Tragic Death of Senior Constable Francis Drum
by Leslie Bush
TELEGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE.
Burrangong Argus Saturday January 14th 1882
--------------------------
FATAL ACCIDENT AT MARENGO.
-----------
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT)
Marengo, Friday 9.17a.m.
A fatal accident occurred yesterday morning to Sen.
Constable Drum of Marengo who was collecting the electoral list and crop
returns at Warrangong. When about three miles from Joseph Woodbridge’s, the deceased’s
mare became unmanageable, and his cap falling off, frightened her so that she
bolted and fell over a six-wire fence, throwing her rider, and then falling
upon him. Drum was killed instantly. The corpse was brought on to Marengo in
charge of Constable Thompson this morning and an inquest will be held at 10
o’clock. The funeral takes place this evening. Much sympathy is felt for the
deceased’s widow and six children. Deceased was over twenty years in the force,
and was an able officer and generally esteemed.
---------------------------------
12.30 p.m.
The inquest on Sen. Constable Drum, held before the Coroner
Mr. Robinson, is just concluded. The evidence as to the fatal occurrence, given
by a witness McSpadden, who was with the deceased at the time, is in substance
the same as already telegraphed. The verdict was that the deceased met his
death by a fall from his horse over a wire fence on the 12th inst.,
which caused dislocation of the neck. The
jury appended to their verdict a rider to the effect that the mare ridden by
Drum on the occasion was not a fit animal to be supplied to the Police Force.
The Coroner dispensed with medical evidence as not necessary under the
circumstances, and, also out of respect for the deceased.
------------------------
Southern Argus (Goulburn, NSW
: 1881 - 1885), Tuesday 17 January 1882, page 2
A Senior-constable Killed.
A fatal accident occurred on
Thursday morning to Senior-Constable* Drum of Marengo, who was collecting the electoral list and crop returns at Warrengong. When about three miles from
Joseph Woodbridge's, deceased's mare became unmanageable, and bis cap fulling
off frightened ber no that she bolted and fell over u nix-wire fence, throwing
her rider, and then falling upon him. Drum was killed instantly. The corpse was
brought on to Marengo in charge of constable Thompson on Friday morning:,' and
an inquest held. The verdict was that deceased met Ilia death by a fall from
bis horse over a wire fence on 12th instant, which caused dislocation of tho
neck. The jury appended to their verdict a rider to the effect that the mare ridden by Drum on the occasion was not a fit animal to be supplied to the
polios force. The coroner dispensed with medical evidence as not necessary
under the circumstances, and also out of respect for deceased. Much sympathy is
felt for deceased's widow and six children. Deceased was over twenty years in
the force, and was an able officer, and generally'esteemed.
 |
| Warrangong Station from where Drum left before his accident |
Burrowa News (NSW : 1874 -
1951), Friday 20 January 1882, page 2
INQUEST ON SENIOR-CONSTABLE
DRUM.
The coroner (Mr. S. Robinson) and a jury of five held an
inquest at the dwelling house of the late Senior-constable Drum, Marengo, on
Tuesday, touching the death of that officer. John M'Spadden deposed : I am boundary
rider to Mr. W. B. Suttor ; I know the deceased Senior-constable Drum ; I saw
him yesterday morning ; be called at the station and asked me the road to
Beplate's ; he was collecting the electoral roll ; I went on horseback with him
; we had ridden about three quarters of a mile from Warrangong station ; there
was a storm rising ; Drum said he would turn back ; his horse gave two or three
turns round ; Drum stuck the spurs into the animal ; she made a bound and
de-ceased's hat fell off ; the mare then bolted ; deceased could not hold her ;
after going about 300 yards I saw the mare fall right through a six-wire fence,
on the top of the rider ; I galloped up, and found deceased bleeding copiously
from the mouth and ear; ; he was quite dead ; I then went and reported the
circumstances to the overseer of the station ; Mr. Johnson, I, and my wife,
went to where the body was ; we then took the body to the station ; Mr.
Woodbridge, who is a neighbour, afterwards reported to the police, and the body
was then brought to Marengo, by order of the coroner ; the mare from the start
was restless ; she ap-peared to be a very fiery animal ; I thought she was not
a safe animal to ride ; I brought the mare here from Warrangong this morning ;
she is marked in several places by the wire fence.
