrepancies on December 11, when deceased was present, and they seemed to upset him somewhat. He said he could not understand it, as he had never balanced his cash, and he added that he would do so. He said he bad been rushed, and for that reason he had not the balance-sheet read at the proper time.
Lily McPhee stated that she lived on the West Boulder lease. She knew deceased, who had been boarding with her for about two years. She last saw him on December 18, when he came to breakfast. He was not very well, and witness knew that he had had no appetite for about a week. In reply to a query regarding his health, he said, "Oh-Lily, I'm nearly dead this morning" and he also remarked on the great heat. Deceased had not been there to any meals on the previous day. On the morning of December 18 he was" very quiet, although as a rule he was ready with a joke. Witness had never seen him under the influence of drink. Witness had heard him speak of his daughter, but knew nothing regarding his relatives. He was a very cheerful, hearty sort of man.
Benjamin Law, coachman at the Great Boulder mine, said he had known deceased for about two years. On December 18 he met him on the verandah of the Fimiston Post Office and offered to drive him down to Boulder. Deceased declined, saying that he was not going down for a while. Witness invited him to have a drink, but deceased replied, "No thank you; I'll have one .later on." Witness did not see him again. Deceased was apparently quite sober, but he did not seem in his spirits. He seemed slightly despondent, though he was usually very cheerful. Witness had never seen deceased under the influence of drink.
Constable Finch gave evidence regarding the cutting down of the body and its removal to the morgue. On the table witness found the unsigned letter produced; and there was £1 15/9 in cash in the candlestick, together with a bunch of keys. A thorough search revealed no other correspondence. The jury returned a verdict of suicide by hanging, during a temporary fit of insanity caused by worry over financial matters.
