Tuesday 3 November 1891

DIED at Windsor, Fort Beaufort on the 31st October 1891, Edith Kate, wife of James Maurice HOWE, and only daughter of Stephen and Helen JOHNSON.

ILLNESS OF MR. J. COLLING
We are sorry to find that a report has been circulated throughout the Colony of the death of Mr. Jabez COLLING of Uitenhage. The report is untrue, and may have caused pain to those concerned. Mr. COLLING is, however, very seriously ill, from cancer.

Thursday 5 November 1891

DIED on 2nd November 1891 from injuries received by a fall from a horse at Wynberg, Ernest Edwin JONES, Attorney of Supreme Court.

JUDGE JONES’S BROTHER KILLED
We regret to learn from the Cape Argus of a fatal accident which befell Mr. Ernest Edwin JONES, attorney and notary in the office of Messrs. FAIRBRIDGE and ARDERNE. Mr. JONES, who lives at Rondebosch, was riding out Contantia way on a hired horse, and it is said was seen sitting upright in the saddle, with the reins lying on the horse’s neck. Shortly afterwards Mr. JONES was found lying on the road insensible, having apparently fallen off. He was picked up, taken to the camp at Wynberg, and subsequently to the Cottage Hospital at that place. It was found that he was suffering from a severe cut at the back of the head, and that in addition he had sustained concussion of the brain. The unfortunate gentleman, who was a brother of Mr. Justice JONES, only lived 36 hours after the accident. We tender ourt sincere sympathy with the relations in this town.

MUNIFICENT LEGACIES
The will (dated 29th January 1890), of John TROLLIP and Martha TROLLIP of Daggaboer, was filed on October 23rd 1891, appointing Edward METCALF (of Cradock) and Louis Henry TROLLIP as executors. The testators bequeath £700 to the Committee of Management of the Albany General Hospital, £300 to the trustees of the Wesleyan Society at Cradock; £1,000 to the Wesleyan High School, Grahamstown; £500 to Sophia Usher ULYATE; and to Martha COLLETT the farm Knapsackfontein. The remainder of the estate, consisting principally of farm properties, is to be left to the relatives of the testators.

Saturday 7 November 1891

SUFFOCATED
The Start relates that a curious case of suffocation occurred on Wednesday, at a farm belonging to Thomas OTTO, a few miles from Johannesburg. Two children were left playing near a wagon, and in the evening, on their mother going out to call them in, the children could not be found. For about three hours a search was conducted, until one of the party happening to open the wagon-box found the missing children inside, quite dead. It is supposed they hid in the box for a lark, and that the cover must have fastened of itself.

Tuesday 10 November 1891

DIED on Monday the 9th inst, John McNAMARA, aged 62 years.
The widow and children beg to thank Dr. FLIGG, Bishop RICARDS and his Clergy, for their attention and sympathetic help.
Requiescat in Pace

OBITUARY
We have to record the death of Mr. John McNAMARA, an old and much respected citizen of Grahamstown. For some years he had been farming near Riebeck, but died at his cottage in Somerset-street, surrounded by all his family and numerous friends. We tender his widow and children our sincerest sympathy. The funeral takes place today.

SAD AND FATAL ACCIDENT AT WYNBERG
Mr. GRIER, Chief Inspector of Public Works, was here a few days ago and was on the point of proceeding to the Kowie on his annual inspection when he received a telegram informing him of his daughter’s death by accident, and he immediately returned home. It seems that the accident occurred in the course of a drive which the two daughters were taking. They were accompanied by the nurse and a boy, who acted as driver. On the road the cart was pulled up and the boy and the elder of the two children got out and commenced gathering flowers, leaving in the cart he nurse and the other child, Mary Dorothy GRIER. Presently the little one in the cart saw a flower by the roadside which took her fancy, and she attempted to climb out of the cart for the purpose of gathering it. In doing so she caught her foot in the reins, tripped up and fell head downwards on the outside of the cart, where she remained suspended by her feet. The jerk on the reins caused the horse – a quiet, steady animal as a rule – to take fright. The child remained suspended, and every stride of the startled animal battered the head of the poor little one against the wheel of the cart with such terrible violence that death must have been caused in a very few moments. The jerking of the body on the reins caused the runaway animal to proceed some distance before it was stopped, and this was not done until it had crashed half-way through a fence. The other little girl immediately ran to Alphen for assistance, which soon arrived, and the mutilated body of the little creature was tenderly carried to Mr. CLOETE’s residence, where Dr. REITZ happened to be at the time. A glance told him that medical aid was of no avail, indeed the body was so disfigured as to be almost unrecognisable. The family are (says the Cape Times) almost prostrated with grief at the sad occurrence. The child was the youngest daughter, a pretty little girl only seven years of age, and the pet of the household. Universal sympathy has been expressed in the district with the bereaved parents, and we would add our own sincere condolence.

