Henry Wells
foundHeadstones
ca. 1858 — 22 May 1861
Henry Wells (29A)
Headstone
A fragment of Henry Wells' headstone discovered in a Toowong Cemetery Archaeological Dig in 2014.
- Erected: North Brisbane Burial Grounds. After 22 May 1861
- Moved to: North Brisbane Burial Grounds, Reserved Area. ca. 1914. Recorded as Henry Wells
- Demolished and disposed of in: Toowong Cemetery, Portion 29A. ca. 1930
- Discovered: Toowong Cemetery, Portion 29A near Section 72. ca. May 2014
Inscription
In memory of
Henry Wells
…
… 1861
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Death registration: Henry Wells
Death date: 22/05/1861
Mother's name: -
Father/parent's name: -
Registration details: 1861/B/629
DEATHS.
HERBERT.—On the 25th April, Henry Arthur, son of A. O. Herbert, aged 3 years and 2 months.
Inquest.—An inquest was held at the Freemason's Hotel, yesterday, before the Coroner, Dr. Cannan, on the body of Henry Wells alias Smith, who died suddenly at his residence in Charlotte-street on the previous day. Some interest is attached to this case as it is the melancholy denouement of an elopement that made a noise in more than one of the Australian colonies about four months since. From the evidence it appeared that the deceased had resided for some twenty years in Tasmania, where he was well-known as a coach driver and proprietor. He had a wife and family and some property at a place called Deloraine where he resided previous to his departure. About the time mentioned above he eloped with the wife of his employer, a publican named Spearman, and as the woman had also a family, the duped husband was much enraged and took energetic steps to have the pair apprehended. It appears that they went from Launceston to Melbourne and thence to Sydney, where the deceased had been apprehended on suspicion, but allowed bail, which he evaded and came on to Brisbane in the company of Mrs. Spearman and opened the lodging-house where he died. Up to Saturday last he was in his usual health, when he complained of a cold and in conversations held with several of the witnesses, he expressed fears of being apprehended by a detective he had heard had been sent after him to Rockhampton ; regretted the disgrace he had brought on his children ; and fretted for the position in which he had placed the partner of his wrong. On Sunday and Monday he continued to complain, and on Tuesday, after returning from the yard, he spoke to Mrs. Spearman, fell down on a sofa and died without a struggle. The medical evidence of Dr. Bell who had made a post mortem examination of the body was to the effect, that the immediate cause of deceased's death was disease of the heart, assisted by enlargement of the liver and obstruction of the respiration from the adhesion of the pleura ; and the verdict of the jury was that the deceased died from disease of the heart accelerated by nervous excitement.