No papers for 1866.

Friday, January 4, 1867

MELANCHOLY OCCURANCE AT SOMERSET- An accident of a melancholy nature happened on Friday, last week. Two little girls aged respectively three and five years, the one the daughter and only child of Mr John PYE, and the other of Mr. RIDDLE, whilst out amusing themselves in front of their homes, ate the seed of the Stramonium, (Stinkblad) which grows luxuriantly around many of the houses in town. About seven or eight o’clock the same evening, symptoms of an alarming nature showed themselves; the children became convulsed, their eyes dilated, and their speech rambling. Dr. HALL was immediately sent for who did everything to counteract the effects of the poison. Mr. RIDDLE’s child gradually recovered, but all the means used were ineffectual to stop its effects in that of Mr. PYE’s, which died early on Saturday morning. This is the second child which Mr and Mrs. PYE have lost within the last six months. Much sympathy is felt throughout the town for the bereaved parents, as was manifested by the large attendance at the funeral. We think the Commissioners would do well were they to eradicate this poisonous weed now growing so plentifully in our streets. – Courant.

Friday, January 11, 1867

DEATH OF DR. TANCRED. – We have to record the death of Dr.TANCRED, M.L.A. which took place yesterday morning (Jany. 4) at ten o’clock, at his lodgings in Burgstreet. The announcement of his illness, already made, will have prepared our readers for this event; and although only a few days have elapsed since the deceased was in the House of Assembly in the discharge of his legislative duties, his death cannot be regarded as sudden. The historyof Dr. TANCRED is generally pretty well known. He was a man of considerable literary attainments – a scholar, in fact; but distinguished by some lamentable eccentricities Originallyintended for the service of the Roman Catholic Church, or so we believe, he became a priest of the Church, but subsequently becoming a convert to Protetantism, he married, was ordained and ministered as a Pastor in the Church of England. Circumstances, however, appear to have been changeable with him, for he reverted to Romanism, and continued in the bosom of the Papal Church up to the time of his death. As a member of the House of Assembly, he made for himself reputation, not too enviable, by eccent... [cut off] escapades, which was sometimes amusing, sometimes offensive, and mostly unseem... [ cut off]......Dr. TANCRED had reached the age of sixty-five years, about thirty of which had been spent in this colony. – Advertiser and Mail.

Friday, January 18, 1867

DEATH OF THE EX-MAJOR OF PORT ELIZABETH. – We regret to announce the death, from disease of the lungs, on Sunday evening last of Mr.William SMITH, ex-mayor of Port Elizabeth. Deceased had up to within a very short period been employed in the active duties of every day life, and his death has come upon the town suddenly notwithstanding that he was known to be in a critical state for some days past. Mr. SMITH was all his life a worker, and grew up as it were with the town. He saw it just somewhere about the year 1820, and then he has been indefatigable, and indeed spent some of the best years of his life, in promoting its advancement. He was vice-chairman of the old Municipality, when Mr. John PATERSON was chairman, and was thrice elected, without opposition, Mayor of Port Elizabeth. He was also a member of the Hospital and Grey Institute Boards. He was of aparticularly genial disposition, and in the exercise of his public duties, affable and conciliatory.

Friday, January 25, 1967

Latest from the Transkei.

HORRIBLE DEATH OF A TRADER. Intelligence of a melancholy nature has reached us from the Idutchwa Reserve. Our correspondent writing under date the 18th January says: Early on Monday morning the 14th inst., the man in charge of Colossa (formerly a station of the F.A.M. Police) reported to H.B. WARNER Esq., Clerk in charge of the Idutchwa, that the trading station of Mr. MORDOCK (late of the F.A.M. Police) was burnt down. Mr. WARNER immediately proceeded to the spot and found as stated the house burnt down, but the fire not yet fully quenched. A hut, used as a kitchen, adjoining, was also burnt down, and he found in it the burnt remains of two natives, a servant girl and a man. On the following day, the house having cooled sufficiently, he examined the ruins and found that poor MORDOCK had been burnt to ashes, nothing but bones being left, the heat having been so great as partially to melt tin ware and glass bottles. The place not being in sight of any inhabited kraal, and all three occupants of it being dead, none can tell how the fire originated. On making a searching examination Mr. WARNER could find no reason to suppose there had been foul play, as the goods had been consumed in the shop and all else remained untouched. The general opinion is, that as there was a thunderstorm without rain in that neighbourhood, on Sundayevening, the place must have been struck with lightning, which may have left only dead bodies for the fire to destroy. We are not aware that the deceased had any relation the colony.