Thursday 12 November 1891

THE FORT BEAUFORT SCANDAL
It will probably be no news to many of our readers that a grave scandal has arisen at Fort Beaufort, and that Dr. LUNAN of that town has been arrested and charged with the murder of the late Mrs. HOWE’s child. The preliminary examination took place on Tuesday, where the evidence was taken of Dr. [DYNECK] (District Surgeon), a nurse named Mrs. MEADE, a young girl employed at the hotel where Mrs. HOWE stopped, and a native woman. The result was that the R.M. (Mr. E.B. CHALMERS) committed Dr. LUNAN for trial, the accused reserving his defence. The case for the Crown, as far as we can learn, is that after inducing premature labour for Mrs. HOWE he caused the death of the child by placing it and leaving it in a vessel containing a few quarts of water. The nurse and girl expressed their opinion on oath that the child had been born alive, but the District Surgeon testified that having exhumed the body and applied the hydrostatic test, the lungs failed to float, as they should have done if the child had breathed. He added however that it was possible it might have breathed, as a certain amount of decomposition would prevent the lungs floating. Thus the case against Dr. LUNAN does not at present appear to be very strong.
His defence has not been made known, but it is believed that it will be to the effect that Mrs. HOWE (who was a daughter of Mr. S. JOHNSON M.L.A.) was attended at the Hotel by Dr. LUNAN and found to be suffering from acute inflammation of the bowels. It is said that the Dr. LUNAN, after consulting with Dr. [PRINGLE], found that the operation already alluded to was the only chance of saving the patient’s life, and that the operation was accordingly performed with her father’s consent. It will probably be stated that the movements of the child were [pretty irregular] and that it would have been [.....ly] impossible for the child to have existed for [?] hours in the vessel of water, as alleged by the Crown witnesses....[the rest of the report is too faint to read].

Saturday 14 November 1891

BIRTH at Grahamstown on the 10th Nov, the wife of Archibald BEADLE of a son.

DIED at Grahamstown on Friday 13th Nov., Agnes Louisa BEADLE (born GREEN) aged 33 years and 6 months, the beloved wife of Archibald BEADLE.
The Funeral of the late Mrs. A. BEADLE will move from the residence, Beaufort-street, this Saturday afternoon at 5 o’clock. Friends invited.

SAD DEATH
With sincere regret we have to record the death of Mrs. Archibald BEADLE, which occurred yesterday, three days after the birth of her little son. The deceased lady, who was before marriage a Miss GREEN, was only 33 years old, and during her illness had endured a large amount of acute suffering with exemplary and Christian fortitude. She was much esteemed for her many good qualities, and the sympathies of a large section of the community will be with Mr. BEADLE in his bereavement. The funeral takes place at 5 this afternoon.

Tuesday 17 November 1891

FELL ASLEEP IN JESUS, at Grahamstown, on the 27th October, John Edward DAVIES, aged 64 years and 9 months. Deeply regretted.
We shall miss him, oh so sadly,
Bleeding hearts alone can tell;
Earth has lost him, heaven has gained him,
Jesus doeth all things well.
Mrs. DAVIES and Family desires to acknowledge with gratitude the great kindness of the gentleman of the Committee for help in their great time of need, also to the Good Templar Lodges, and the many friends for their kind sympathy in time of trouble.

Saturday 21 November 1891

DIED at Hull, England on the 20th October, the Rev. Martin JUBB, Wesleyan Minister, in the 82nd year of his age, after a ministry of 53 years.

Tuesday 24 November 1891

DIED at Grahamstown on the 21st November 1891, Thomas TODD (Accountant Standard Bank), formerly of Hitchin, Herts, England, aged 25 years.

DEATH OF “MAJUBA” WOOD
The Gold Fields News records the death, under very lamentable circumstances, of poor old John Dow WOOD – best known as “Majuba” WOOD – whose body, or what remained of it, was found in the bush close to the hut he was living in, six miles from Beira. It is supposed that the poor fellow died of fever, and that wild beats dragged his body out into the bush and devoured his flesh from his bones. Deceased joined in the early rush to Barberton, but eighteen months ago he went to the Rand, and subsequently to Mashonaland.