Queenstown Free Press 1871 3 July - September
July 4, 1871
DIED, at Sherwood, near Queen’s Town, on the 30th of June, 1871, after a short illness, Mr. Thomas GOLDING, aged 77 years 3 months, and 8 days. – His end was peace. – Deceased was one of the British Settlers of 1820. Mr George GOLDING desires to thank all (but especially the Dutch friends) who so kindly rendered valuable assistance during his late father’s illness.
July 7, 1871
We regret to hear that Mr WARNER continues seriously unwell at Balfour. Letters were received by Mrs WARNER on Wednesday stating that there was little chance of Mr WARNER’s recovery and urging upon her the necessity of at once proceeding to Balfour. That lady accompanied by Dr.KRANZ left yesterday morning, relays of horses were provided along the road to make the journey as rapid as possible. We sincerely trust the next letter will convey the intelligence that Mr WARNER is out of danger. Great sympathy is felt for Mrs WARNER and family in their sad affliction.
SUICIDE AT NATAL. – The Natal Colonist records the death of Lieutenant WARRAND, who shot himself with a pistol, while halting for a time at Mr ALLEN’s hotel. The weapon was held to his forehead, and death was almost instantaneous. From what we can learn the unfortunate man left Mason’s hotel (where he has been living since his arrival in the Colony) yesterday morning about 9 o’clock, and walked out to the Umgeni. He called at Nr McNOL’s, staying there a short time, and then went on to Allen’s where he dined. After dinner he hired Mr ALLEN’s horse to go to the Avoca, and was to have returned in time for the last train. Mr MASON who happened to be out at Umgeni, and hearing that Mr ELLAND had gone on the Avoca went on to Allen’s to meet him. He was late in returning, and Mr MASON started to come, but when he got half way over the bridge, he was hailed to go back to Allen’s and did so and found that ELLAND had just returned. He spoke to him about some urgent matters of business, which he said he would attend to in the morning, and arranged to ride into town with Mr MASON. He then asked Mr MASON to have a glass of beer with him which MASON declined as he had just had one. Mr ELLAND went into the house, and asked Mrs ALLEN for one, which she gave him. He drank it, and went out in front of the house, as she thought to join her husband and Mr MASON, who were standing talking outside, About half a minute after this they heard the click of a pistol at the back of the house, and found the unfortunate man just dying with the pistol lying by his side. The body was identified on Friday last as being that of Lieutenant Arthur W WARRAND, late of the 42nd Royal Highlanders, by Mr BENN, late Ensign in 26th Cameronians, also a Scotch regiment of note. It seems that in March, 1868, Mr BENN at the time of the Abyssinian Expedition of that year, dined at the same table at an hotel in Aden with the deceased and the officers of the 42nd Highlanders, who, he states, were then en route from India to England per transport steamer Jumnah. He readily identified the deceased and disclosed his real name, and on reference to the Army List of April 1869, we find the name of Arthur W WARRAND among the Lieutenants of the 42nd Highlanders, thus corroborating Mr BENN’s testimony,which is also born out by the fact that the same name was marked on certain linen said to have been given by deceased to a fellow-passenger in the Umvoti. On WARRAND’s right arm is tattooed a figure of an arm grasping a sword, and surmounted with the motto “fortiter” which have been copied and will furnish strong proof of identity, if, indeed, further proof be needed. The deceased was interred at 9 o’clock a.m. on Saturday last in the public cemetery; the Re. Mr BUCHANAN officiating, and the funeral was attended by a dozen persons.
