[alert_red]Russell is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_red]
Info from Charlie Dag. on 24 November 2014
AKA ?
Late of Coffs Harbour, NSW
NSW Goulburn Police Academy Class # 259
New South Wales Police Force
Regd. # 29664
Rank: Commenced at Goulburn Police Academy on Monday 22 August 1994
Probationary Constable – Friday 17 February 1995
?
Final Rank: ?
Stations: Ermington, Granville until 1999 then transferred to Coffs Harbour – GDs & OSG
Service: From 22 August 1994 to 17 January 2000 = 5+ years Service
Awards: No Find on Australian Honours
Born: Wednesday 24 April 1974
Died Monday 17 January 2000
Age: 25 yrs 8 mths
Cause: Illness – Suicide – Hanging
Event location: Home
Event date: Monday 17 January 2000
Funeral date: ?
Funeral location: ?
Wake location: ?
Funeral Parlour: ?
Buried at: Dawson River Cemetery, ( off Lansdowne Rd Taree ), Cundletown, NSW
Grave location: Portion: Flower Garden, Row 1, In the flower garden in the roundabout at the end of the road in (Dawson River Cemetery Road)
Ryan is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance
Ryan was due to commence day shift at Coffs Harbour Police Station on the 17 January 2000 but was late for his shift.
His house mate, another Policeman, was at Coffs Harbour waiting for Ryan to relieve him from his night shift. His mate phoned Ryan to ask why he was late and Ryan told him that he was leaving now and would be at the station shortly.
When Ryan failed to turn up half hour after the conversation, his house mate went home to ascertain what the problem was, only to find Ryan had hung himself in the garage.
Ryan was 25 years of age.
May he forever Rest In Peace.
Member of Police Academy Class 227
Regd. # 23807
Rank: Probationary Constable – appointed 26 June 1987
Constable – appointed 26 June 1988
Detective Senior Constable – Death
Stations: Petersham ( 1987 ) – 11 Division, Annandale Police Station
Service: From Pre June 1987 to 15 June 1995 = 8+ years Service
Awards: ? Nil
Born: 11 April 1963
Died on: 15 June 1995
Cause: Suicide – jumped from 7th floor
Event location: Camperdown, NSW
Age: 32
Funeral date: ?
Funeral location:
Buried at: Cremated at Rookwood
At 4.15pm on 15 June, 1995 the senior constable fell to his death from a building in Glebe. He was off duty and on sick leave at the time. It was later determined that he was suffering from work related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression and anxiety as a result of his policing experiences.
The senior constable was born in 1963 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 26 June, 1987.
This member IS mentioned on the National Police Memorial Wall.
| About this Item | |
| Speakers | Gallacher The Hon Michael |
| Business | Adjournment, Condolence |
DEATH OF DETECTIVE CONSTABLE PETER McGRATH
The Hon. M. J. GALLACHER [4.49]: I bring to the attention of all honourable members yet another example of bureaucracy gone wrong. On 17 August 1992 Detective Constable Peter McGrath attended the scene of an armed robbery in progress at the Associazione Polysportiva Italo-Australiana club, the APIA club. Offenders were present and were armed. They had taken eight hostages and were in the process of collecting $60,000 from the armed robbery when the police arrived. It was a classic stand-off situation, with the offenders and police pointing loaded firearms at each other. The cool head of this officer and his partner resulted in both offenders eventually giving up. On 26 November 1992 Detective McGrath together with another officer whilst off duty were viciously attacked by approximately 12 males, resulting in serious injury to Detective McGrath’s companion and grave psychological illness to himself.
During the course of Detective McGrath’s duty he attended a domestic situation in which a mother and her de facto partner had placed a baby into a bath of boiling water before picking the skin off the baby and putting it to bed. The baby died a few months afterwards. Detective McGrath had to attend the post mortem. At the time of the trial of the offenders the detective’s wife had given birth to a son. In May 1993, as a result of the assault in November 1992, Detective McGrath began to show signs of depression, which were accepted by the Police Service as illness related to the course of his duty. His doctor supplied information to the Police Service regarding his illness and it was accepted that he had been hurt on duty.
