William Williams and the Missing Christmas Day Goose!

  In 1845 William Williams a 37-year-old brickies labourer was charged with theft for stealing a goose, the property of hairdresser, Alfred Cooper. Williams saw the goose being cooked at Birrell’s bakery on Rundle Street.  He decided he would like to eat it and stole it.

  He then took it to the house of Henry Brooks, a bricklayer. The men and some friends dined on the goose. Cooper, missing his prized goose, suspected that Williams may have stolen it. He arrived at Brooks's house and caught the men eating it, then went to find a police officer.  Williams knew he was in trouble, and asked Brooks for a loan of 5s 6d. – enough to pay for the goose.

  The South Australian newspaper reported that Cooper “came in and saw his goose in the hands of the Philistines. He then got a policeman, who took Williams into custody”.[1] Williams offered the money he had borrowed from Brooks for a goose, but Cooper declined, and Williams was arrested and taken to the police station where he was committed for trial.

  At court the following day Birrell was asked to give testimony. He stated that on Christmas Day Williams came into his shop and asked for a light for his pipe. He went through the shop into the kitchen to get a light. On his way there, he passed through a small room where he saw Birrell’s wife stuffing a goose. Williams stated he would like to dine on the goose, as he was, ‘out for a spree’. The goose was taken into the kitchen to be baked. Williams left Birrell’s and went to the adjoining house, owned by Brooks.
 Mrs Cooper came to the shop to get her cooked Christmas goose but returned home without it. So, Mr Cooper and his wife went to Birrell’s to find their goose. They then stopped at Brooks's house and witnessed Williams and other men eating a goose.
 The men dining denied stealing the goose, but after Cooper called the police, Brooks and his wife admitted that Williams had brought the goose to their house. Williams had then offered Cooper double the value of the goose so he would not press charges against him.

 

James Birrell, the baker, stated to the court that Cooper came to his house seeking a Christmas goose but got none. He told Cooper there were more geese than one -"two gooses" - and that Williams had taken one away on a plate; leaving the tin in which it was brought behind. There was nothing else missing but the goose.
Williams and Brooks came in together whilst he was drawing the baking, and saying the goose was what he wanted, it was handed up to him.

Henry Brooks stated to the court that he went to Birrell's for his dinner and was followed by Williams. He assisted Mr Birrell in taking out the dinners, and when he left with his dinner Williams had left the shop. Afterwards, Williams came to his house with a goose on a plate and stated he had bought it overnight for six shillings. They ate the goose together. When Cooper came with the police, Williams called him into the next room, told him he had got into trouble about goose stealing, and borrowed some money from him to try to arrange payment for the goose and avoid gaol. Instead, he was then taken to the station-house.

Ellen Birrell, wife of Mr Birrell, deposed that Williams asked for one of the two geese, and took one away. A girl came and fetched the other goose. When the police arrived, she recalled Williams saying to Cooper, “I will pay you any amount you like rather than go the office.”

  The Defence argues that there had been no proof that the prisoner had taken, nor stolen the goose. Identification of the thief was insufficient.  The defence continues, ‘Mr Birrell had stated there were ‘two gooses’ at most it was only a "spree" and having seen Mrs Cooper stuffing a goose, he perhaps thought he might as well stuff it too, only in a different manner; he was sorry Mr Cooper should have been prevented dining off the goose, and also that he should have been such a goose us to lose it: it was at most only a case for the Resident Magistrate.
  Mr Cooper then argued that if Mr Fisher, the defence lawyer had lost his Christmas dinner, just as it was cooked, and he was ready to eat it, he would not have made so light of it.
  Mr Fisher then replied, “By no means! he was sorry for both him and Mrs Cooper; and would further say that if she could dress geese as well as he could hairs, they must be a very clever couple.
  The Magistrate said, he feared it would prove a serious "spree" for Williams, as he should commit him to take his trial, though he would admit him to bail.[2]

 On Monday, March 9, 1846, Mr Williams faced trial for ‘Stealing a ready cooked goose, value 5s., the property of Alfred Cooper, on 25th December 1845, at Adelaide.” A handwritten note on the side of the record indicates that Williams was found Not Guilty.[3]

 

© 2024 Allen Tiller

---

[1] 'DEC. 26.', South Australian, (30 December 1845), p. 3.

[2] 'Law And Police Courts. Police Commissioner's Court.', Adelaide Observer, (27 December 1845), p. 6.

[3] GRS 12820 Criminal record books, Supreme Court of South Australia

 GREAT FIRE IN RUNDLE-STREET. 1879

For the size of the city Adelaide has been comparatively free from the "fire demon" for a very long time. The hot weather of the past week has however brought with it a larger number of fires than has ever occurred during a like period since the colony has existed.

The subject of our illustration was the largest fire we have ever had here. It began soon after 9 o'clock on the evening of February 5th, and before it was got under (at about 11 o'clock) no fewer than three shops and premises were completely gutted. The names of the persons whose premises were entirely destroyed were L. Veroli (insured), Mr. Barry (not insured), Mr. Haylock (not insured). Besides these the adjoining premises of Messrs. Jamieson, Lyons, and the E.S. & A.C. Bank, were all considerably damaged both by fire and water.
  We believe that fully £10,000 worth of damage was done. The thoroughfare was completely blockaded for several hours by a mass of people, and there could not have been less than 10,000 persons present. A great part of the salvage goods were stolen, whilst the furniture and personal effects were more damaged by being tumbled about the streets than by any other cause.