Tuesday, January 29, 1967

SUICIDE. –An unfortunate man named Piet KRUGER has committed suicide at Schuts Doorns in this division. Some eighteen months since this man was tried at the Circuit Court upon a charge of discharging a gun at Mr. BEST; but escaped upon the supposition of insanity. It has been his practice to sleep out in the veldt, refusing to pass his nights in an inhabited house. One evening last week he did not turn up as usual, when search was instituted. He was found lying amongst some thorns, shot through the head and quite dead. It is conjectured that he discharged his gun by pressing his foot upon the trigger, the muzzle being beneath his chin.

Friday, February 1, 1867

DEATH of MR W.R. THOMSON M.L.A.The most melancholy item conveyed to us by last night’s mail, is that announcing the demise of Mr. W.R. THOMSON, M.L.A. Following so immediately as it has upon thedeath of Dr. TANCRED, it acquires a double solemnity. It is but a few weeks since the Cape world was engaged in the discussion of the antagonism of these two men; both of them in comparative health and strength, and their passions mounting high in the strife. Now the earth covers their enmities, and they lie in their narrow cells unconscious of the turmoil that heightened life’s fitful fever......At the time of the departure of the mail cart fromCapetown hopes were still entertained of the eventual recovery of Mr. THOMSON, and it is through the medium of the telegraph that we are placed in possession of the news of his untimely death. One of the Cape papers gives the following details of his illness: “The friends of this gentleman have long regarded seriously his continued ill-health, as shown in his pale and haggard looks. He, however, continued at work until about six weeks ago, when he gave up from sheer exhaustion. Medical aid was summoned, and it was found that the patient was suffering from congestion of the lungs. The disease, however, speedily yielded to the remedies applied by Dr. ROSS. There supervened, we regret to say, an utter prostration of mental and nervous strength, which has excited the utmost alarm on the part of his friends. He was, however, slowly recovering strength,when his medical attendants advised a removal to Green Point for change of air. For two or three days he continued to improve, and seemed greatly to benefit bythe change. From some cause or other, probably his own imprudence in taxing too quickly his recovering strength, he experienced a sudden relapse. On Saturday last his symptoms were so serious, the mental and nervous prostration so utter, that his medical attendants feared he could not last very long. On Sunday evening, however, he rallied alittle, and has, with some slight relapses, continued to improve. We are glad to announce that yesterday after a good night’s rest, and that hopes are entertained of his ultimaterecovery.” The hope of recovery here so cheerfully spoken of was doomed never to be realised. On the evening of the day upon which these lines were given to the public (Saturday, the 26th) death had terminated thecareer of one of the most promising and talented of our politicians. From a private telegram received by relatives of the deceased in this district we find that he was conscious to the last, and that at six o’clock in the evening the last dread struggle took place.

MR. THOMSON was the son of the Revd. W.R. THOMSON of Balfour, and was originally intended for the ministry. Although not regularly ordained he had frequently officiated in connection with the Presbyterian and IndependantChurch. He had been for many years connected with the press, and some of the best things that have appeared in the Advertiser and Mail are to be attributed to his facile pen...

Tuesday, February 5, 1867

DORDRECHT.- Our correspondent writes us under date the 30th ult: I regret to inform you that old Stephanus MULLER, lately of your division, met his death by an accident on Sunday last. Whilst on his way from this to the Waschbank, he was thrown from his horse and killed instantaneously.

Friday, February 8, 1867

We regret to announce the death of Mrs. G.W. STOW, wife ofour respected fellow townsman, on Wednesday. The funeral which took place yesterday, was largely attended.