By June 1995 Detective McGrath’s psychological condition had deteriorated. He believed that he was being followed by personnel from the Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service. He believed that he was going to be set up by police in relation to a crime. On 15 June 1995 he went to work at Annandale with the purpose of resigning. Detective McGrath’s supervisor realised that he was suffering from depression, talked him out of handing in his resignation and sent him home on annual leave. Later that afternoon Detective McGrath told his wife that he was going to resign. He left his home but instead of attending the police station he went to a high-rise block of flats in Camperdown and jumped to his death.
Contrary to rumours, Detective McGrath was not the subject of any royal commission inquiry, and I am in possession of correspondence to that effect from Mr Michael Finnane, QC, who represents the Police Service at the royal commission. Detective McGrath’s integrity is not in question. The Police Service and the people of New South Wales can ill afford to lose police of the calibre of Detective McGrath. I resigned from the Police Service and within three weeks received my superannuation payment. Detective McGrath died on 15 June 1995 but his wife did not receive his superannuation payment until August 1996 – 14 months after his death. On 26 June 1996 she received a letter from the Police Service telling her that his death was not as a result of his police work.
Detective McGrath has left a wife and two children, Kata aged four and David who is now two. His wife must go it alone without any support from the Police Service. I have written to the Commissioner of Police in regard to the appalling treatment that this woman has received and I look forward to hearing from him that the decision made earlier this year will be reversed. On 19 September 1996 Mrs McGrath personally filed an application for determination with the Compensation Court of New South Wales to challenge the decision of the Police Service so that she might be entitled to a pension. She has to pay for those proceedings herself. The money that Mrs McGrath is using is money from the family, money that would be better used for the children.
I do not believe that this case has been accorded the credit to which it is certainly entitled. The Commissioner of Police must immediately reinvestigate this matter to ensure that Mrs McGrath is treated justly. It is important that all wives and husbands and all children whose fathers and mothers work for the Police Service know that if they are unfortunate enough to lose their loved ones they will be protected. Psychological illness does not disbar an officer from consideration for compensation from the Police Service. I firmly believe that this matter is one that deserves just consideration and I hope that the Commissioner of Police accords it such consideration expeditiously.
Motion agreed to.
House adjourned at 4.53 p.m. until Tuesday, 29 October 1996, at 2.30 p.m.
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LC19961024053
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/holding-judgement/2007/06/08/1181089328815.html?page=fullpage
It took up 451 hearing days, heard from 902 public witnesses and cost an estimated $64 million. Malcolm Brown reports on the Wood royal commission, 10 years on.
It began on June 15, 1995, when an unnamed Annandale detective jumped to his death from the seventh floor of a building, apparently through fear of the Wood royal commission. The detective’s suicide was followed by those of Ray Jenkins, a dog trainer (July 10), and Inspector Robert Tait, the acting patrol commander at Narrabri ( March 29, 1996 ). Nineteen days later a former Wollongong alderman, Brian Tobin, gassed himself.
On May 8 the same year, Peter Foretic gassed himself the day after giving evidence about pedophilia. On September 23, Detective Senior Constable Wayne Johnson shot himself and his estranged wife after being adversely named in the royal commission. On November 4, David Yeldham, a retired judge about to face the royal commission on questions of sexual impropriety, killed himself. A month later Danny Caines, a plumber and police confidant, committed suicide at Forster, on the North Coast.
Altogether, 12 people enmeshed in the Wood royal commission took their own lives. Scores of others were so profoundly affected by proceedings that their supporters and families believe it shortened their lives. A former detective, Greg Jensen, suffered a recurrence of the stomach cancer that ultimately ended his life, while another former detective, Ray McDougall, who faced the threat that commission investigators might expose his extramarital affair if he did not co-operate, succumbed to motor neurone disease.