Mr. Richard Vaughan is the proprietor of the whole of the buildings, but we believe he will not lose anything, being fully insured. At the inquest nothing was elicited to show how the fire originated, and we suppose it will therefore for ever remain a mystery.

Besides the large fire, there has been several others during the past few days, at the King of Hanover stables, at Kent Town, in Hindley-street, and lastly at the Adelaide Photographic Company's in King William-street. Altogether, Adelaide has had enough fires to last a long time, and we sincerely hope it will be a long time ere we have to chronicle so disastrous a fire as is depicted on our front page. It is from a sketch taken on the spot.

 

'Our Illustrations', The Illustrated Adelaide News, (1 February 1879), p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224815211

Ghostly Gawler - History Month Presentation 2021

 

Ghostly Gawler

As part of the South Australia History Festival, paranormal historian Allen Tiller presented a talk on ghosts, hauntings and other paranormal events in the Town of Gawler for the Gawler History Team. 

Glenelg Riot – January 1984 – part two.

 Glenelg Riot 

– January 1984 – part two.

 

On Tuesday, January 24, 1984, just two days after the Glenelg riots, thieves broke into the explosives magazine of Quarry’s Industries ltd at Hillbank, in Adelaide’s northern suburbs. Using oxy-acetylene equipment, they cut through the hinges and padlocks on the building between 5pm and 8pm that evening.
The thieves stole four cases of gelignite, around 64 sticks of the volatile explosive, and detonators.
Elizabeth CIB attended the scene and found a handwritten note which read, "Thank you, now watch out cops at Glenelg."
A direct threat to the police station and star force officers that attended the riots on January 22nd.[1]

Rioters overturning a car at Glenelg in 1984.

researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2023

---

[1] 'Gelignite thieves' threat taken seriously by police', The Canberra Times, (26 January 1984), p. 6. 

 The Haunting of Euke House

Euke House was built on land subdivided from Mahoney’s Paddock and another allegedly haunted house, Yenda, in Gawler.

The land was bought at auction by the farrier, William Wilson Smith in 1874. In 1875, Smith sold the land to the auctioneer who had sold it to him, Mr John Wilkinson.
Wilkinson is assumed to have built the house between 1875 and 1879. Wilkinson sold the property to Joseph Wilcox junior and William Roe Lewis in June 1879, it was sold again two months later to John Frederick May who was in a business partnership with his brother Alfred at iconic Gawler business the May Brothers. May leased the house to Edward Luca who bought the property in May 1894.

 The property changed hands many more times, before becoming the home and medical surgery of Dr Gemmel Wilson Tassie in the 1960s until 1971 – and it is during this period that the alleged haunting began.

A cleaner in the home in the 1980s noticed that after she made the bed, the mattress would compress as if someone had just sat down. She noted sweet fragrances, in one bedroom, and every now and then, things would move around, she would walk in, place her cleaning items on a table, and a few seconds later, they would be on the other side of the room on a dresser. She never saw the spirits of the house, but claimed she felt that one room was haunted by a former doctor, another a former patient and that another spirit was a 'youngish' girl…could the girl be Gracie or Anna from Yenda?

 This information was drawn from my talk for the Gawler History Team in 2021. You can watch the entire presentation via the video link below:

© 2022 Allen Tiller

 Ghost Plane at Hawker

 

DH-82A Tiger Moth - photo courtesy of Temora Aviation Museum

Mounted Constable L.F. Butcher of Hawker received several enquiries on Friday 26 August 1948 regarding a low flying Tiger Moth biplane that was seen at 8:15am, then disappeared!

 Railway workers witnessed the plane flying low near the township when it suddenly disappeared into a hillside. Afraid there had been a crash, they alerted the local authorities.

Enquiries to the Civil Aviation Department found that all planes from as far away as Broken Hill, Whyalla and Albany were checked, and none matched the plane, nor its flight path. M.C. Butcher enquired with locals in the area, and no one had seen, nor heard the aircraft flying in the vicinity of Hawker.^[1]

M.C. Butcher stated in the newspapers "It's a complete mystery."

 The authorities would not believe a ghost plane could ever fly in our skies, so launched an investigation. It was widely rumoured that either a Tiger Moth or Puss Moth had been seen illegally flying somewhere near Beltana, South Australia. However, Mr A.V. Lauchland, an officer in charge of the Parafield Airport stated that there was no way the unregistered pilot could buy aviation fuel without a current registration. The Civil Aviation Department investigated through the Disposals Commission on the sales of light planes in the state.^[2]

 238 km's south of Hawker, at Clare, Meggitt’s Ltd. was using a Tiger Moth to crop dust with DDT, in fields around the Clare region. The same planes were being used in Queensland and New South Wales for the same purpose.^[3]
 So perhaps, one of the Tiger Moths had made its way to Hawker as well?

