Tuesday January 26, 1864

DIED, on the 10th January, 1864, at the residence of Mr. J. ELLERTON, Mary Ellen, only daughter of Mr. H. STRETTON, BourlogueFarm, near Queen’s Town, aged 13 years and 3 months.

Tuesday March 8, 1864

BIRTH at Queenstown on the 2nd March, 1863, Mrs.George MANNING of a Son.

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE

SUICIDE. The Port Elizabeth correspondent of the Mail tells the following tragic story: - “On Friday morning, a German named SCHNEBAUER deliberately walked down to the breakwater, divested himself of his coat, hung it on a post, looked coolly round him, and jumped into the sea. The life-buoy was at hand, and was immediately thrown to him. He could have saved himself with ease; but, rejecting all offer of assistance, he flung his arms above his head, and sank to rise no more. It was as determined a case of suicide as hasever happened. SCHNEBAUER was married to an Irish girl, and I hear they led a wretched life, in consequence of her extravagance. On Saturday morning, the wife of SCHNEBAUER – the suicide of Friday – went down to the breakwater, and asked to be shown the place where her husband had perpetrated the horrible deed. The spot being indicated, she coolly walked to it, and precipitated herself into the sea. The captain of the Sailor’s Friend, who was close to her, flung the lifebuoy, which she grasped, and was brought to shore again. She is still in a precarious state.”

Tuesday March 15, 1864

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE

FATAL ACCIDENT. It is our painful duty to record another fatal accident arising from the swollen state of our bridgeless rivers, by which no less than three lives were sacrificed. The particulars are furnished by a correspondent in the Kat River, are as follows:- “On Wednesday, the 2nd inst., the family of Mr. Peter SMUTS of the Bedford district, consisting of his wife and three children, were proceeding to the place of Mrs. SMUT’s father, Mr. W. DURANDT of Queen’s Town district. On approaching Balfour, just below the Convict Station, one of the hind oxen got out of the yoke just when the wagon was passing the drift, and before the ox could be re-yoked, the river came down in a torrent and capsized the wagon, by which the unhappy wife and two of her youngest children were drowned. The bodies of the woman and one child were found about 150 yards below the drift, that of the other child was found near Bernard’s place. The driver of the wagon, a lad of 15, and the eldest of the children of Mrs SMUTS, aged 6, were rescued from a tree in the river, to which they had clung. The driver was a brother of Mrs. SMUTS. Two of the hard labor party exerted themselves very creditably, and it was by their means that the lives of the two on the tree were saved, - the recovery of the three drowned bodies was also owing to their exertions.” – (F.B. Advocate.)