THE LATE MR. RICHARD WALKER – A telegram has been received announcing the death of Mr. Richard WALKER, uncle of Mr. Joseph WALKER, jun., of King William’s town, and father of the much respected Field Cornet of Groot Vlei in this division. The Watchman says; The late Mr WALKER was a decidedly pious man, and was a most useful and efficient catechist or assistant missionary in connection with the Wesleyan Missionary Society. We sincerely sympathise with the sorrowing family and relatives under their present bereavement, and trust they may receive comfort and consolation from the knowledge that the deceased was a firm believer in the truths of the Gospel as well as a partaker of its blessings.

Friday, February 15, 1867

MURDER OF MR. J. FORSYTHE. – News has been received from Great Namaqualand, confirming the report of the murder of Mr. James FORSYTHE. It appears the unfortunate young man was on his way to join his party, who were elephant-hunting in the interior. Several hundred miles inland he arrived at the place where the wives and children of the Hottentot hunters belonging to the expedition were located, at which place he made his stay temporarily. While there one night, they were surrounded by Damaras (who are well known to be waging war against the Hottentots), and a brutal scene was enacted; the women were barbarously murdered, and the children were thrown up and impaled on the broad assegais of the Damara. FORSYTHE, imagining they would not touch a white man, was walking leisurely away, when he was pursued and brought back. Two Damaras then held him by the beard and cut his throat. Only one (a woman) escaped to tell the sad tale. – Argus.

Friday, February 22, 1867

MARRIAGE. – On Tuesday last the nuptials of Mr. A.J. NEWTON, of St. Andrews, with Miss MOORE, eldest daughter of Mr. T. MOORE of this town, were celebrated by the Rev. F.Y. St. LEGER.

BIRTH at Queenstown on Saturday, 16th instant, the wife of Mr GW SCANDRETT of a daughter.

Friday, March 1, 1867

We regret to record the sudden death on the 20th inst., at Henderson Mission Station, of Mr. Thomas BURNSIDE, brother in law of Rev. Tiyo SOGA.

Tuesday, March 12, 1867

DEATH OF MR. THACKWRAY. – Late last evening intelligence was received of the death of Mr Joseph THACKWRAY of Cradock after a long and painful illness. The immediate cause of death was disease of the heart and lungs. On Thursday morning the unfortunate gentleman suffered a serious relapse, having been comparatively better for the preceding few days, and lingered on until Friday morning, at 8 o’clock, when death put a period to his sufferings. Throughout the while of his illness he had manifested a spirit of Christian resignation, a full reliance in the boundless love of that Saviour of whom he had been a humble follower. The deceased came out to this colony with the British Settlers of 1820, and took a prominent part in the wars of ’35, ’46,and ’50. In the last war many now resident in the Queenstown district will remember that he was one of the gallant band who, in spite of Mapassa’s hordes and, UITHAALDER’s rebels, forced their way from Cradock to the relief of the beleaguered garrison of Whittlesea. It was during his stay at this place that he gave a remarkable display of that extraordinary skill with the rifle, which has gained him a reputation throughout the frontier. At the time when one of the fiercest of the many fierce attacks made upon the village was occurring, a chief clad in a tiger skin kaross made himself particularly conspicuous, and it was evident that he was the life and soul of the party. Unfortunately he was out of range (or considered so) but a pause was permitted, whilst Mr. THACKWRAY tried a bullet upon this redoubtable chief. Although it appeared an impossibility to touch the man, THACKWRAY knew his power, and in a few seconds the hero of the tiger skin was lying prone upon the earth, mortally wounded. The attack, upon this, was suspended for the day. Upon the occasion of Prince Alfred’s visiting the colony it will be remembered that Mr THACKWRAYcarried off the rifle for which there was so much competition, and the trophy still remains in the family. Theintelligence of this death will doubtless be a source of sorrow to many in Queenstown, since he was well known and respected. Our esteemed townsman, Mr John WEAKLEY, was brother-in-law to the deceased, and he was likewise connected by marriage with other families here. He was 65 years ofage at the time of his death.

Tuesday, March 19, 1867

BIRTH, at Queenstown, on the 18th inst., Mrs. R.WRIGHT, of a daughter.