 It was never determined if the Tiger Moth seen at Hawker was a ghost plane or an illegal pilot. However, a similar style of plane was once flown over the skies of Kapunda by my Great uncle. Long after his death, and the plane being sold and removed from the area, a phantom Tiger Moth has been seen silently flying over the township from time to time…

 

Researched and Written by Allen Tiller © 2022

---

[1] '"Ghost" plane in north', News, (27 Aug 1948), p. 1., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129908639.

[2] 'Is 'phantom' plane unregistered?', News, (28 Aug 1948), p. 1., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129899109.

[3] 'Linseed Dusting in Clare District by Aeroplane', Northern Argus, (18 Nov 1948), p. 7., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article97816206.

 The Burton Incident

 

 In 1927, the township of Burton was described by many as a hamlet on the road to Virginia from Salisbury. At the time, it had few houses, and a small school run by Miss Violet Handley.^[1]
 

 On Friday 2 December 1927, Harry Bruce McDowell of Alberton, arrived at the Burton school early in the morning in a taxi. He found Miss Handley and entered the schoolroom, where they had a short conversation. He then left the room. Fearing the situation would escalate further, Handley dismissed the class, except for one strong lad. McDowell came back into the room and pushed Handley into a corner where he hit her repeatedly. He then pulled a revolver from his pocket and screamed at her, “I’ll shoot you and your mother as well!”^[2]

 Handley pleaded to McDowell to be sensible and promised him she would meet him that evening to discuss matters. She gradually got up, and still talking to McDowell, led him outside to the taxi he had arrived in. She pleaded with the driver for assistance, as it looked as though McDowell was not going to leave. The taxi driver convinced McDowell to leave, and they left again for Adelaide.

 Miss Handley, fearing that McDowell would return that day, posted some of her male students outside the school to keep watch for McDowell. Just after midday, he returned, asking the taxi driver to park further from the school.
 One of the students alerted Miss Handley. Another student ran to a nearby farm to get help. Miss Handley ran from the school and locked herself in a room of the nearby Methodist Church.

 Farmers, Mr White, and Mr Barcroft rode to the school on their horses, there they found McDowell outside the room Handley had locked herself in. He had in his hand a loaded revolver. Barcroft, disarmed McDowell, taking his revolver.
 The police were notified, and Mounted-Constable T.H. Northridge of Salisbury arrived. He took the loaded revolver and a packet of bullets found in McDowell’s coat. He then charged him for threatening to shoot Miss Handley.^[3]

The case came before the Salisbury courts, where it was alleged that Miss Handley and Mr McDowell were long term friends. It was alleged Miss Handley’s mother had influenced her daughter to end the friendship, and therefore McDowell had become enraged.
 Harry Bruce McDowell was charged with ‘unlawfully and maliciously threatening to shoot Violet Amelia Handley, schoolteacher, at Burton.’^[4]

 The case was to be presented before Magistrates W.H. Neal and J. McGlashan. The prosecution read the charges, and as soon as they had finished, Miss Handley spoke; stating she had no intention of proceeding with the serious charges presented to the court, on that she withdrew, substituting instead, with a less serious charge of common assault.

 She then presented that the accused had arrived at the school and grabbed her, then tried to kiss her. She had resisted.
McDowell in his evidence offered that he was extremely drunk at the time, and had no intention of harming Miss Handley.

 The Bench inflicted a fine of £3, and costs, £8 7/6 in all.^[5]

Mr McGlashan, the presiding justice, said the case was the most unsatisfactory that he had ever had to deal with.

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2022

---

[1] 'Threatened To Shoot.', The Kadina and Wallaroo Times, (3 Dec 1927), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110144809.

[2] "I'll Shoot You and Your Mother."', The Advertiser, (3 Dec 1927), p. 18., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47436245.

[3] "I'll Shoot You and Your Mother."', Chronicle, (10 Dec 1927), p. 68., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90090424.

[4] 'Alleged Threat.', The Advertiser, (5 December 1927), p. 17., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47436690.

[5] 'SCHOOL SENSATION.', The Register, (5 Dec 1927), p. 9. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54934981.

 The Ghost of Edmund Bowman.

 

Edmund Bowman SLSA: [B 6912/ G6]

  Edmund Bowman, a wealthy pastoralist died on his property Werocata Estate near Balaklava in 1866. Bowman had walked out on an incomplete bridge, become unstable and plunged into the Wakefield River below, where he drowned.
 It is believed that in late August, near the date, that Bowman drowned, his calls for help can be heard. The calls fade into the sound of gurgles as he drowns, and then the area falls into an eerie silence.
Other people have witnessed Edward sitting on rocks near the pool, appearing to either be fishing or on some occasions in quiet reflection.[1]

  Edmund Bowman is associated with two other allegedly haunted locations in South Australia. Barton Vale House at Enfield (You can read more about this building and its hauntings in my 2020 book The Haunts of Adelaide: Revised Edition), completed in 1852.[2]

 The other location associated with the Bowmans is Martindale Hall at Mintaro near Clare, which was built by Edmund Bowman Junior in 1879.[3]

The Haunts of Adelaide: Revised Edition (2020) Buy it by clicking here:

Haunted Adelaide (2021) Buy it by clicking here

© 2021 Allen Tiller

---

[1] Gordon de L. Marshall, ‘Ghosts and Hauntings of South Australia’, (Jannali, NSW, 2012), pp. 150-51.

