Michael McGarry ²

   Cause of his death was Suicide by cutting his throat.

  General Notes:

Extract from "The Maitland Mercury and The Hunter River General Advertiser"

22 March 1864

MAITLAND CIRCUIT COURT.

The following is a list of the prisoners for trial at the ensuring sittings of the Maitland Circuit Court, which will begin next Monday week. It does not include the names of defendants out on bail. (Names included)

Michael McGarry, assaulting wife; West Maitland.


Extract from "The Maitland Mercury and The Hunter River General Advertiser"

2 April 1864

MAITLAND CIRCUIT COURT.

The following cases in addition to those we have already published will come on for hearing at the Circuit Court, which opens on Monday next : (Names included)

Michael McGarry, assaulting his wife ; Maitland bench.


The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893)

Tuesday 12 April 1864p 2 Article

UNLAWFULLY WOUNDING.

Michael McGarry was indicted for unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on his wife,Elizabeth McGarry, in February last.

Prisoner was undefended, and pleaded not guilty.

The circumstances of this assault, which showed a most degrading brutality on the part of the prisoner, have already been made public.

The jury, after a few minutes' consultation, returned a verdict of guilty.

Prisoner was sentenced to two years' hard labour in Maitland gaol - his Honor remarking that it was a fortunate thing for him that his treatment of his wife did not end in her death, or his life would also, in all probability, have been forfeited.

The Court adjourned until Monday morning at nine o'clock.

  Death Notes:

