Tuesday 2 June 1891

BIRTH at “The Daveneck”, Grahamstown, on May 30th 1891, the wife of Dr. H. BECKER of a daughter.

MARRIED at the Residency, Kamastone, on the 28th May 1891, by the Rev. Robert Lamplough, Chairman of the Methodist Church, Queenstown, George Burrell STUBBS, son of George STUBBS Esq., formerly of Grahamstown, to Julia Ida JEFFREY, fifth and last daughter of Edmund and Mary JEFFREY, of Kamastone.

FELL ASLLEP on Saturday the 23rd ult, at Aliwal North, Mabel Olivia, the beloved daughter of the Rev. A.L. SNELL, aged 4 years and 10 months.
“Not lost but gone before”.
R.I.P.

SUICIDE
A man named ANSELL, who served ten years in the Sixtieth Rifles, in whose pocket a note was found showing deliberate suicide, was killed on Saturday by a train from Durban. The head was decapitated and crushed, and his legs severed from his body. Being a volunteer, he was given a military funeral, crowds attending.

FALL FROM A TRAIN
A passenger named QUINN, travelling ion the 8am train from Kimberley on Thursday last, holding a third class ticket for Capetown, appears to have fallen out of the window of a third class compartment about 4 miles south of the Orange River Station. He was picked up in an unconscious state by a ganger working on the line, and taken to the Orange River Station, and thence forward to the Railway Hospital at De Aar. He appeared to be seriously injured about the head and it is a question (the D.F. Advertiser hears) whether he will recover.

Saturday 6 June 1891

MISS GERTRUDE WYNNE
From enquiries made we learn that the recent report of the death of this lady is entirely false, and we regret that it should have been circulated in our columns.

Tuesday 9 June 1891

BIRTH at “The Oaks”, Grahamstown, on 7th June 1891, the wife of Mr. Justice S.T. JONES of a son.

A VETERAN COLONIST
On Friday afternoon the remains of Mr. John CROUCH were laid in the Komgha Churchyard, being followed to their last resting place by a large concourse of friends and acquaintances. Although of a good age, having been born in Grahamstown about 1820, Mr. CROUCH was to all appearance, with the exception of some stiffness in his limbs, in good health until a couple of days preceding his death, when he was seized with illness while on his way home to Kei Mouth. He was removed to the home of his grandson, Mr. Norman HARDWICK, near Komgha, where he breathed his last on Thursday morning at seven o’clock. Mr. CROUCH’s career and varied life are toa great extent identified with the progress of the Colony and the advancement of the European population in an easterly direction, from the year 1835 downwards; for he was engaged in that and all the subsequent Frontier wars, and is mentioned with much commendation for his services by various narrators and historians of the warlike episodes incident to the contests with the retiring Kafir. His last service of this nature was as guide to Sir Charles WARREN’s expedition through the then terra incognita of Bechuanaland and Khama’s country. Since the termination of that expedition Mr. CROUCH resided chiefly on a farm belonging to his grandson, Mr. N. HARDWICK, near Kei Mouth, but paid frequent visits to Komgha, where his cheerful, intelligent personality was a welcome figure. Mr. CROUCH was stationed at Komgha when the affair of Mordenaar’s Kop took place in 1846, and was one of the party who went out and discovered the five bodies of the slain officers. Only a few weeks ago Mr. CROUCH gave the details of this sad affair in the hearing of the writer – how the officers in question had bet with each other as to whether Mordenaar’s Kop was on the Colonial or Transkeian side of the Kei, and how they rode out to ascertain the fact, and how, being spied by the Kafirs on the flat summit of the kop, they were waylaid and slain on the narrow neck connecting the kop with the plateau beyond. The same year at the Kubusie, near Komgha, along with regular troops, the outlook spied some Kafirs making for them the opposite side of the river. The officer in charge was something of a gourmand, for he declined to move until he had had his breakfast. Things looked serious, however, when the cook stooping over the fire received a bullet in the forehead, causing him to fall forward dead into the fire among his culinary appliances. It was then hurry and disorder, “Old John CROUCH” being in charge of the wagons and oxen, which he did not get spanned in and on the move until nine men – five blacks and four soldiers – had been slain. Even then Mr. CROUCH did not leave until he had got the whole nine bodies placed on wagons and taken to Komgha, where they were buried on the roadside close to the drift, some scrub bushes still marking the spot. At that period the present village of Komgha was still in futurity; the military station occupied the site of the present school and churchyard. The death of Mr. CROUCH is the removal of a link uniting the present age to a state of things hardly intelligible in view of the rapid progress of events in recent years. His mind was stored with incidents and adventures which, combined with a singularly retentive memory and attractive powers of description, made him a most pleasing companion. His descendants reside in the Komgha district to the fourth generation, and his last moments were passed in the house of his grandson, Norman, son of the late Mr. HARDWICK, M.L.C. for this electoral Circle. The parents of the deceased both came out with the early settlers. – Dispatch.

Thursday 11 June 1891

DIED at Grahamstown on the 10th June 1891, William Collins SMITH, at the advanced age of 81 years and 5 months.
“Saved by Grace”
FUNERAL NOTICE
The Funeral of the late W.C. SMITH will leave the residence of his son-in-law, J.M. WEBBER, Market-Square, on Friday afternoon at 3 o’clock. All friends are hereby invited.

ACQUITTED
Mr. Dan GROVE, who was arrested on a charge of fraud at Kimberley, was liberated on Saturday without a stain on his character.

AN ACCOUNTANT DROWNED
A telegram says that Mr. LAWRIE, accountant of the Standard Bank, in attempting to cross Kromme River, was swept down and drowned.