[2] SA Heritage Places Database ‘Barton Vale House’, http://maps.sa.gov.au/heritagesearch/HeritageItem.aspx?p_heritageno=1747

[3] Martindale Hall, Martindale Hall Historic Museum, (2021), https://www.martindalehall-mintaro.com.au/.

 Shot of Spirits: Episode 9: Exeter Hotel Adelaide. S.A.

“On 18 November 1970 the body of the hotel’s owner, Mrs Joy Josephs, was found in the kitchen and a 30-year-old man trialled and sentenced for her murder. Years later, screams, sighs and a female voice of no known source are often reported as coming from the kitchen by hotel staff. “The Exeter’s reported paranormal occurrences predate Mrs Josephs’ murder, but she’s thought to be behind almost all the spooky goings-on alleged in the hotel today. “Disembodied footsteps and voices are frequently heard throughout all levels of the hotel, while the most often reported phenomena happen near the upstairs hallway where her bedroom used to be situated. “Another common disturbance is the moving of objects - often staff will place an item on a kitchen bench, only to find it’s been moved moments later!”

Read more about this haunting in The Haunts of Adelaide: Revised Edition:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Haunts-Adelaide-History-Mystery-Paranormal/dp/B08JLQLLC5

Shot of Spirits: Episode 8: Estcourt House, Grange S.A

 Shot of Spirits: Ep.8: Estcourt House, Grange S.A.

Estcourt House was built at Grange (now Tennyson) in 1883 by Frederick and Rosa Bucknall, the house getting its name from Fred’s middle name ‘Estcourt’. Frederick had married into money, Rosa’s was the widow of beer baron Henry Haussen. 

Within 3 years Fred and Rosa were facing bankruptcy and had to sell. The AMP bought the house in 1886. In 1892, the James Brown Memorial Trust bought the house and set itself up to help disabled people. 

In 1931, the home became a TB and polio treatment centre for children run by the Salvation Army.

 In 1978, the State Government bought the house making it part of the Strathmont Centre. It is now privately owned. Estcourt House has long been alleged to be haunted, but what old house isn't?

 Are there ghosts within its walls? watch to find out... 

Read more about this haunting in the Haunts of Adelaide: Revised Edition https://www.amazon.com.au/Haunts-Adelaide-History-Mystery-Paranormal/dp/B08JLQLLC5

Allen Tiller at the Gawler Library 27 May 2021

 

Allen Tiller at the Gawler Library

Thursday 27th May

6:30 pm

Join Allen Tiller, one of Australia’s leading paranormal historian’s, as he introduces you to The Haunts of Adelaide.

About this Event

This second edition of The Haunts of Adelaide has been completely rewritten with extra historical facts, footnoting, an index, more photos, and most importantly, more ghost stories!

Allen will be discussing some of Adelaide’s most haunted locations and the history behind the buildings, the people, the urban legends and the ghosts that haunt Adelaide and its suburbs.

Allen was the recipient of the History Council of South Australia’s Emerging Historian of the Year Award 2017, and has also featured on the paranormal reality television show Haunting: Australia. He is a respected historian, paranormal researcher, author, poet, and the founder of Eidolon Paranormal, S.A. Paranormal, and The Haunts of Adelaide.

Allen will have books available for sale on the night.

BOOK HERE

 

Thomas Cunningham: Rogue and Vagabond (Part II)

  After serving two years in gaol for the abduction of 15-year-old girl Ellen Ween, Cunningham found himself living on Currie Street at Boddington Row in the company of a prostitute, Alice Tree. The pair were accused of unlawfully and maliciously wounding Ah Kong, a charge later dismissed. 

  Thomas Cunningham found himself in further trouble in 1882 when he faced court on the charge of being a ‘Rogue and Vagabond’. The charges were brought forth by Detective Dunlevi, who stated for the prior twelve months, Cunningham was unemployed and had been associating with thieves and prostitutes. He had served two years for abduction and had prior to that been charged and convicted for larceny, felonious assault, and assaulting police.

  Cunningham told the court he would find work on Wednesday. Sitting Judges, Beddome and Lucy allowed him to be released to do so.[1] Cunningham did not look for work, instead, he went about his usual business, drinking and gambling at the Shamrock Hotel, the Ship Inn, The Provincial Hotel, and the Galatea Hotel. Detective Hampton arrested Cunningham and again charged him as a Rogue and Vagabond.

  On 22 May 1882, Cunningham was brought before Judge Beddome. This time the Judge was not so lenient, sentencing Cunningham with two months imprisonment and two sureties to keep the peace at 50 pounds each.

