The death of Alexander Scott

Alexander Scott was less than a year old when his parents (Peter and Isabella Scott), and three siblings, migrated from Scotland to Victoria. Two more siblings joined the family at their new farm at Purnim in the Western District. No details of Alexander’s life survive before 13 August 1866, which is also when he died aged fifteen.

An inquest was held two days later by Dr William Harrington, district coroner, and a jury of twelve men (including Alexander’s father, Peter). After deliberating the evidence of several witnesses, they determined the cause of death as ‘a gunshot wound accidentally received whilst out Kangaroo shooting’ in Framlingham Forest. The news was circulated in local and Melbourne dailies where it appeared under the banner headline of ‘Shocking and fatal accident’.

Examination of James Whittet, Purnim:

I am living on a farm with my brother [i.e. Thomas Whittet] – I know the deceased Alexander Scott – I live about a mile from his fathers house – About three o’clock on the evening of the 13th Inst the deceased and I went out to shoot Kangaroo – We went about three miles from home when we commenced to shoot at some trees to try who was the best shot – we fired two shots each up to this time we did not fire at a Kangaroo then we turned homewards – on our way home we saw a Kangaroo and the deceased fired at him one barrel – he then got up on a log to reload the barrel he fired off – Whilst he was loading the but of the gun slipped off the log – the cock of the other barrel struck against the log and the charge went off – he cried out to me saying Jimmy I am shot – I asked him if he was much hurt – he said it was eternity. I laid him on the ground on his back and stopped with him till I thought he was dead, he lived about two minutes – When I found he was dead I went to Cavanaghs public house about one mile off and reported the circumstances – Mr Cavanagh sent word to the deceased’s father – I waited till Mr Scott came it was then dark and no search was made for the body till morning – when we went to look for the body we had some difficulty in finding it as I was not well acquainted with the locality – after three hours search we found it when his father had the body conveyed home – the gun was loaded with double B shot[.]

Examination of John Allen, Purnim:

I am a labourer and reside at Purnim – On the morning of the 14th inst. I went with Mr Scott the father of the deceased, in search of the body – We searched about the forest for some time before we found it – I parted from the others and in a short time I found it lying on its face and hands on the ground – the gun was standing by a log closely – the body did not show any signs of violence – it appeared as if asleep – I called to the others when they came up – I stayed with the body till they brought a cart and I came home with it – one of his dogs was with him[.]

Examination of William Harrington:

I am a legally qualified practitioner residing at Warrnambool – On Wednesday the fifteenth day of August I made by direction of the Coroner for the Warrnambool district a post mortem examination of the body of Alexander Scott. The body was lying on the floor in a room of his father’s house at Purnim and was dressed in his usual clothes. On partially removing his clothes I saw the intestines protruding from a wound in the front of the abdomen. The shirt of deceased had three circular holes in it which corresponded with the part of the abdomen from which the intestines protruded and the trousers of the deceased were torn in front in a place corresponding with the wound – on returning the protruded intestines I discerned a circular wound of about an inch in diameter situated in the abdomen an inch above the Pubis, and in the middle line of the body, the [caps] of the wound were inverted and it had all the appearance of a gun shot wound. On enlarging the wound and examining the contents of the abdomen I found that the small intestines were wounded in many places, that a number of small shit similar to those I now produce were lodged in the intestines that a coil of the small intestines had been completely cut across in the direction of the wound in the abdomen. The abdomen contained a large quantity of fluid blood, the direction of the wound through the abdomen was from the torso backwards and inching slightly to the right side of the body and was caused by a charge of small shot fired close to the body. From the marks in the clothes and the direction of the wound I am of opinion that the deceased must have had the gun before and below him at the time it was discharged – I believe death was caused by shock the combined result of [haemorrhaging] and the gun shot wound described.

References

‘Shocking and fatal accident’, Age (Melbourne), 20 August 1866, p. 6.

‘Shocking and fatal accident’, Hamilton spectator and Grange district advertiser, 22 August 1866, p. 3.

‘Shocking and fatal accident’, Leader (Melbourne), 25 August 1866, p. 16.

Inquest into death of Alexander Scott, 1866/751, unit 177, VPRS 24/P0000, Public Record Office Victoria.