| Comment | Committed suicide at Tablederry, Mt Cornish Station.
[Extract] – THE Commissioner of Police has received a telegram from Sub inspector Ahearn, dated Muttaburra, 18th May, stating that Robert James Salisbury, driver in charge of Leslie Bros and Dickson’s cattle, bound for New South Wales, committed suicide yesterday in a most determined manner by cutting his throat with a blunt knife. Over anxiety and dread of losses are alleged to have preyed upon his mind. An inquiry is being held.
[Source – Cite: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4495401 – The Brisbane Courier – Wednesday 19 May 1886 – Page 6 of 8]
Morning Bulletin Saturday 22 May 1886
WITH reference to the death of Mr. Salisbury, near Muttaburra, referred to in a recent issue of this journal, we learn that it occurred under circumstances of a somewhat unusual character among colonial youths, but which must excite universal sympathy for his parents and friends.
Writing upon the subject Mr. James Leslie, of the firm of Messrs. Dickson and Leslie Bros., gives the following account of the occurrence :- I started him (Robert Salisbury) with a draft of 500 fat cattle for the southern markets in New South Wales, and when I started with him on Sunday last he was in the best of spirits. Two of my men from the station (along with other men) were with him, seeing him past Muttaburra. It appears after I left he got very despondent, and felt that he was not competent to undertake the droving of the 500 cattle. The responsibility appeared too great, and yesterday morning (14th May) at daylight he imagined a lot of the cattle had got off the camp, and this preyed on his mind very much. He went to look round for them, and not returning a search was made for him, and his dead body found little more than a quarter of a mile from the camp. The sad news reached me late yesterday, and I rode in from our station, Lerida, last night. I sympathise with you very much, and although your son has met such an untimely end, I must say that he has been in our employ for a long time, and we had a sincere regard for him. We always found him an honest, straightforward, good hearted fellow, and no one regrets his sad death more than the members of our firm. The responsibility unhinged his mind, and no doubt for the time he was temporarily Insane.”
Mr. Robert Salisbury was the son of Mr. R. J. Salisbury, Bedourie, Duaringa. Robert was a young man of many amidable qualities, and left home about two years ago to gain experience among strangers. His death under the circumstances narrated above will evoke very general sympathy for his relatives.
[Source: No title. (1886, May 22). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 5. Retrieved November 19, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52049236]
|
|---|
