1917 ROBERT ELLIS killed by a falling branch at the Poling Booth | Bimbi | New South Wales Australia

BIMBI FATALITY.
THE INQUEST.
Mr. J. Taylor (Coroner) held an
inquest at Bimbi touching the death
of Robert Ellis.
Ann Ellis deposed that she was a
married woman, and resided at Bim-
bi; had viewed the body the subject
of that inquiry and identified it as
that of her late husband, Robert Ellis,
she last saw him alive on Saturday,
the 15th inst, but was not speaking to
him; they had lived apart for about
eight or nine years, and for the last
five years she had had a maintenance
order against him, and had been in
receipt of a weekly allowance; de-
ceased had no fixed place of abode for
some years past, but had lived among
his relations and friends; he was
owner of a farm of 143 acres at Eur-
oka, but as far as she knew, had no
other property or income; she did
not know whether he was insured; de-
ceased was born at Campbelltown,
and was 72 years of age, she had no
personal knowledge of how he came
to his death; she was informed of it,
and the body was afterwards brought
to her house.
George Coleman deposed that he
was a sharefarmer residing at Eurab-
ba; had viewed the dead body, the
subject of that inquiry, at Mrs. Ellis's
house that morning, and identified it
as that of Robert Ellis, his father-in-
law; deceased had been at witness'
place for about three weeks; last
saw him alive about 7 o'clock that
morining; he left witness's place at
that time by himself, driving a sulky;
he said he was going to Bimbi to
vote, and would be back for dinner;
he was then in his usual state of
health and quite sober; and did not
have any grog with him; was after-
wards informed that he had been pick-
ed up on the road between witness's
place and Bimbi, dead.
Richard Causer, labourer, residing
at Bimbi, deposed: That morning he
was coming along the road from Bal-
abla to Bimbi, and near the cemetery
he found deceased, Robert Ellis, whom
he had known for 40 years, lying on
the ground, but with the feet up on
the sulky. The horse was in the
shafts of the sulky which was held by
a tree, which apparently had fallen
on the sulky as it passed under the
tree was lying across the seat of the
sulky just where anyone would be
sitting when driving; the skull of
deceased was very badly smashed;
and he was quite dead when he found
him; it was he thought, about 9
o'clock that morning when he found
him; he took the horse out of the
sulky and tied it to a tree, and came
in and reported the matter to the pol-
ice; from what he saw he had no
doubt whatever that deceased had
met his death by the tree falling as he
was passing.
First Cluss Constable Grimes, sta-
tioned at Bimbi, deposed: That morn-
ing at about 9.30 Mr. Richard Causer
reported to him that there was a man
killed between Bimbi and the cem-
etery, and he believed it to be Rob-
ert Ellis; he reported the matter to
the Coroner, and went out with Mr.
Causer, and Mr. Millard; about two
miles from Bimbi on the Morangorell
road he saw deceased lying with
his head and shoulders on the ground,
and his feet were up on the back
part of the sulky; he noticed where
a fairly large tree had fallen; and
one of the main limbs was resting
between the side of the sulky and
the seat, and would have struck
anyone sitting on the driving side;
from the appearance of the sulky he
would say deceased was on his way
to Bimbi; made an examination of the
body and found that the skull was
very much smashed; particularly on
the right side; 'searched the body
and found four £1 notes and six shil-
lings in silver (produced); he took
charge of the body and conveyed it
to the house of deceased's wife.
Dr. Ercole, medical practitioner,
residing at Grenfell, and Government
Medical Officer, deposed to having ex-
amined the body the subject of that
inquiry, and which he was informed
was that of Robert Ellis; found the
skull completely smashed, portion of
the brains being missing. The wounds
were so frightful that death must
have occurred instantly, and they
were quite consistent with being caus-
ed by the fall of a tree on deceased.
A finding of accidental death was
recorded.-"Record."
Mr. John Cassin, of Young, has al-
so been notified of the death of one
of his sons at the front. The de-
ceased's mother resides at Redfern,
where he enlisted.
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