July 11, 1871
IN MEMORIUM. It is our melancholy and painful duty to record the death of Joseph Cox WARNER, Esq., recently elected to represent this division in the House of Assembly, which sad event took place at Balfour on Saturday afternoon last at half past two o’clock. Mr WARNER left Queenstown early on the morning of the 21st June, apparently in good health and spirits, though he had been suffering from indigestion for the past two or three days. Scarcely had he got to the Katberg before symptoms of illness began to appear, and on arriving at Balfour Mr WARNER had to alight and allow the mail cart to proceed without him. He was suffering from stricture of the bladder brought on by cold and exposure to the morning air, a complaint he had been subject to for some years though not to be seriously inconvenienced with it. The medical gentleman fromStockenstrom was at once summoned, and when he arrived he expressed a wish tohave a medical gentleman from Fort Beaufort, who was also sent for. Little resulted from the consultation, the late departed suffered extreme agony, at times being unconscious. On Wednesday Mr. E.J. WARNER proceeded to Balfour to be with his father, and on Thursday Mrs. WARNER, accompanied by Dr.KRANZ, followed her son, to try and soothe the dying hours of the partner of joys and sorrows through a long life of vicissitude. Dr. KRANZ did all that medical aid could do, but it was too late. Mr. WARNER recognized his wife, and was then unconscious again, lingering up to Saturday, when he was again conscious for a short time, and then passed quietly away. Mrs. WARNER, sickly and weak for many years, was wonderfully sustained by Divine Providence through this her saddest affliction, and must feel gratified that she was enabled to be present, and see her husband pass to his new home, where pain and suffering is unknowns. Great sympathy is felt for the sorrowing widow, and the sons and relatives of the deceased. He was an indulgent husband and kind father,and many will miss the unbounded liberality of him who is now no more. Mr. WARNER assisted not a few; in fact, we believe, that his large salary in years gone by, was all spent in helping others, and that he had little or nothing left, after years of labour and toil, except the farm Glen Grey. Mr WARNER came to this Colony as a youth with the settlers of 1820, and has been a resident of the extreme front ever since. Early in life he became a member of the Wesleyan Church, and for forty years has been a consistent and upright Christian man, the former of these years was spent as a Missionary of theWesleyan Church. Then his services were required in another sphere, and he was strongly solicited, and reluctantlyaccepted, the office of British Agent with the Tambookies, at a time when none other fitted for the appointment could be found to take it. Mr WARNER entered the Government service as Tambookie Agentat the close of the war in 1851, natives of the Tambookie location and their effective government while Queenstown was in its infancy and struggling to rise to strength and independence. During the cattle slaughtering of 1857 he did signal service to the country, by keeping government well informed of the very first movements of the Kaffirs, and preventing the Tambookies from joining the false prophet, and without doubt by this means preventing a general Kaffir war. In 1863 4 when the plan was set on foot to make the vacant lands in the Transkei and European Settlement, Mr WARNER was appointed British Resident with the tribes beyond, to preserve the new frontier, as he had done that of Queenstown up to that time. He still held this office, though it was ultimately decided to locate natives in that country and not Europeans, being put in charge of the various tribal divisions and agencies. Under his management that country became one of the most prosperous and progressive of any country occupied by natives in South Africa. About two years ago Mr WARNER retired on a well earned pension and hoped to end his days in peace and quietness at Glen Grey, but it was willed otherwise. The electors of Queenstown called upon him to represent them in the Assembly. He consented, was elected, and on the journeydown to fulfill his duty to his country, the sad event occurred which we haveso imperfectly chronicled. Mr WARNER will not only be a loss to Queenstown, but to thecolony and the tribes beyond. We cannot replace him or produce another with the same influence. The power of his name was felt far and near throughout Kaffirland, and the mention of it in the remote corners of Kaffraria Proper was sufficient to command respect from the native, and induce him to listen with quietness, if not with awe.
July 14, 1871
The funeral of the late Mrs. SHEPSTONE will take place onSaturday the 15th inst., precisely at Midday, at Kamastone. Friends of the deceased are respectfully invited to attend. E.C. JEFFREY.
IN MEMORIAM. – We regret to hear that Mrs. SHEPSTONE, thewife of the respected Superintendent of Wesleyan Missions in Queenstown District departed this life on the evening of the 12th inst. Mrs. SHEPSTONE’s health has for some time been failing, but she was not confined to bed till about three weeks ago. Her illness, a complication of disorders, was short but severe. Her sufferings were endured with Christian fortitude. The sympathies of all are with her sorrowing partner and bereaved family.
Mr. Robert SUTHERLAND has met with a tragical death in India. The circumstances they have reached this country are these: “In October last he contracted to make a road through forest land. Having surveyed and laid out the line, he proceeded towards a spot where he had stationed the workmen, on an elephant loaded with his camp equipage. A bog intervening, he dismounted, in spite of the expostulations of the elephant driver, intending to proceed on foot by a shorter cut to the station. This was the last seen of him. A search was instituted, but no trace of him has been found. There can be no doubt of the fate that befell him in a jungle infested by tigers. He was brave, even to rashness, and dearly has he paid for his temerity.” He was educated partly at Edinburgh, and had visited the Cape. He was forty-seven years of age, and brotherto Mr John SUTHERLAND formerly of Galla Water in this district.
July 25, 1871
BIRTH – at the Kumey, Transkei, on the 9th July, 1871 – the wife of Wm. BANDS, junr., of a daughter.