Coroner Inquest
Ref: http://trove.nla.gov
The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893)
Saturday 15 August 1885 Supplement: Second sheet to the Maitland Mercury p 9 Article
DISTRICT NEWS,
[FROM OUR VARIOUS CORRESPONDENTS.]
SCONE.
SUICIDE.-Some consternation was created in Scone early this morning when it became known that a man was found lying dead in the hospital yard. The police being called, they examined the man, and found that his throat had been cut from ear to ear, apparently by a razor found lying a few feet away. An inquest, conducted by W. F. Parker, Esq., coroner for the district, and a jury of twelve, was held at Mr. Hopper'shotel, and resulted in a verdict of suicide.
The following is the evidence taken, the jury first viewing the body at the hospital dead house :- Senior sergeant Coady, on oath, states : About 7,30 this morning Mr. E. Solomons, hon. sec. Scone hospital, reported to me that a man was lying dead in the hospital yard, who did not belong to the institution ; I immediately accompanied him and Constable Scott to the place, and there found a man lying on his face, with his left arm bent and the head resting on it, with theface in a pool of blood, quite dead ; Constable Scott turned the body over on its back, and upon examination we found his throat was cut ; we searched the spot for the instrument with which the wound was inflicted, and about eight yards in the rear I found another pool of blood and a white-handled razor and case, all stained with blood quite fresh; Constable Scott took charge of the razor and contents of pockets, there was no money; from subsequent enquiry I ascertained that deceased gave the name of Michael McGarry, about 60 years of age, stayed last night at the Crown and Anchor Hotel, and was seen in bed at 10 o'clock by the landlord, who identified him this morning. - Constable Scott, on oath,states: About 7.30 this morning from information received, I proceeded to the yardof the Scone Hospital in company of Sergeant Coady and Mr. E. Solomons ; about 21 yards inside the large gate I saw a man lying face downwards with his left arm folded under his forehead ; there was a pool of blood immediately under the face ; I turned him overon his back and saw a wound in the throat; upon searching I found an empty purse, a way bill, and two handkerchiefs produced; a few yards away I saw another pool of blood, and a blood stained razor produced; the body was warm, and I am of opinion that he had not been long dead; I should suppose that his throat had been cut where the razor was found,
and that he stumbledto where he was found ; from what I saw I am of opinion that deceased cut his own throat.
George Gordon, on oath, states: Iam Warder at Scone Hospital, about 6.30 this morning I saw a man lying on the ground of the Hospital paddock ; I walkedup to him, he was lying face downwards in a pool of blood which appeared to be fresh; I sent Robt. Lamb to Mr. E. Solomon's, thesecretary of the institution, to inform him of the occurrence ; shortly after Mr. Solomonscame up, saw the body and went away, subsequently returning with the police ; the deceased was not an inmate of the institution, and was a perfect stranger to me: the gatesare not locked at night; a pool of blood wasat the rear of the body, and spots of blood leading from it to where the body was lying;he was quite dead when I saw him; from his appearance I should think it was a case ofsuicide.
George Hopper, being sworn, states: I am landlord of the Crown and Anchor Hotel, Scone, deceased came to my hotel about 11 o'clock on last Saturday morning, and told me he had walked from Singleton, that he had no money, and requested to be allowed to stay two or three days, till he heard from his daughter who lived at Narrabri; I consented, and sent a telegram for him addressed to Mrs. William Smith, Loyd street, Narrabri, who he said was his daughter;he received no reply either by letter or telegram up to 10 o'clock last night; I saw him last night about 6 p.m. having his tea ; shortly after he retired to bed in the verandah room,where I saw him asleep at 10 o'clock; I saw his body about 8 o'clock this morning, lying on his back in the hospital yard with his throat cut; deceased told me his name was Michael McGarry, a native of Drumlish, county Longford, Ireland, andarrived in the colony in
1841; I would estimate his age at about 66 years ; I did not think from his appearance that he contemplated suicide; he was not suffering from drink, but was perfectly sober; the telegram was for his daughter to send him money toget to Narrabri, as he was unable to walk;I telegraphed to the same address this morning at nine o'clock, informing her that her father had committed suicide, and was now lying in Scone Hospital, awaiting an inquest ;I have received no reply; deceased left two bundles under his bed containing wearing apparel ; he appeared disappointed, but not depressed, at not getting a reply to his telegram ; he had but one glass of liquor about two o'clock yesterday, and wanted another later, but was refused, not having any money; no one saw deceased leave the hotel; I did not know he was away until the police came this morning; deceased told me he had a daughter
married to Mr. Ballard, telegraph operator at Walgett.
Constable Scott recalled, stated: Since the enquiry commenced the swag left by deceased was handed to me by Mr. Hopper, and upon examination found it contained three shirts,two pair of trousers, two pair of socks, four handkerchiefs, one towel, two small looking glasses, one comb, small bag of cotton, needles, &c, one pocket-book, one razor strop,one pair of blue blankets, and one counter-pane.
The jury, without retiring, unanimously brought in a verdict of death through a wound in the throat, inflicted by himself-in fact suicide.
Scone, Aug. 11, 1885.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Prison: Offence: Unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm, 9 Apr 1864, Maitland, NSW. ⁵ Number INX-86-212
Title MCGARRY Michael
Index Name Criminal Indictments Index 1863-1919
Name Michael
Surname MCGARRY
Offence Unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm
Date of Trial 9 Apr 1864
Place of Trial Maitland Circuit Court
Verdict Guilty
Sentence 2 Years imprisonment with hard labour in Maitland Gaol
Judge WISE
Citation NRS 13492 [9/2630 p.005]; Reel 1860
ECommerce Category B
Index Number 86

Michael married Elizabeth Creegan, daughter of Matthew Creegan and Catherine, on 6 Jan 1841 in Drumlish, LOG, IRL.¹ (Elizabeth Creegan was born circa 1820 in Longford, Ireland,⁶ died on 12 Mar 1899 in Tarriaro, Narrabri, NSW, Australia ⁷ and was buried on 14 Mar 1899 in Narrabri, New South Wales, Australia ⁸.). The cause of her death was Senile decay, Heart failure.

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Immigration: on the ship Runnymede, 30 Aug 1841, Sydney. ⁹ The Runnymede (389 tons) left London on April 25th then Plymouth in May.
The journey took one hundred and ten days.
There were 223 passengers (93 men, 115 women and 12 children). One infant died after delivery.