  Cunningham was the charged with assaulting Police Officer Copeland. Officer Copeland stated that while trying to arrest Cunningham for the charge he sat previously, Cunningham turned and struck him in the eye. Judge Beddome sentenced Cunningham to a further six months in prison and hard labour.
Another man Edward Bates was charged alongside Cunningham, for inciting Cunningham to resist arrest. He was fined 1 pound and two 50-pound sureties to keep the peace for a year.
Yet another man, William Jury, was sentenced for assaulting police. Jury had seen the Constable arresting Cunningham and starting remonstrating with him to release Cunningham, in doing so, he kicked the officer several times. Jury was sentenced to six months in prison.[2]



Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2020


[1] 'Adelaide: Monday. May 1.', Adelaide Observer, (6 May 1882), p. 12., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article160157123. 
[2] 'MONDAY, MAY 22.', South Australian Weekly Chronicle, (27 May 1882), p. 13. , http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91467672

 

The Colourful and Tragic Life of Alice Tree: Part 2 - “Riotous Behaviour and Death.”

Alice Tree was certainly no angel, her long list of crimes, mainly theft and prostitution, made her an easy target for police patrolling the notoriously seedy area around the Shamrock Hotel in north-west Adelaide. Light Square, Currie Street, Rosina Street and Elizabeth Street were all known hotspots for opium dens, prostitution, and other serious crimes.

In 1875, Alice Tree was fined 20 shillings for loitering with her friend Matilda Lattin.[1]

November 1878, 21-year-old Alice Tree and 23-year-old Francis Major are found guilty of stealing 19 pounds from Robert McKinnon at the home of W.R. Evans.[2]

January 1879, Alice Tree, Annie Kelly, and Mary Ann Young were charged with behaving in a riotous manner in Light Square but were acquitted.[3]
October 1879, Alice Tree, Georgina Aslee, and Mary Minchin were charged with riotous behaviour while in a cab. Fined 10s each.[4]
November 1879, and Miss tree and her cohorts find themselves in trouble with the law once again. This time Alice Tree, Elizabeth Hillman and Elizabeth Alderson was charged with ‘riotous conduct in a public conveyance in Rundle Street’, the ladies were fined 10s each. Another young lady, in the company of the three women, Mary Ann Gearing was fined 10s for indecent behaviour at the same hearing.[5]

In January 1880, Alice Tree with charged with stealing the pocket watch of Francis Major. At court, Major stated he got out of gaol on December 27th, 1879 and met Tree at the Phoenix Hotel. Tree stole his watch, but he later went home with the prostitute. The court dismissed the case.[6]

On 9 November 1882 Constables Lucas and Donahue were walking the beat in Adelaide. The police officers were walking down Currie Street when they stopped at the house of known prostitute Alive Tree. Through Tree’s window at Boddington’s Cottages, they could see a man holding Tree with one hand, while his other hand was raised in a fist about to strike her. The man said to Tree. “Stop it now, or I’ll do for you yet!”[7]
Donahue called out to the man to stop what he was doing. The argument stopped for a few minutes but commenced again. Again, Donahue called out to the man to stop. The man replied, “it’s all right bobby,” and the fighting stopped. The constables waited ten more minutes, and as the fighting had stopped, continued walking their beat.

On 10 November 1882, Constable Holmes was on duty at the Light Square police station when he was called to attend an address on Currie Street. When he arrived, he found Constable Pascoe in attendance at the home. Pascoe and Holmes then inspected the body the naked Alice Tree, who was lying on her bed, dead, but still warm.
They inspected her body under candlelight and discovered bruising on her face and other areas of her body. A woman from across the street spoke to the police and told them she had seen a man strike the woman with a glass and a bottle.
When Constable Pascoe had arrived, Henry Page, who lived with Tree, had run off to find a doctor. He did not return. Constable Holmes went in search of Page and found him in Morphett Street. Page told him he had gone in search of a doctor, tried three, but none would come back to Currie Street with him. Holmes took Page into custody and took him to the Light Square station and made a report, he then returned to the Currie Street address with Detective Burchell.

The detective found broken chairs in Tree’s room. There was dried blood on the wall near where Tree and Page had been arguing the night before. Several towels and handkerchiefs were found soaked with blood. Other blood-stained items were found throughout the house, as well as broken bottles and glass covered with blood.

Dr Melville R.H. Jay was called upon to conduct a post-mortem examination on the body of Alice Tree at the Destitute Asylum. Jay discovered bruising on the face, left breast, shoulder, arm and forearm. He could find no external signs of injury on her head but found a large blood clot covering the left side of her brain.[8]

During an inquest into the death, witnesses were called. Thomas O’Neil had been drinking at the house on the Friday in question with Henry Page and another woman. Page told him that he and Tree had been fighting the night before. O’Neil had seen Tree lying in her room, and figured she was asleep. He had tried to wake her, but she did not move, so he told Page to go get help.
the next witness was Tree’s friend Petrea Larsen. Larsen had seen Tree after she had been beaten by Page and tried to reduce the swelling on her eye. Larsen declared that she had previously heard Page say to Tree that he would kill her before her ex-partner, Cunningham, got out of gaol.

Emily Harris, who also shared the house with Tree and Page, deposed that she had seen Page throw Tree against a hard, wooden box on the floor. She also stated that Tree had told her, that Page had previously beaten Tree down, then jumped on her as she lay on the floor.

