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WARNING
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are warned that this record contains graphic content and may cause distress.
It may include descriptions of violence, racist and offensive language, sexual assault and references to people who have died.
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Enquiry holden this twenty second day of October 1875 touching the death of one Daniel Collins when the following particulars were disclosed
William Sharp being duly sworn states my name is William Sharp. I am a miner at present. Reside on the Right Hand Branch of Palmer River. About ten o clock on the morning of Tuesday the 19th I heard cries and upon rushing to the spot from where they came found the man named Dan Collins being brought to the bank. I saw the marks of eight spear wounds on his body all in the back with the exception of one or two which were in the right arm. I attended on him together with others. Early in the morning of Wednesday between the hours of two and three the deceased desired to be lifted up. When I did lift him his head immediately fell back with rattles in his throat. Previous to his death the deceased dictated to me his Will stating that he wished his mate "Mick" at present residing at First Gold Creek to receive all his personal effects
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consisting of two horses there packs and Wade said Will being witnessed by three persons there present.
The effects of deceased are at present in the possession of Edmund Uhr Butcher.
There was no money found in his possession.
[signed] W Sharpe ----- Ti** Jansen being duly sworn states my name is Ti** Jansen. I am a storekeeper and at present reside on teh Right Hand Branch of Palmer River.
On Tuesday morning the 19th instant Mrs Nolan came running over to me when I was cleaning out my store and said there is a man singing our murder the Blacks must have speared some body. I asked her where it was in which direction. She shewed me up on the track towards Cooktown.
I then went in and got my firearms and ran up on the tracks. There I seen the man with a bit of spears in him. In fact[?] I think he was lying on the ground close to the track with the spears all in his back. I saw the tracks of teh blacks about fifteen yards from where the man lay
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I saw two spears pulled out of his body and then went with a black boy towards the main river to try to see the Blacks but could not see them. Then returned to camp.
The deceased was a man of an average height not very stout had light hair from thirty five to forty years old.
I heard him say his name was Dan Collins.
I saw his body just before it was buried.
[signed] Timm Jansen
Taken and sworn before me this twenty second day of October 1875 [signed] J'o MacRussell JP
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CERTIFICATE OF PARTICULARS
I HEREBY certify that on the Twenty second day of October 1875, I held Inquest of death at Uhrstown Right Hand Branch in the Police District of Palmer Gold Field and that the following particulars were then disclosed:-
Name of deceased: Daniel Collins
Profession or calling: Miner
Height, color of hair, peculiar clothing, and any other means of identify: average height not very stout light hair 35 to 40 years old
Where found and when: oon track to Byerstown on the 19th
Date of Death: twentieth
Supposed cause of death: Homicide by Aborigines
Persons last seen in company of deceased and name of suspected person: Aborigines
Accused: Aborigies
Names residences, and callings of witnesses: William Sharpe, miner, Uhrstown Timm Jansen Storekeeper Uhrstown
Suspicious circumstances:
[Signature] J'o MacRussell JP