Charles Henry Thompson deposed : I am a constable stationed
at Marengo ; Senior-constable Drum was in charge of the Marengo station ; from
information I received 1 went yesterday to Bang Bang, distant from here about
25 miles ; I there saw Constable Drum ; he said he had been sick, but that he
was then all right ;
Mrs. Drum spoke to me on Wednesday night ; she said she had
heard her husband was sick at Bang Bang ; she further requested me to take a
buggy and bring him home ; I and Mr. Connor, inn-keeper, started at 12 o'clock
on Wednes-day night, and got to Bang Bang at 5 on Thursday morning ; Drum was
better, and started to finish the electoral roll at about a quarter past eight
in the morning ; while I was with deceased he had one glass of brandy ; he said
he had a touch of sunstroke on Monday last ; I arrived home about noon
yesterday, and about two hours afterwards news came to me that Drum had been
killed ; I telegraphed to the police, and also to the coroner, and upon the
order of the coroner, I had the body brought home ; he, deceased, left home on
Monday morning : I have been ten weeks here ; I have known Drum for nearly four
years ; I never saw him drunk ; when he started from Bang Bang on Thursday the
mare was very fidgetty, and was prancing about ; I told Drum if the mare was
too much for him that I would ride her and finish taking the roll ; I don't
think the mare is safe to ride ; she is flash and has a bad temper ; I would
not care to ride or have charge of her ; Drum used to say that she required
watching.
 |
| Murringo Police Barracks commenced building in 1879, the Station was closed in 1934 |
Michael O'Connor deposed : I am an innkeeper, residing in
Marengo ; I knew the deceased, Senior-constable Drum ; I have known him on and
off for about twelve years ; on Wednesday evening about 10 o'clock Mrs. Drum
came to my house and said she had heard that her husband was sick at Bang Bang
; she asked me if I would go with my buggy and bring him home ; she said that
Con-stable Thompson would accompany me ; I consented to go ; I started with
Constable Thompson about 12 o'clock, and arrived at Bang Bang at five in the
morning ; when we arrived I saw Drum coming out of the stable ; Drum said,
"Where are you going ?" I did not tell him my object in coming ; he
appeared to have been sick, but not from drink ; I only saw him have one drink
that morning ; the mare Drum rode was very fidgetty ; we after-wards left and
came home ; Drum was a very regular man, and not in the habit of drinking. The
verdict of the jury was that de-ceased met his death by falling from his horse
over a six-wire fence on the 12th instant, which fall dislocated Whis neck. The
jury added a rider to the effect that they were of opinion that the mare was
not a fit animal to be supplied to the police force.
 |
New South Wales, Australia,
Registers of Coroners' Inquests, 1821-1937 for Francis Drum
Registers of Coroners´
Inquests and Magisterial Inquiries, 1880-1886
|
The funeral of Senior-constable Drum took place on the
evening of the inquest, and was followed by a large concourse of people,
vehicles and horsemen. The burial service was read by the Rev. Father Long, of
Burrowa. A public sub-scription is being raised for the purpose of erecting a
memorial stone over the grave of the deceased. There is no doubt that the
primary cause of the accident was the temper of the mare, which appears to have
been very bad. She has passed through several hands and was given up each time
by the possessor as being un-safe to ride. It is said that she killed a man
sometime ago in another district, and was brought over here for the use of an
officer of rank in the service, who de-clined to have her, since which she has
been sent away from place to place with the object of exchanging her. Under
these circumstances it is not creditable to the authorities to allow animals of
this class to be ridden by the police, who, of all men, require horses which
can he kept thoroughly under control. It is to be hoped that the rider to the
verdict will have some effect in the proper quarter. Assuming however, that the
horse had been a quite animal, then the Govern-ment would still be blameable
for per-mitting the use of wire fences without a top rail, at any rate along
public roads. Only a few months back another trooper lost his life over a similar
fence to the one in question. And so the affair as usual, rests, until death
after death at last compels the selfish red taped authorities to move in the
matter. There is a fence of this class on a main road not many miles from
Young, and as a matter of course, it is impossible for man or beast to see it
by night, nor indeed often by day. What is of more common occurence than, for
say a vehicle to run slightly off the track of a bush road on a night, not
necessary dark, and if the fences are not discernible, what guide is there for
a driver. A matter of this kind could be easily regulated by a brief Act, and
would prevent many an accident to life and limb. — Argus (Young.)
 |
| Grave of Senior-Constable Francis Drum - Murringo Cemetery |
In Memory of Francis Drum
Late Senior Constable NSW
Police
Born: 31st March
1838, Ballyconnell, Co. Fermanagh, Ireland
Died: 12th January
1882, near Warrangong Station, Marengo
He leaves behind his loving wife Mary and 6 children
Articles as printed by Newspapers of the day
Comments
Post a Comment