THE COUNTRY POST. Richmond, (Tasmania) 27 April 1829
A coroner’s inquest sat yesterday on the body of one of the native Aborigines, who died in the gaol at this place on Thursday morning last. The jury returned a verdict of – Died by the visitation of God.
One of the jury strenuously endeavoured to establish a charge of the man’s death having been occasioned by the want of sufficient nourishment, and Dr. Garrett, hearing after the jury had given their verdict that a feeling of censure had in consequence gone abroad upon the conduct of the keeper of the gaol not having afforded the man sufficient attention and food, judged; it necessary to suspend the interment until this morning, when on again opening the body and proceeding further than he had before done in his examination, he opened the chest and discovered the lungs to be in a very diseased state, arising from an old spear wound which had penetrated the chest, and which was the actual cause of his death.
First printed in the The Hobart Courier, Vol. II No. 81, Saturday 2 May 1829.
With thanks to Dr Ian Broinowski for directing us to this item.
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