There is no doubt that the Royal Commission into the NSW Police Service, headed by the Supreme Court judge James Wood, purged the force of a rollcall of rotters. A total of 284 police officers were adversely named, 46 briefs of evidence were sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions and by 2001 nine officers had pleaded guilty to corruption offences and three not guilty. Seven police officers received jail sentences, including the former Gosford drug squad chief Wayne Eade and a former chief of detectives, Graham “Chook” Fowler.
Several high-profile police ended their careers in disgrace, including Ray Donaldson, an assistant commissioner, whose contract was not renewed, and Bob Lysaught, the commissioner’s chief of staff, whose contract was torn up. Charges against 14 officers were dismissed because of irregularities in search warrants and their execution.
That left the question of what to do with police who were on the nose but who could not be brought to account by normal means. The solution was the creation of section 181B of the Police Service Act, under which the police commissioner could dismiss an officer on the basis of what had come out of the royal commission. Section 181D allowed the police commissioner to serve an officer with a notice indicating that he “does not have confidence in the police officer’s suitability to continue as a police officer”. The officer could show cause as to why he should be retained, and if dismissed could appeal to the Industrial Relations Tribunal.
Another former policeman, Dr Michael Kennedy, says the commission was a political response to the police commissioner, Tony Lauer, bringing about the downfall of the then police minister, Ted Pickering.
The attorney-general, ministry and judiciary took little responsibility for the state of the force, Kennedy says, while the responsibility of the police rank-and-file grew to “the size of a Pacific driftnet”. “I don’t think the royal commission contributed anything to the reform process except to provide a template for double standards,” he says.
JOHN HATTON well remembers the audience on May 11, 1994, when he made his speech calling for a royal commission into the NSW Police Service. MPs were listening, of course, but it was a gallery above him, packed with the “top brass of the police force – the commissioner himself, the deputy commissioner, superintendents – they were an intimidating force on the Parliament”.
“They thought they could stare down the Labor Party support for my motion,” Hatton, now retired, says. “It was probably the best indicator of the way in which the police force thought they could control the agenda.”
Hatton won the day, putting paid to a claim by then police commissioner, Tony Lauer, that “systemic corruption” was “a figment of the political imagination”. Hearings started on November 24, 1994, and Justice James Wood delivered his final report on August 26, 1997.
Ten years later, Hatton believes he was vindicated. He says Wood was “the right man” to head the commission and the recruitment of interstate police was crucial, along with the decision to use phone taps and surveillance.
The 11 volumes of material Hatton gave the royal commission had been accumulated over 14 years, he says, from the time he had first spoken up. He had received information on illegal gambling, drug trafficking and police involvement with the mafia.
There had been earlier moves to address police corruption, including inquiries by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, but these had only scratched the surface. “I can remember on one occasion I reported a death threat which had to do with the McKay murder in Griffith and 48 hours later the bloke who had given the information was threatened by a shotgun at his door in Queensland,” Hatton says.
The royal commission came into being because Hatton and other independent MPs held the balance of power in Parliament. The Labor Party may have had high public motives, but also saw a chance to attack the Fahey government. Labor stipulated that an inquiry into police protection of pedophiles, previously in the hands of the ICAC, become part of the royal commission.
The process of gathering information was helped greatly by Trevor Haken, a detective who became an informer and covert investigator as part of a deal to avoid being prosecuted himself.
Hatton says Haken‘s entry was “out of the blue”. Though useful, in the long term it had had a detrimental effect on the fight against corruption. Living in fear and watching his back, Haken had provided “the greatest disincentive for someone coming forward to finger corruption in the system”.
Malcolm Brown
Rank: Probationary Constable – appointed 28 May 1982
Constable 1st Class – appointed 28 May 1987
Detectives Training Course 28/ 20 May – 28 June 1991
Senior Constable – level 9 upon Resignation
“possibly” Acting Detective Sergeant – Resigned
After resignation ( due to PTSD ) Scott was a Ranger with Liverpool Council until his death
Stations: Campbelltown ( 1980’s ), Camden,
Bulga, Fraud Squad, Child Mistreatment Unit
Service: From ? February 1982 to ? ? 1996 = 13 years Service
Awards: No find on It’s An Honour
Illness: – PTSD – Suicide – carbon monoxide gassing in vehicle
Born: 4 April 1959
Died: 14 November 1996
Age: 37 old
Funeral: Leppington Lawn Cemetery
Funeral date: ? ? ?
