The Argus at KellyGang 30/4/1879
A FATAL FREAK
[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH]
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT)
WANGARATTA, TUESDAY
A fatal affair happened at Greta yesterday. It is reported that Thomas Lloyd, lately discharged at Beechworth, and John Lloyd, known as "Fat Jack,” were drinking at Mrs O'Brien’s hotel, and were in a jocular way trying who could hit hardest. John invited Tom to try how hard he could hit him, and Tom struck him a violent blow on the chest. John objected that the blow was not hard enough, and invited him to try again, when as Tom drew off for another blow, John fell back, struck his head on something winch frac tured his skull, and died without recovering consciousness. It is reported that Tom made two attempts to drown himself afterwards.
Mr Foster, PM , opened a magisterial inquiry to-day on the body of John Lloyd, at the house of his father, Thomas Lloyd, about five miles from Greta Superintendent Furnell conducted the case. Thomas Lloyd, jun , cousin of deceased, was present in custody.
Mr Jefferson, storekeeper at Mrs O'Brien's, Greta, deposed that he saw the whole affair. Prisoner and deceased were sober, and were skylarking. Deceased stood up to let prisoner make a blow at him. Prisoner struck deceased a violent blow in the chest, which did not knock him down, but after standing a few seconds he fell forward on his face, striking the doorstep, and died in a few minutes. Mr Foster did not consider a post-mortem necessary.
Dr Hutchinson, who had been sent for immediately after the occurrence, deposed that an external examination showed a slight wound over the right eyebrow, produced by the fall, which however, had not caused death. Death, he believed, had resulted from syncope from internal hemorrhage, caused by the blow.
The case was proceeding when this message was dispatched. Prisoner and deceased were both amongst those apprehended as aiders and abettors of the Kellys, and lately discharged at Beechworth.
His Excellency the Marquis of Normanby was formally sworn in as Governor of the colony, at the meeting of the Executive Council yesterday afternoon. The Clerk of the Council read the letters patent passed under the Great Seal constituting the office of Governor and Commander in Chief of the colony of Victoria and its dependencies also the Commission passed under the Royal Sign Manual and Signet, bearing date Windsor, February 22 1879, appointing the Most Honourable the Marquis of Normanby to be Governor and Commander in Chief of the colony and its dependencies. The oaths of allegiance and of office were then administered by his Honour the Chief Justice. A Government Gazette was issued in the evening, containing the Governor's commission and instructions, and also the dormant commission appointing the Chief Justice or the senior judge for the time being of the colony to be administrator of the Government in the event of the death incapacity or absence of the Governor.
Ministers bad under consideration yesterday the case of Mr Edward Monk, of the Wombat Ranges, who has been subjected to persecution by the Kelly sympathisers Ministers recognise the necessity of holding Mr Monk free from loss, and we understand that they will purchase his property, so as to enable him to start business in another district where he will be free from danger, and that the site of his premises will be used for a police station, the situation being a favourable one to serve as a check on the lawless characters of the neighbourhood, and to enable the police to be in proximity to the supposed retreat of the Kelly gang.
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