BRANDING A CHILD
Francis Mary Catherine MAGEE, the eleven-year old child of two unmarried Capetown people, used to be sent regularly to the Butcher’s, and stole one halfpenny of the money each time. On Queen’s Birthday she increased the amount to 3d, which she invested in cakes, and taking up a position on the steps of Archdeacon LIGHTFOOT’s house, proceeded to demolish them. Next day she procured some lozenges from a chemist in her mother’s name, and on another occasion ran her mother into debt at the confectioner’s for a few penn’orth of lekker-goed. Her punishment was exemplary, for the father, who bears the appropriate name of BRANDT, branded the word “Thief” on her forehead with caustic, and added the word “Liar” on her lips. The letters were an inch long. These facts came out in evidence at the Capetown Police Court, for the inhuman parents were both arrested for cruelty. The female doctor, Dr. Jane WATERSTON, who had examined the girl’s body, found a burn on the breast, which the mother had inflicted with a heated poker, and any quantity of bruises and abrasions. Dr. Jane says some of the branded letters may fade out in six weeks’ time, but some of the marks will probably remain. We are glad to note that bail was refused for the unnatural father, though the mother got out on £20 recognisances. We have seldom heard of a more barbarous affair.

Saturday 13 June 1891

MARRIED at Commemoration Church, Grahamstown, on the 4th June 1891, by the Rev. T. Chubb BA, assisted by the Revs. H. Cotton and N. Abraham, the Rev. James PENDLEBURY, of Grahamstown, to Martha Alice RAMSDEN, the eldest daughter of Robert RAMSDEN Esq., of Farnworth, England.

Thursday 18 June 1891

DEATH OF AN OLD BAYONIAN
The Telegraph records with regret the death of Mr. William JONES sen., who died at his residence, North-end, at the age of eighty years and four months. Mr. JONES, who was a native of Wales, arrived here in March 1849 and established himself in business as a jeweller and watchmaker, adding subsequently a large upholstery and furnishing department, also a tannery on an extensive scale. The old gentleman led an active business life until within the last six months, when his health gave way, he gradually declined, and on Monday morning he peacefully passed away. Mr. JONES was for many years a Town Councillor, and took an active part in Municipal affairs. He was for more than half a century a member and official of the Wesleyan Church. Of his large family there are living to mourn his loss three daughters, viz. Mrs. George BIRT, Mrs. CLOSE, Mrs. NASH, and three sons, viz. Mr. W. JONES, Mr. P. JONES and Mr. J. JONES, to whom our condolence is tendered.

DETERMINED SUICIDE
On Saturday (reports the Mining Argus) a most determined suicide was committed at Johannesburg from the railway bridge leading on to the Pretoria road. A man named John JAGO stepped on to the parapet and threw himself down, his head apparently struck something and he lay senseless till a coal train coming along a little later, the body was caught in the cow-catcher and carried a hundred yards before the train was brought to a standstill. The man was then picked up and found to be quite dead, the body being shockingly mangled. He was a man about 45 years of age, and had figured frequently in the Police Court. He was at the time of his death bound over in sureties to keep the peace. The deceased was of intemperate habits and known to be drinking heavily of late. It is therefore surmised that he committed the crime in a state of delirium tremens. He was well dressed; and in the pockets of the coat were found several bills, which show that the deceased was pressed by his creditors at the time.

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT
According to the Cape Times, another fatality has occurred on the Wynburg line. A Cornishman, named Benjamin CHAMPION, forty years of age, very deaf and near-sighted, was attempting to cross the line at [Wetton] Road when the engine of the 6:15 train from town knocked him down, and from the injuries received he afterwards succumbed. The engine driver, who, it is supposed, saw the man near the line as though about to cross, blew his whistle and reversed his engine, but was unable to bring the train to a standstill before reaching the deceased, who, quite unconscious of the danger, stepped on to the line. He was removed to the Wynberg platform, and subsequently to the Cottage Hospital, where he died.

Saturday 20 June 1891

DIED at Craiggie Burn, Grahamstown, on the 19th June 1891, Benetta Pomery [sic], the dearly loved wife of Rudolph R. SELLER, aged 23 years and 28 days.
To the weary has come rest.
Friends are invited to attend the Funeral, which will leave the late residence of the deceased tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon at 3 o’clock.

Thursday 25 June 1891

SUPPOSED SUICIDE
James THORD, a Maritzburg white man, about 40 years of age, was found outside that City with his throat cut from ear to ear, on the night of the [16]th. An open razor was found beside him. It is believed to be a case of suicide.

Saturday 27 June 1891

MARRIED on June 16th by Special Licence, at St.Mary’s the Less, Jeppes Township, Johannesburg, by the Rev. J.T. Darragh, Edgar Philip RATHBONE, second son of Philip H. RATHBONE Esq., of Greenbank, Liverpool, to Annie Barbara, eldest daughter of John W. GEORGE Esq.

Tuesday 30 June 1891

Thirteen inquests with a verdict of “death from alcoholism” have taken place in Port Elizabeth (says the Telegraph) within a very short time, to speak comparatively, and if Mr. INNES’s Bill succeeds in saving a few lives annually, it will not have passed in vain.

FATAL ACCIDENT
On Monday in last week, while returning home from Cookhouse, Mr. G. MILLER of Baviaan’s Drift was thrown out of his cart, and was badly hurt. He reached home in great pain, and immediately went to bed. We (Budget) regret to state that he died during the night. The cause of death was rupture of a diseased liver.