Buried at: Cremated & Resting in the Fountain Garden, Nicholson plot,
Location: Beside Cafe Pagona Area
Section: Gazebo 3 bed 3
Lot:
Lat/Lng: -33.95538, 150.83279
I was once a Policeman,
I served you for years,
I saw so much pain,
It reduced me to tears.
I saved many lives,
Did the best I could do,
I served with distinction,
All to protect you.
Year after year,
Without self regard,
I lived for the job,
No matter how hard.
The toll it was taking,
Eventually broke through,
My brain now was broken,
I did not know what to do.
I keep telling myself,
It will get better in time,
Just keep pushing yourself,
All will be fine.
But it did not get better,
It only got worse,
The trauma I suffered,
Became my own curse.
It brought to an end,
The job that I live,
I can’t do this anymore,
No more I could give.
The pain did not stop,
In fact it just grew,
The demons took over,
I did not know what to do.
I was empty inside,
Lost and in pain,
I tried to fight on,
But I could no longer remain.
The trauma had won,
I saw no other way,
So I took my own life,
On a cool summer day.
It was because of Policing,
You all know it’s true,
It destroyed who I was,
From the things I went through.
The trauma of death,
Seen hundreds of times,
The witnessing of evil,
The wickedest of crimes.
Yet now I’m forgotten,
By the job I died for,
Even though I gave my all,
After everything I saw.
If I had died on duty,
Answering the same call,
You would all see my name,
My name on the wall.
I was still on duty,
I just could not let go,
I was still a Policeman,
My brain made it so…..
Written 12.2.15.
[alert_red]Scott is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_red] * BUT SHOULD BE
SCOTT ( as of 2017 ) IS mentioned on the NSW Police Wall of Remembrance
SCOTT ( as of March 2019 ) IS NOT mentioned on the NATIONAL Police Wall of Remembrance – Canberra * BUT SHOULD BE
Congratulations to those family members who fought the fight to right this wrong.
Commissioner Scipione has telephoned each of us today to advise that our loved ones names are being added to the replacement NSW Police Force Wall of Remembrance, to be unveiled in the next few weeks.
We would like to thank everyone who has offered support over a long and difficult journey and truly hope this sets a precedent for all police departments, not only in Australia but the global policing community.
It is so very important to remember that policing can and often does have a detrimental effect on those who serve.
We believe that the inclusion of suicide deaths, stemming from a work related psychological injury, is the most compassionate way of showing that the police hierarchy truly cares.
The following names will be added:
Detective Sergeant Ashley Bryant
Sergeant Tom Galvin
Senior Constable Scott Nicholson
Constable Morgan Hill
Scott was a member of the New South Wales Police Force for 13 years and, suffering from the effects of PTSD ( Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ) took his own life on the 14 November 1996 by gassing himself in a car and leaving behind two children, aged 6 & 9 ( at the time ) and a wife.
Scott worked at various stations such as Campbelltown in the 1980’s, Camden and the One Man station at Bulga before leaving the Police Force and gaining employment as a Ranger with Liverpool Council.
PLEASE EVERYONE I ASK THAT YOU TAKE THE TIME OUT OF YOUR LIVES TO READ MY STORY. I’M LISA NICHOLSON AND MY FATHER WAS SCOTT NICHOLSON.
PLEASE JUST READ LIKE AND SHARE!!!!!!!!
[blockquote]Hi my name’s Lisa Nicholson and my father is Scott Nicholson. They say we are one big police family and we look after our own yet they don’t even care to see the damage there doing. My dad suicided when I was just 6 years old he was my world my life my everything. The day he died my world fell apart and the older I got the harder it hit me. I suffered and battled countless years of depression, I was raped and beat as a child and teenager and I had the balls to follow this through with court. But, tragically, all of this led to many suicide attempts.