A neighbour, Maude Wenden gave evidence that she had seen Page strike Tree on the nose, but it had not knocked her down. She put forward that Tree aggravated Page, implying she deserved the treatment. Wenden had heard a woman’s scream on Friday morning at about 11:30 am. She checked on Tree, but saw her laying on her bed asleep, so let her be.

The jury delivered the verdict; “That the deceased, Alice Tree, came to her death through injuries received from the ill-treatment of Henry Page and they found Henry Page guilty of manslaughter.[9]


On 15 December 1882, Henry Page was brought before the South Australian Supreme Court charged with manslaughter. Page, who had no lawyer, pleaded not guilty to the charges. Evidence was presented by the police prosecutor, including a statement by O’Neil, who failed to show up to the hearing. Evidence from Ah Kong was put forward, that he had heard O’Neil at the previous inquest hearing, state to Page that he need not fear the hearing, as he would not speak of what he had seen.
The Judge asked Page if he would like to give evidence, but told him if he was sworn in, he would be cross-examined. Page opted to offer a statement instead; denying he had ever struck Tree with any weapon and protesting that he did not inflict the wounds that killed the 25-year-old woman.

The Jury, on the advice of the Judge that the evidence was insufficient that Page had caused the death of Alice Tree delivered a verdict of Not Guilty. Page was discharged and allowed to go free.[10]

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2020.

[1] 'THIS DAY.', The Express and Telegraph, (19 November 1875), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article208179784.

[2] 'LAW COURTS.', The Express and Telegraph, (13 November 1878), p. 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207583525.

[3] 'POLICE COURTS.', South Australian Register, (30 January 1879), p. 1., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42979251.

[4] 'LAW COURTS. POLICE COURT—ADELAIDE.', The Express and Telegraph, (4 October 1879), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207656009.

[5] 'POLICE COURTS.', South Australian Register, (1 November 1879), p. 1., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article43099341.

[6] 'TUESDAY, JANUARY 6.', South Australian Chronicle and Weekly Mail, (10 January 1880), p. 22., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article95041481.

[7] 'CORONER’S INQUEST.', Evening Journal, (13 November 1882), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197777811.

[8] ‘LATE TELEGRAMS.', Kapunda Herald, (14 November 1882), p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106570341.

[9] 'DEATH UNDER SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.', South Australian Weekly Chronicle, (18 November 1882), p. 7., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article93130681.

[10] 'SUPREME COURT - CRIMINAL SITTINGS.', South Australian Register (16 December 1882), p. 2.http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article43340939

 

The Colourful and Tragic Life of Alice Tree: Part 1 

 

Alice Tree was a prostitute working from Boddington Row in Adelaide’s West End. Boddington’s Row was a small group of cottages alongside the Shamrock Hotel (Colonel Light Hotel) that Thomas Boddington, owner of the Shamrock Hotel leased at inflated prices to prostitutes who frequented his hotel.

July 1881, Alice Tree and her partner, Thomas Cunningham, a labourer, was arrested by police on the evidence of Ah Kong, that Cunningham had maliciously wounded him.

 Ah Kong had sold a jacket to Alice Tree, he went to her house on Currie Street to collect his payment. Cunningham opened the door to Kong, but would not let him inside, saying to Kong, “I will come out and kill you.”
 Cunningham then rushed at Kong and punched him in the face. Tree then rushed outside and struck Kong over the head with a pot stick, knocking him unconscious to the ground.
 A passing police constable noticed Kong on the ground a little while later and sent him to the hospital where he was treated. Once he gained consciousness, Kong told police what had happened.
 Detective Webster arrested Cunningham and Tree on Clarendon Street. Cunningham said to Tree, “I suppose we shall be committed for this, Alice”. The two prisoners made no further statements and were bailed at court, on the surety of 50 pounds each, and two others in 85 pounds each.[1]

 

Cunningham and Tree appeared in court in August charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding Ah Kong on 9 July 1881. Ah Kong, on the witness stand, gave an entirely different account of what happened on the day.
 Kong stated that Alice Tree owed him money for drapery, so he went to her house to ask for the goods back. Cunningham was there and told Tree to stay inside. He claimed Cunningham used threats and bad language, then Tree hit him with a stick shouting “Kill the Chinaman!”
 Kong claimed he fell to the ground and Cunningham seized him by the throat, and asked Tree for a knife, with the intentioned to slit his throat, that was when Tree struck Kong over the head.
 He claimed another man came to his rescue, and as he (Kong) escaped, he fell to the ground unconscious, only to wake up in the hospital.
 At this point, Kong was stopped and examined. It was revealed that Kong had arrived at Tree’s house brandishing a tomahawk and threatened to use it if Tree did not pay him.[2]
 

 The Police Court decided that as Kong's evidence could not be relied upon, that the case should be dismissed. The Judge agreed and acquitted them both.[3]

 

Next week:

The Colourful and Tragic Life of Alice Tree: “Riotous Behaviour and Death.”

