Suicide by Gelignite – Wallaroo
In 1906 an inquest was held by James
Malcolm into the suicide of William Frederick White, a quarryman in the local flux
quarry.
Mr White, aged 52, was widowed with five
children. His wife, Elizabeth, had died on August 1905.
It was said his children feared him as he was often drunk and abusive since the death of his wife. Often, he threatened to kill himself.
It was said his children feared him as he was often drunk and abusive since the death of his wife. Often, he threatened to kill himself.
His children often
refused to sleep at the house. The previous evening to the suicide, White had
found himself home alone which made him morose. On the Saturday morning of the
incident, White’s eldest son, 16-year-old William Jnr. returned home to fetch a
box for his sister who had spent the previous night in Moonta.
William Jnr spoke to his father, who was
sober. White Snr. asked where the children were, which William told him that
had stayed at friends’ houses. William didn’t think anything suspicious in his father’s
behaviour, took the box for his sisters and left.
William wasn’t fifty meters down the road when he heard an explosion. He ran back to the house and found his father on a sofa at the back of the house, his hand and his head had been blown off.
William wasn’t fifty meters down the road when he heard an explosion. He ran back to the house and found his father on a sofa at the back of the house, his hand and his head had been blown off.
Police removed the body, and during their
investigation found sticks of gelignite, fuses and caps in the house.
Evidence during the inquest was given by W.F. White Junior and W.A. Webber, son in law of William
White Snr.
The jury, at the end of the inquest declared that: “ William Frederick White came to his death by an act of his own hands while in a melancholy state of mind.”
The jury, at the end of the inquest declared that: “ William Frederick White came to his death by an act of his own hands while in a melancholy state of mind.”
Members of the jury then donated the fees paid
for jury duty to the children of the deceased who were now orphaned.
Suicide by gelignite was
not confined to Wallaroo, South Australia. Cases of this horrific way to die
can also be found on Trove in Broken Hill NSW(1917), Castle Hill NSW(1954), Cairns QLD (1929), Melbourne Vic (1926), Perth
WA (1906), Claremont WA (1930) and even across the pond in New Zealand (1922),
just to name a few.
Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2019.
Sources:
'SUICIDE BY GELIGNITE.', The Register, (19 February 1906), p. 5.
'WALLAROO.', The Express and Telegraph, (21 February 1906), p. 2
'WALLAROO.', Chronicle, (24 February 1906), p. 16.
'SUICIDE BY GELIGNITE.', Observer, (24 February 1906), p. 13.