Thankfully my dad had my back though I actually believed the world was so awful and painful that I belonged with my dad. I had a very hard time seeing other officers thinking that’s my dad he is as good a officer as you, yet why is he not remembered!??
He was so proud to be an officer and truly lived through his work right to the end! The end that the line of work he did helped drive him too!!! He worked his ass off to get the respect and acknowledgement that he gained and I’ve always been so proud to say that my daddy was a police officer!! Yet here these ass wipes are claiming that everything my father worked for his whole life everything he believed in and followed isn’t recognised. They claim that we’re one big family and in truth it has felt like that thanks to police legacy but then there’s the fact that I’ve got to, every single day, deal with the emotional grief that I will never see my daddy again and then there’s the fact that the man I love so much and am so proud to say he was an officer will never meet my daughter and my daughter will never meet her grandfather and that, in itself, has me pretty low but on top of all that these guys wanna destroy me; even more, give me no choice and take whatever is left in me to fight to have my daddy’s name on the police Remembrance wall; a wall that all our fallen officers are on, all except the ones who took things into there own hands. We’re one big family yet not only has their line of work taken my father and my daughters grandfather but they wanna take everything that I’ve left because they won’t respect what they’d say “one of our own” my dad deserves that respect and so do so many others and again they say we’re one big family but can they even see that their own choices, actions are killing us even more!!!!
I know I’m not the only one but I can only speak on behalf of myself. I wanna know why?? my daddy, the man that the only image I can recall is of him in his uniform, the man who tragically lost his life, the man who they claim death is not tragic enough to be remembered. Why??? I wanna know why?? my dad’s dead the same as officers who’ve died in the line of duty. Dead not coming back; he died from the pain and suffering from his job and they die in the line of duty but they’re telling me my dad’s death isn’t good enough or tragic enough.
No wonder half the population have lost faith in these guys. I will continue to support and stand tall and for as long as I can with everyone else and I won’t ever stop speaking out.
Your secret is no longer!
He will be remembered.
Thank you for reading my story. Please like and share this around. The more this gets around the more I hope will get in their face and finally remember all our lost men and women.
[/blockquote]
Rank: Commenced training at Goulburn Academy on 29 June 1987 ( aged 24 years, 8 months, 4 days )
Probationary Constable – appointed 18 September 1987 ( aged 24 years, 11 months, 13 days )
Constable – appointed ? ? ?
Senior Constable – appointed ? ? ?
Final Rank: Senior Constable
Stations: Petersham ( late 1980s ), Gladesville, Ryde, Zetland Police Rescue Squad, Pennant Hills GDs & Rescue Squad
Born: Friday 5 October 1962
Died: Tuesday 17 August 2004
Cause: Illness – Suicide possibly due to departmental ‘ proceedings ‘
Age: 41 years, 10 months, 12 days
Funeral date: 25 August 2004
Buried in Vaughan Catholic Lawn Cemetery,
Grave location: Row 1A, Grave 0084,
Freeman Ave, Macquarie Park, Nth Ryde.
David is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance
It is believed that David was subject of a departmental ‘ proceeding ‘ and that he may have been on long term sick report.
It is understood that he committed suicide by hanging himself inside the family garage.
May he forever Rest In Peace
Grave location ( Row 1A )
[alert_red]Nigel is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_red]
DETECTIVES have taken more than 100 statements as part of an investigation into an officer’s suicide.
The wife of veteran traffic officer Nigel Atkins has alleged workplace bullying was a factor in her husband’s death.
Sgt Atkins’ is one of four police suicides — three of which involve bullying allegations — which are the subject of an inquiry by the Coroner.
Sylvia Atkins has been told her husband’s death is the subject of an active Victoria Police investigation being directed by a steering committee chaired by Deputy Commissioner Tim Cartwright. The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, WorkSafe and the force’s professional standards command will oversee the probe.