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2020

[1] 'WEDNESDAY, JULY 13.', South Australian Weekly Chronicle (16 July 1881), p. 13., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91284912.
[2] 'Law and Criminal Courts.', Evening Journal, (13 July 1881), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197757550.
[3] 'LAW COURTS. SUPREME COURT—CRIMINAL SITTINGS', The Express and Telegraph, (4 August 1881), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article208192678.

The Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery and the Paranormal

REVISED EDITION

The Haunts of Adelaide: Revised Edition, (BOOK + KINDLE) is now live at Amazon.com.au​ in traditional book form!!!
The Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery and the Paranormal is researched and written by award-winning historian, Allen Tiller.
This second edition of The Haunts of Adelaide has been completely rewritten with extra historical facts, footnoting, an index, more photos, and most importantly, more ghost stories!
Join Allen Tiller, one of Australia's leading paranormal historian's, as he documents some of Adelaide's most haunted locations and the history behind the buildings, the people, the urban legends and the ghosts that haunt Adelaide and its suburbs, in this completely revised and rewritten edition.
Inside you will discover the ghosts that dwelled at Graham's Castle, Younghusband Mansion, The Adelaide Arcade, and Waterfall Gully. Find out the truth behind Schneider's Alley and the read about the tiger of the Union Hotel!

Get spooked with 30 stories from the other side: The Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery, and the Paranormal: REVISED EDITION

BOOK:  https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08JLQLLC5/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&qid=1600728351&refinements=p_27%3AAllen+Tiller&s=books&sr=1-4&text=Allen+Tiller

KINDLE:  https://www.amazon.com.au/Haunts-Adelaide-History-Mystery-Paranormal-ebook/dp/B08JJCB6KP/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&qid=1600727647&refinements=p_27%3AAllen+Tiller&s=books&sr=1-2&text=Allen+Tiller

#HauntedAdelaide #AllenTiller #Adelaide #history #mystery #paranormal

Phineas Philip Davies (31 March 1865 – 28 Dec 1885)

Phineas Philip Davies (31 March 1865 – 28 Dec 1885)

Commemoration Day, December 28th, 1885. The South Australian Colony’s only warship, the HMS Protector was sitting off the coast at Glenelg, awaiting to fire its guns in salute to the forty-ninth year of the settlement of the colony.

 It was the first time the HMS Protector had been allowed to fire its guns in salute.
 The canons fired five times, then suddenly, the ship's flags were lowered and it steamed of towards Port Adelaide.

 Onboard, the crews were in full medical mode. The canons had fired, but something had gone wrong, and two crew members were seriously injured.
 Daniel Cann, in charge of canon number 5 was severely maimed by an explosion of the canon and was sent to Semaphore Hospital. He survived the explosion but lost an eye and was disfigured.

 Phineas Philip Davies, on the other hand, had received the full force of the blast from the cannon breech and died on board the ship.

An inquest was held on Tuesday the 29th of December 1884 at the Largs Pier Hotel by the city coroner Mr T. Ward.  The Coroner and Jury were taken to the warship to inspect the gun. Sitting alongside the gun was the coffin and body of Davies.
 Master Gunner Haisom explained to the audience how the gun works, and then what they believed went wrong.

Haisom explained that Davies was positioned at gun 5, position two. Haisom had himself gone around to every gun and supplied each with a bucket of water to sponge out the excess gunpowder after each firing. He then informed the gunners they had 50 seconds to reload after each firing.

 At 12 o’clock they began to fire the guns.
The number 5 gun fired two rounds, with its crew, including Davies, preparing for shot three. Davies entered the charge, which exploded on contact. Davies had neglected to sponge the gun after the last firing, leaving lit residue in the canon, which exploded the new 10 Lb powder charge.
 Davies gun commander, Daniel Canns, was subsequently accused of not delivering the order to sponge the canon between shots, something that was standard procedure.
 The jury deliberated on the evidence for quite some time, but in the end, delivered a verdict of accidental death.

The remains of Protector at Heron Island in 2008 at low tide

A memorial was erected to Davies at Cheltenham Cemetery and was claimed by the Royal Australian Navy in December 1986. The Memorial to Davies was installed as the headpiece of the South Australian Naval Memorial Garden at H.M.A.S. Encounter until the memorial was relocated to its current position in April 1995.

Front Inscription

Sacred to the Memory

of

PHINEAS PHILIP DAVIES,

A.B. H.M.C.S. PROTECTOR. 

Killed By Premature Explosion

Of A Cartridge When Firing Salute

At Glenelg Commemoration Day 

28th DECEMBER 1885. 

Aged 20.

Erected By His Shipmates

And Naval Reserve

Plaque: 

This tombstone marked the site of the

grave of Phineas Davies in Cheltenham

Cemetery for 100 years and was claimed

by the Royal Australian Navy in December

1986. It was installed as the headpiece of

the South Australian Naval Memorial

Garden at HMAS ENCOUNTER until the

Garden was relocated to its present site

in April 1995.