August 1, 1871
August 11, 1871
OBITUARY. –Mr Cornelis Johannes Frederik DU PLOOY, one of the oldest burghers of the district of Winburg, and one of the formost of those who took over the Government of the country from Sir George CLERK, and signed the Convention of 23 February, 1854, died on his farm in the ward Middle Sand-river in the district of Winburg, on 19th July last, Mr DUPLOOY had just attained his 63rd year. – Friend. August 15, 1871
DIED – at Queenstown, on on the 7th August, 1871 – Sophia Foreman, only daughter of Mr. And Mrs. S.T. MARCHANT, aged 6 years and eleven weeks.
FATAL CASE OF GLANDERS. – Mr. WITTIN, a very respectable tradesman, residing at Wynberg, died on Monday last, after many days of intense suffering, from glanders, communicated to him by his own horse. We believe this to be the first authenticated case of this kind known at the Cape; and it should serve as a warning to those who may have the misfortune to possess horses afflicted with this frightful disease, which is not only contagious but infectious, and has hitherto proved incurable – Standard & Mail.
August 22, 1871
DIED – at Queenstown, on the 19th instant, Constance, aged 22 months and 6 days, youngest daughter Mr and Mrs E. CROUCH.
September 12, 1871
SUDDEN DEATH – We regret to hear that Mr D. DALLAS died suddenly at the fields on Saturday evening the 2nd inst. Deceased was apparently in robust health, had worked in the claim from early dawn till night, when he partook of tea at the usual hour. Almost immediately after he complained, and before long was a corpse. Two other parties died suddenly the same day. Mr DALLAS will be remembered as for some timethe publisher of the Queenstown Representative.
September 19, 1871
BIRTH at Klip Spruit Nek, on the 11th September, the wife of Mr. A.J. KIDWELL, of a son.
FATAL ACCIDENT. – When the Natal was being moved out of dock on Saturday evening an accident occurred which terminated fatally within a few hours afterwards. Mr. FERNANDEZ, the chief steward of the ship, was standing close to the steam winch to which a coir warp or hawser was attached, and under full strain. FERNANDEZ lent a hand to the man in charge in arranging it in some way, when suddenly the hawser flew off the winch and struck the unfortunate chief steward in the arm, literally smashing the limb to pieces. As there was no doctor on board and the vessel was about the middle of the dock, it took some time before thesurgeon of the Norsman could be brought to the aid of the sufferer, who meanwhile was losing blood to a fearful extent. Some further delay occurred in obtaining a stetcher on which to carry him to the hospital. On arriving there he was greatly exhausted; stimulants were freely applied to make him rally; but such was the exhaustion of blood that hardly any escaped when amputation was performed. The unfortunate man lingered for several hours without rallying – although conscious throughout, and very kindly waited upon by the lady nurses recently appointed –until at three o’clock the next morning he died. The deceased had been in the service of the Union Company for many years and was very justly respected by all who knew him. We understand that he had accumulated some considerable property at Southampton, and intended going home after this trip of the Natal. We believe that no blame attached to any one as to the cause of the fatal and melancholy mishap, which was purely accidental. The flags of the mail steamer Saxon in the Bay on Sunday were half-masted in acknowledgment of the melancholy event which had occurred. – Argus.
September 26, 1871
MARRIED (by Special License) at the Church of St Michael’s, Queenstown, by the Revd. CANON F.Y. St. LEGER, Rector, assisted by the Revd.C.F. PATTEN, Sydney STENT, C E., to Alice Louisa WHITE, granddaughter and ward of Capt Richard WHITE, R.N., of Queenstown. – No cards.
September 29, 1871
It is with deep sorrow we have to record the death of Mr.H.J. BERTRAM, which sad event occurred on Wednesday morning at two o’clock. The lamented departed was well known as oneof the first Inspectors of the F.A. . Police – his appointment dating from the formation of the corps. Prior to that he had led an active life, and taken part in the defence of the frontier when invaded by the Kaffir tribes. Theexposure during this period, and the worry and excitement of a police officer’s life, when the corps was in its infancy, and everything depended on the personal inspection and supervision of those in command tended to undermine the constitution, the seeds of which long sown, were only developed when the actor had apparently retired from the bustle and uproar of the camp to enjoy the quietude of Home life. The deceased suffered severe illness for many months, gradually sinking, until he quietly passed away surrounded by his family Great sympathy is felt for the sorrowing widow and numerous family, who have lost a kind and affectionate husband and father. The mortal remains were conveyed to thei rlast resting place yesterday afternoon, followed by a numerous cortege of sorrowing friends.
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