Investigators have taken 120 statements from colleagues and others as part of the probe into Sgt Atkins’ death on March 7 this year.
Mrs Atkins said his troubles began in 2007 when he received an email from a senior officer over his booking of a motorist who was aggrieved at getting a number of vehicle infringements.
The officer, who knew the man charged, questioned whether it was necessary to give him a “hamburger” (charges amounting to “the lot”).
Mrs Atkins said this led to friction with the superior when he stood his ground in a reply.
“Nigel took great umbrage to that. Nigel treated everyone equally,” Mrs Atkins said.
She said there was further trouble the next year when he was the subject of “scurrilous” allegations of misconduct by three colleagues. Sgt Atkins was later exonerated, but he was relieved of his officer-in-charge responsibilities at the traffic unit.
“How humiliating. It was against the principle of natural justice,” Mrs Atkins said.
Mrs Atkins said her husband had said his preparedness to book colleagues for speeding made him a target.
She said he told her of becoming the subject of nasty pranks around the station.
A police pursuit which was the subject of internal scrutiny dogged Sgt Atkins in his final months.
His gold class licence was removed after a review of the chase found he had failed to undertake risk assessments, did not communicate having driven at 160km/h in an 80km/h zone, failed to provide ongoing and adequate information during the pursuit, may have continued travelling at high speed after the pursuit was terminated and that he did not support the force’s pursuit and urgent duty driving policy.
Sgt Atkins agreed in response there were things that could have been done better but that he had conducted the pursuit safely and made the “sound and definitive” decision to terminate it.
A police statement said: “Victoria Police take all allegations of bullying seriously and conduct a thorough investigation into any complaint.”
POLICING was a huge part of Sgt Nigel Atkins’ life.
A treasured photograph shows him shaking the hand of respected former Chief Commissioner Mick Miller on the day of his graduation in 1978.
He started off on foot patrols and worked his way through a vast range of the force’s roles.
But his most recent years were spent as a road traffic cop, succeeding in reducing road trauma rates in the areas in which he was put in charge.
Commendations and letters of appreciation from his superiors and community groups were among his prized possessions.
His wife Sylvia speaks with pain and pride when she tells of the things she would never forget about her husband.
“I will always be proud of his leadership, loyalty and dedication to Victoria Police,” she said.
“More importantly, because he did it with great strength and honour.
“He was a great protector. My best friend.” Mrs Atkins said it was her husband’s aim to reach 40 years of service.
Despite having his problems in recent years, he was always eager to get to work, often turning up hours early to prepare.
“It was his second family. Sometimes, you’d think it was his first family,” she said.
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP, CONTACT LIFELINE ON 13 11 14.
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– See more at: http://tributes.heraldsun.com.au/notice/28872018
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aka Bull
( late of Captains Flat )
New South Wales Police Force
Regd. # ?????
Rank: Constable
Stations: Sutherland L.A.C. ( Menai & Sutherland ) – 1996 – 1998
Awards: ?
Service: From ? to 14 September 1998 = ? years Service
Born: Wednesday 5 November 1975
Died: Monday 14 September 1998
Age: 22 years, 10 months, 9 days
Event date: 14 September 1998 at Darkes Forest ( Illawarra Highlands )
Cause: Illness – Depression – Suicide by Service revolver
Event location: Darkes Forest ( Illawarra Highlands )
Funeral date: Friday 19 September 1998
Funeral location: Anglican Church, Sutherland
Grave location: Cremated
Ashley is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance
Ashley HARDIN, aka Bull, died as the result of a gun shot wound to the head with his service revolver.
He committed suicide as a result of how Police management treated him in relation to a 181D ( show cause why his employment should not be terminated ).
The NSW Police Commissioner at the time was Peter Ryan.
