AITKEN to WHAITE - Person Sheet
NameJames BUCKLEY
Birth Date7 May 182519696
Birth PlaceParramatta, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
MemoBirth date from baptism record.
Chr Date14 Aug 182519697 Age: <1
Chr PlaceParramatta, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
MemoAt St John’ss Church.
Death Date1 Jan 187519698 Age: 49
Death PlaceParramatta, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
MemoAged 50 years date from death index.
Spouses
Birth PlaceNew South Wales, Australia
MemoProbable birth and parents
Death Date23 Dec 186619685 Age: 34
Death PlaceYass, Yass Valley, New South Wales, Australia
MemoAs Ellen Buckley aged 33 years. See Note regarding suspicious death.
Marr PlaceYass, Yass Valley, New South Wales, Australia
Marr MemoRoman Catholc Church.
Notes for Ellen B (Spouse 1)
SUSPICIOUS DEATH.An inquest was commenced before Dr. Blake at the White Swan Inn, on Christmas Day, on the bodyof a woman named Ellen Buckly, who lived at Tangmangaroo. It was considered necessary to hold apost mortem examination, and for that purpose the inquest was anjouned till ten o'clock the followingday, when Thomas Best deposed : Am a farmer at Tangmangaroo; know the deceased; her name was EllenBuckley ; on Saturday last she was lying on the sofa all day; she had been drinking; on Sunday shecomplained of being ill and she wanted me to give her some liquor, but I would not ; she said she wasswelling; I was pressed afterwards, by a person Maurice Laughane, to give her some ; I gave herabout half a glass ; when she went away I went down to the orchard to pull some cherries, and when Icame back: she was sitting under the verandah; I told her it was time she was getting up to make tea,as it was getting late ; she said she was so much swelled she could not get up, and when she did risethe blood bursted from her ; she asked me to throw some water on her, which I did ; I then got her to riseup on the chair, and she said "I'm done ;" those are the last words she spoke ; she died immediatelyafter that.
Daniel McGregor deposed : I am a labourer ; I was in Mr. Best's employ and left him on the 33rd;I was only one day in his service ; I came on Saturday, and the accident happened on Sunday ; whenI left Best's place about seven in the evening I left Mrs. Buckley in the kitchen, and went from that tothe garden ; in about two minutes after I heard screams; I looked up towards the house and I sawthis man kicking her. I saw him kicking her under the verandah ; after the noise stopped ; I heard nomore screaming ; the second eldest girl came down for some water with the buckets, and I asked herwhat was the matter with her mother ; she madeno answer —she could not ! the third eldest girlcame down for some water and I asked her the same question ; she said she did not know, as she hadbeen after the pigs ; on account of the girls giving me no answer I jumped over the fence and went upto the house to see what was the matter ; I went into the kitchen ; as I was going I saw Mr Best in asitting position : when he saw me he said '' You are looking;" I said "l am;" I then rushed towardsthe room and I got her in my arms, with that the girl called Sophia ran in, caught her mother by thecheek, and kissed her, saying " Father, you have killed my mother :" he then rushed to the girland caught her by the hair of the head and ill treated her ; the woman died in my arms.Sophia Jane Best, a girl thirteen years of age, after giving satisfactory answers as to the nature, ofan oath, was sworn, and deposed : I am daughter of Mr. Best and the deceased ; I remember on lastSunday ; I do not know how my mother died ; I was at a neighbour's house ; she called me in as she waslying on the bed and said give me your hand, I am going to die ; I went to the neighbour's house afterthat. She said nothing more to me after that ; she was not drunk on that day or the day before ; shewas bad ; I did not hear my father or mother quarrelling on the Saturday or Sunday ; I came backfrom the neighbour's place just as my mother was dying; the witness McGregor was just going intothe room as I got home ; I saw some blood on the floor; when I went into the room I kissed mymother, and said to my father "You have killed my mother;" he beat me because, he said, I wasspeaking an untruth ; it was because I saw some blood on the floor that I told my father he had killedmy mother.
Dr. O'Connor deposed : I am a duly qualified medical practioner ; made a post-mortem examination on
the body of deceased, Ellen Buckley, yesterday, the 25th instant; there was an abrasion on thetop of the nose; there were two small discolorations, one in front of the left thigh, about two inches belowthe groin, and one on the other side of the same thigh, about the same-distance from the groin; therewas also one on the front of the right shiu; on open ing the body, the bowels and stomach were quiteempty; the woman had been suffering from diarrhoea; the liver was very much diseased ; on opening thewomb, I found a foetus about five or six months old ; there were signs of profuse hemorrhage having takenplace; the walls of the heart were very thin and quite flabby ; it was quite empty ; the lungs were sound,and so was the brain ; I believe the woman died of uterine hemorrhage ; a kick leaving only a mark,given in the stomach to a woman in her state it would have caused the hemorrhage ; Ido not think a kick could have been given without causing a discoloration.
Daniel McGregor, recalled by Mr. Hassett : The deceased, Mrs Buckley, had her clothes on as usualwhen she was screaming, and when I saw her on the verandah.
Dr. O'Connor, recalled by Mr. Hassett : a woman having her full clothes on, and to be in a stoopingposition, might receive a slight kick in the stomach or womb without leaving any marks of discoloration,and yet cause hemorrhage.
This concluded the evidence, and the jury retired for a few minutes, and brought in the followingverdict :— " That the deceased, Ellen Buckley, died on the 23rd December, from hemorrhage, broughton by kicks received from Thomas Best ; we there fore say he is guilty of murder." The Coroner thencommitted him to stand his trial at the next Circuit Court to be held in Goulburn.
Prisoner applied for bail, but the Coroner told him he would have to apply to the judges for it.The prisoner was then removed to the gaol.19686 — Yass Courier.