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- [S48] Ancestry.co.uk, User dianeralston45.
- [S2796] Empire (Sydney), Wed 12 Nov 1873 PrevissueNext issue.
FATAL FIGHT AT THE PATERSON.—Last
Friday, the coroner, Mr. T. W. Pearse, held an inquiry at the
Court-house, Paterson, into the circumstances attending the
death ot Edward Kealy, who had been killed in a fight with
one Albert Widders on the evening before. Albert Widders
was present, during the inquiry, in custody. The particulars
of the occurrence are detailed in the following evidence,
which was taken : Joseph Patfield, having be sworn,
deposed; I reside at the Paterson, and am a labourer. I have
known the deceased Edwary Kealy for the past ten or twelve
years. I went to the Plough Inn last evening, about half-past
six; when I came there I found the man Widders. There
were three others, two of whom I do not know, and Peter
Kellner, and the deceased Kealy. When I came up these
five persons were coming out of the bar door. When
I came up first I heard the man Widders say to Kealy,
"Well, old man, I am as strong as you," or "stronger," I
cannot say which. Then Kealy (the deceased) began to pull
his waistcoat off, and said that he would let him see that he
was not. Then the deceased squared up in front of Widders,
and Widders said that he would not fight, and with that the
deceased hit Widders on the nose. Widders pulled off his
coat, and they fought, and Widders knocked the deceased
down and hit him when he was down. Then the landlord
Smith ran and took Widders away. Kealy, the deceased, got
up and said, "I have had enough of it, and I want no more,"
and that he would give Widders in best man. With that
Widders told deceased to hold up his hands, that as he had
oommenced it he would give him a bellyful of it, and Wid-
ders then called deceased a — and a dog. Deceased after
this walked up to Widders two or three times, and held out
his hands as though he would make it up. Widders said
he would make him fight. Kealy then shaped, and
they fought another round. Widders at this time knocked
Kealy down, and Kealy got up and said that he would give
in best man, that he had enough of it ; and then Widders
walked up to deceased and made a blow with his left hand,
but I don't think he hit him. Kealy then made a wheel
away, and Widders made another blow and caught Kealy
on the left side. Widders then walked away, and as he was
doing so, he said that he did not know what they wanted
to keep such rubbish about the place for. The blow given
to Kealy by Widders made him stagger, and Kealy tried to
walk forward a little, but instead of walking, he staggered
and fell. Mr. Smith and another man came and picked him
up. Kealy was then insensible, and never spoke after. Wil-
liam Brims was there, and he wae encouraging Widders in his
fight with Kealy, and saying, "Go into him, Albert ; that is the
way to give it to him." By the jury : Kealy was so drunk
that he could scarcely walk about. Widders had the appear-
ance of drink on him. From the first to the second fight
would be about five minutes. I don't think Kealy was try-
ing to get away from Widders, only he was drunk and wanted
to make it up. Kealy was not abusive at all, only Widders
was, after receiving the first blow, eager to fight. Widders
knew that Kealy was desirous of making it up. Kealy was
not able to stand or fight. By the Police : When the last and
fatal blow was struck, Kealy was not in a fighting attitude ;
his hands were thrown up. Smith and myself ran to Wid-
ders, after he had knocked the deceased down the first time,
and shouted that we would have no cowardly
work. I could hear a noise in the bar
before I came up, but do not know what was passing.—
James Wells, being sworn, stated : I am senior-constable in
the police force stationed at Paterson. About seven o'clock
last evening, Edmond Duggan came to the court-house and
reported that a half-caste had struck Mr. Edward Kealy, and
that he thought hs was dying, and that he was going for the
doctor. I went at once to the Plough Inn and saw the people
in great confusion. I saw Albert Widders at the door. He
met me, and said that he could not help it, that the man was
dead, and that he had been teasing him all the evening and
would not leave him alone (this was in the room where
they play at puff and dart)—that he had been teas-
ing him—that Kealy had driven him out of the
room into the bar. He then said that in the
bar they had caught hold of one another's hands, and were
trying their strength. Kealy fell, and then they went out-
side, and he struck Widders on the nose. "I then stripped
off to fight, and knocked Kealy down twice," he said. On the
third time he told Kealy that he would not have it all his own
way. He then struck him in the side, and Kealy fell again.
He complained much of Kealy putting his hands in his face,
and challenging him. Hearing other statements of the affair,
I went in the back room, and saw the deceased lying dead. I
opened his shirt, and found a mark on his left breast. There
were two other marks about the back and chest. —Robert
James Pierce, having been duly sworn, deposed : I am a
legally qualified medical practitioner, residing at West Mait-
land. I have seen the body of deceased, and made a post
mortem examination thereon. On examining the body
externally, I found it to be that of a well-built and healthily-
developed man, apparently forty-five years of age. The only
external mark of violence I found was a bruise or contusion on
the front of the abdomen, towards the left side. The mark
'was irregular in shape, and about four inches in circum-
ference. On examining the spleen, I found it was
ruptured. There was a rent or tear about an inch
and a half long on the upper surface. Through
that rent the blood had escaped. At the
lower margin of the spleen the rent was completely through
the whole substance of the organ. The spleen is a very
vascular organ, and when wounded pours out a large quantity
of blood. A violent blow on the left side of the stomach,
given by a strong man with full force, would be sufficient to
cause a rupture or laceration of the spleen. I am of opinion
that the immediate cause of death was rupture of the spleen.
The jury retired, and after deliberating for three or four
hours, returned the following verdict: "We, the jury
empanelled, consider that Edward Kealy came by his
death by the hands of Albert Widders. Our finding against
Albert Widders is that he be guilty of manslaughter : thus
far we are unanimous. Two of our number consider William
Brims guilty of aiding and abetting ; ten being against find-
ing him guilty of aiding and abetting." Widders was then
committed for trial.
- [S2813] SRNSW, http://api.records.nsw.gov.au/items/171924.
Edward Kealy Date of death 6 November 1873, Granted on 23 December 1873
Item number:
Series 2-423
Date range:
unknown
Descriptive note:
Edward Kealy Date of death 6 November 1873, Granted on
23 December 1873
Access direction:
359
Availability:
Available
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