14 September 2015:
Ray Lambie: Gosh it is bad today! I went to Sutherland in 1998 & I was a team leader there. Bull was on my team and had suffered a malicious complaint arising from a domestic dispute that had occurred prior to his entry to the academy. Every time the domestic dispute was re visited a complaint was lodged with NSWPOL. He was cleared to enter the job, cleared whilst in the job on a number of occasions. In 1998 when the domestic complaint was raised again PIAB decided to give Bull a 181D ostensibly to make him do the work to get out of the complaint merry go round. He was suspended. He one day came in and took his service revolver to Darks Forest and committed suicide. On the day of his funeral I returned to the Sutherland Police Station and submitted my resignation. An absolute disgrace.
The South Australian Advertiser
Tuesday 2 December 1862 page 3 of 4
VICTORIA. Monday. December 1. Bank holiday to-day.
Freeman, Superintendent of Police, committed suicide on Saturday, at Geelong. Nothing doing.
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Border Watch ( Mount Gambier, S.A. )
Wednesday 5 July 1876 page 2 of 4
Melbourne, July 4
A man named James Kedhame, formerly a sergeant of police, committed suicide in the botanic reserve. He took poison.
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Evening News ( Sydney ) Thursday 21 June 1917 page 4 of 8
POLICE SERGEANT’S SUICIDE.
At the City Coroner’s Court, an inquest was held by Mr. Hawkins, City Coroner, ? the death of Dan Travers, 48, a police sergeant, who lived in Catherine-street, Leichhardt.
Evidence was given that Travers ? over some trouble in the Police ? and was also suffering from the ? received while arresting a man ? was stationed at Balmain, was ? paddock off Austenham-road, Leichhardt ? Friday last, with a bullet wound in ? and a revolver by his side.
A verdict of suicide was returned.
The above article was faded and hard to read – resulting in the question marks in relation to words now being readable.
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Daily Advertiser ( Wagga Wagga ) Friday 22 June 1917 page 3 of 4
POLICE SERGEANT’S SUICIDE.
SYDNEY. Thursday.
At the inquest concerning the death of Police Sergeant Dan Travers, who was found shot with a rifle in the right temple, his widow stated that up to the time of his death he had been off duty over trouble in the Police Department. He was worried over the inquiry connected with it. He also suffered from an injury received through a man he was arresting some time ago kicking him.
A verdict of suicide was returned
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Evening News ( Sydney ) Wednesday 20 April 1904 page 3 of 8
THE GLEBE SENSATION. — – —
BOSWOOD BEFORE THE COURT.
IS HE INSANE ?
On the evening of March 15, Alfred Grosvenor Boswood visited the residence of Thomas Joseph Hargraves, a carpenter, residing in Lodge street, Forest Lodge, and asked for his wife, who was staying there. Mrs. Hargraves opened the door, and Boswood attempted to strike her.
She screamed, and Mr. Hargraves ran to his wife’s assistance, and Boswood attacked him with a knife. A struggle ensued, during which Hargraves was stabbed in several places. Boswood then went upstairs to his wife’s room, but on hearing him coming she leaped over the balcony, and sustained severe injuries. Boswood then proceeded to the kitchen, and cut his own throat. He was removed to Prince Alfred Hospital, and was an inmate till 12th instant.
At the Glebe Court yesterday, before Mr. C. N. Payten, S.M., Boswood appeared to answer a charge of maliciously wounding Thomas Joseph Hargraves, on March 15.
Mr. J. W. Abigail appeared for accused. Senior-constable Grice deposed that at 6.45 p.m. on 15th of last month he was summoned to No. 15 Lodge-street, Forest Lodge. He entered the back yard, accompanied by Constable Travers, and saw accused with a wound in his throat, and a quantity of blood on his clothing. Travers took Boswood to the hospital. Witness then entered the premises and found in the kitchen the table-knife (produced). There were blood stains on the floor of the kitchen and the passage. Accused remained in the hospital till the 12th instant.