(Note: Phineas Philip Davies was born on the 31^st of March 1865 in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand)

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2018

Bibliography

1885 'CORONERS' INQUESTS', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA: 1839 - 1900), 30 December, p. 7. , viewed 02 Aug 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44536720

1885 'The Fatal Accident on the Protector.', The Express and Telegraph (Adelaide, SA: 1867 - 1922), 30 December, p. 5. (Afternoon Edition.), viewed 02 Aug 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article208372973

1885 'THE-FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE PROTECTOR.', The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1858 - 1889), 30 December, p. 6. , viewed 02 Aug 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article36320103

Adelaide (S.A.). Corporation 2003, Historical walking trails, Adelaide, South Australia, City of Adelaide, Adelaide

Ancestry.com. Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Madeleine Ryan, History SA, ‘Naval Memorial’, SA History Hub, History Trust of South Australia, http://sahistoryhub.com.au/things/naval-memorial, accessed 2 March 2018.

Scott, Jenny, 2012, Davies, Phineas Phillip, The State Library of South Australia, 2 March 2018, https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+72767

J.P. McGowan: “The Railroad Man”

J.P. McGowan: “The Railroad Man”

John Paterson McGowan was a South Australian born pioneer in Hollywood. Born in Terowie, South Australia, John was known professionally as J.P McGowan and acted in over 235 movies. He also directed 257 movies, wrote 31 movies and produced with his company, ‘Signal Film’ 22 movies.
 McGowan is the only Australian life member of the Screen Directors Guild.

 McGowan was born on  February 24, 1880, in the mid-north town of Terowie. His father worked on the trains there, but the family soon moved south to Islington to the railyards where his father worked as a locomotive fire-stoker and labourer.

 McGowan fought in South Africa during the Boer War, and from here was plucked to work in films in America. His first film appearance was in a 1910 silent movie called ‘A Lad From Old Ireland’. McGowan worked for Kalem Studios at this time and went on to star in and direct 33 episodes of the serial adventure movies series ‘The Hazards of Helen’.

 McGowan married Helen Holmes, and together they started their own production company ‘Signal

Films’. They had one child together before their relationship fizzled out. They divorced in 1925.

 In his later career, McGowan directed John Wayne in The Hurricane Express, a 12-movie series produced by Mascot Pictures.

McGowan served as the executive secretary to the Screen Directors Guild from 1938 until 1951 (known later as the Directors Guild of America).

McGowan suffered from heart disease in his later years. He died on 26 March 1952, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States. His ashes were interred in a niche at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, California.

J.P. McGowan impressive resume on IMDB; https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0569645/

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2019

Bibliography

Donaldson, D., ‘The First Australian in Hollywood’, NFSA (2019), https://www.nfsa.gov.au/latest/first-australian-hollywood

Jaunay, G., JP (John Paterson) McGowan, (2019), http://www.jaunay.com/mcgowan.html

Worden, L., ‘J.P. McGowan, SCV Film Pioneer’(2013), https://scvhistory.com/scvhistory/lw2355.htm

The Haunts of Adelaide is 7 Years Old Today!

The Haunts of Adelaide is 7 Years Old Today!

Today, the 22nd of October 2019, marks 7 years since I began writing this blog. So to mark the occasion today, I am going to link back to the seven most popular blog posts

1. Muzyk Murder - Unfortunately the most read blog post on The Haunts of Adelaide is the story of the horrific murder of Tracy Muzyk in 1996. 

http://hauntedadelaide.blogspot.com/2016/07/muzyk-murder.html

2. Para Para House - the second most popular blog post is a story of a mansion in Gawler West:

http://hauntedadelaide.blogspot.com/2013/02/para-para-ghosts-of-gawler-part-6.html

3. Woodhouse Activity Centre is the third most read blog post on The Haunts of Adelaide. While the story is brief in this post, a future post or possible book story will go into greater detail about the alleged ghosts

http://hauntedadelaide.blogspot.com/2014/03/woodhouse-activity-centre.html

4. A former convalescent home for children at Grange is the 4th most popular Blog. Estcourt House was built in 1883 and used as a hospital, today it is a private home.

http://hauntedadelaide.blogspot.com/2013/06/estcourt-house.html

5. The Adelaide Central Markets make it into 5th spot with a ghost story about a security guard who claimed to witness strange goings-on in the Adelaide icon.

http://hauntedadelaide.blogspot.com/2018/03/a-ghost-in-adelaide-central-markets.html

6. In the 6th spot, we have a hometown haunt: Dead Man's Pass at Gawler. I grew up playing in this reserve as a child and know its stories, its nooks and crannies, and still to this day enjoy exploring this location.

http://hauntedadelaide.blogspot.com/2013/01/dead-mans-pass-ghosts-of-gawler-part-two.html

7. The seventh most read blog post is "Sinister by Design: Part 2: Carclew House". Since writing this post way back in 2012, I have visited Carclew many times and learned a great deal more about its history and alleged hauntings! look for new stories in future publications

http://hauntedadelaide.blogspot.com/2012/10/carclew-house-montefiore-hill-sinister.html

A big thank you to each and every one of you that has taken the time to read, share or interact with this blog. I enjoy researching history, I enjoy telling stories, and I started writing this blog purely for my own interest, so its a blessing for me that so many people have come to read this blog.

Allen Tiller