Dr. Vivian Bengafield stated that he examined Hargraves on the evening of the 12th ultimo, at Prince Alfred Hospital, and found an incised wound under his chin about 2½in long, and about half an inch deep. There was also a small wound on the right side of his neck, half an inch in length, and one inch deep. There was a scratch on his breastbone, a superficial wound on his left arm about 3in long, and a small cut on each hand. Accused was suffering from two deep wounds in his throat, one of them going almost to his backbone, just above the windpipe, and the other wound was just above that, and was running along below the jaw. He did not think accused was quite sane at the time he was admitted. It was impossible for him to say if it was due to insanity or intemperance, as Boswood was breathing through the wound. From subsequent observations he would say that accused was insane — even at present.
Mrs. Janet Hargraves stated she was the wife of Thos. Joseph Hargraves, and resided in Lodge street. At about 6.15 p.m. on March 15 there was a knock at the front door. She opened it, and saw Boswood there. He pushed the door, and tried to strike her with a knife. Witness screamed, and ran into the back, and thence to the corner hotel, and sent for the police. She returned, and in her bedroom she saw the accused, who again tried to strike her. She again ran out. When accused came to the door, he said, ‘You have my wife here,’ and before she could reply he tried to strike her.
The story told by Thomas Hargraves was to the effect that on hearing his wife scream he rushed to see what was the matter. Accused was standing in the hall, and when asked what he wanted he made no reply. Witness ordered him out of the house, and Boswood stabbed him on the arm. A long struggle then ensued, during which witness was stabbed in the neck and on the breast. He tried to pull the knife from accused, and finding he could not do so, he endeavoured to break it, but did not succeed. He afterwards called for assistance, as he was bleeding freely, and was beginning to feel faint. He got off the accused, and left him lying on the floor. Witness was afterwards taken to the hospital.
Constable Dan Travers deposed that it was well known to him as a policeman that accused needed watching. He did so, and complaints were made to him about Boswood. He advised Mrs. Boswood to get a warrant out for her husband, and to have him bound over to keep the peace. Witness stated that, in his opinion, accused was what is vulgarly known as ‘ratty‘.” He had heard that the fact that Boswood’s wife had left him preyed on his mind, and he had himself seen him crying about his children. Accused always had a wild lock, and on the night of his arrest he was very peculiar, and was shouting out, and talking in a wild way, until he fainted. On coming to, Boswood’s first words were: “Where is my wife”
This concluded the evidence, and accused was committed for trial. Bail was not applied for. Mr C. N. Payten, S.M., recommended that accused should be placed under medical observation.
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The Sydney Morning Herald Monday 18 June 1917 page 5 of 12
TRAVERS – The Funeral of the late Sergeant DAN TRAVERS, of 37 Catherine-street, Leichhardt, will leave our Mortuary Chapel, 810 George-street, city, THIS DAY, at 9.30am, for Rookwood Cemetery.
WOOD, COFFILL, and COMPANY, Ltd
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TRAVERS. – The Friends of Mrs. TRAVERS and FAMILY, of Catherine-street, Leichhardt, are kindly invited to attend the Funeral of their late HUSBAND and FATHER, Sergeant Dan Travers ; to leave Wood, Coffill’s Funeral Parlours, 810 George-street, THIS DAY, MONDAY, at 9.30, for Rookwood Cemetery.
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Leader ( Orange, NSW ) Wednesday 20 June 1917 page 5 of 6
Police Sergeant Dan Travers, 48, formerly of Leichhardt police district was found dead with a bullet wound to his head, in a paddock off Austenham road, Leichhardt, on Friday afternoon.
The discovery was made by David Miller, of Leichhardt. who also found a six chambered revolver, containing five cartridges and one empty shell near the body.
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POLICE OFFICER COMMITS SUICIDE.
William Thomas, 72 years of age, ex-inspecting superintendent of police, committed suicide at his residence, Elsternwick (Melbourne) early on Thursday morning by shooting himself through the heart with a revolver. Thomas had suffered greatly from heart trouble for some months, and had latterly experienced much pain, and could neither eat nor sleep.
Singleton Argus ( NSW ) Saturday 12 September 1908 page 5 of 7