Saturday 2 January 1897

KILLED BY LIGHTNING
The friends of Henry BUBB, trooper in the R.M. Police, have received a telegram from the Commissioner of Police, Bulawayo, stating that BUBB was killed by lightning on Nov 27th, at night while sleeping in his hut at Rixon’s Post in Inseza District. The loss is a very sad one. The deceased was only twenty three years of age and wrote some three months ago stating that he hoped to spend this Christmas in Uitenhage with his parents.

Tuesday 5 January 1897

BITTEN BY A SNAKE - CROFT’S TINCTURE AGAIN
Mr. J.A. [HAYTON] of Port Alfred had a most unpleasant experience on Saturday afternoon last about 6 o’clock. He went into his cellar to get some grain for his horse, and on putting his hand into the sack something caught hold of it and he felt a sharp pain. At first he thought it was a rat trap but on drawing his hand out he found a snake about a yard long hanging to it. He dashed it to the ground and tried to suck the wound, but in this he was not very successful. He ran to a neighbour’s where a gentleman tied a string round the finger and Mr. C.J. DELL very kindly sucked the wound to draw out the poison. The wound was also scarified with a knife and Croft’s Tincture applied outwardly and inwardly. Revenge was the next thought, and an adjournment was made to the cellar, where by the aid of a charge of shot the reptile was killed. The snake was either a cobra or a boomslang and the marks of the teeth were half an inch apart. The finger at present feels quite dead and numbed, and the arm very queer, but prompt attention and Croft’s Tincture did the business.

Thursday 7 January 1897

E.P. Guardian Co.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS & DEBTORS
In the Estate of the late Herman Crichton BELL of Grahamstown
All Persons having Claims against the abovenamed Estate are hereby called upon to lodge them with the second undersigned within six weeks from the date hereof; and those indebted thereto are required to pay the amounts due by them at the same place and within the same period.
H.A. BELL
A.R. SHAND, Sec.
Excrs.Dative
Grahamstown
6th January 1897

DIED at Salem on the 29th December 1896, Jessie, dearly beloved wife of G.H. HILL, of Melville, aged 28 years; deeply regretted.
It was Thy will, oh Father
That laid Thy servant low.

Saturday 9 January 1897

BIRTH at Fairholme, Oatlands, Jan 8th, the wife of Tilney E. PADDON of a daughter.

DIED at the residence of Mr. D. LAIRD, African Street, on Friday January 8th 1897, John McDOUGALL of Kareiga Mouth, aged 51 years.
We desire to sincerely thank Dr. GRANT, and Mr. and Mrs. LAIRD, for their extreme kindness and attention to the above during his long and painful illness.
The McDOUGALL Family

DEATH OF MR. McDOUGALL
The great bell of St.George’s Cathedral gave solemn notice of the sad death of Mr. John McDOUGALL yesterday afternoon, who has been for some time ill in town. Mr. McDOUGALL was a well known and progressive farmer near Kareiga, in this district, and one who will be much missed. We tender our sincere sympathy to the bereaved family.

Thursday 14 January 1897

MATRIMONIAL
A Gentleman of quiet tastes and retiring disposition wishes to correspond with a view to marriage with a Lady of refinement, possessing the accomplishments which the poorer classes have not the means to acquire. Substantial income imperative.
M.H.
Journal Office.

DEATH OF MR. NORTON
The death is announced of Mr. Edward NORTON, who, for thirty years past, has been a respected resident of Fort Beaufort. He was 72 years of age.

DEATH OF MISS HERTZOG
Miss HERTZOG, who died last week at Capetown, was a lady of great wealth, which she employed in charitable work in connection with the D.R. Church, particularly the Hertzog Zaal or Mission House and adjacent buildings in Buitenkant St. The deceased lady (says the Cape Times) never spent anything on herself. Severely plain in her habits, she lived more like a nun, denying herself all pleasures, luxuries and comforts, and even when these were[offered] to her she would not accept them, as she said she was not accustomed to more than a slice of bread and a glass of water. She was very gentle in her habits and manners, courting privacy and avoiding publicity, and was a marvellously good business woman.

ACCIDENT TO HON. A. WILMOT
We regret to report that the Hon. Alex. WILMOT M.L.C. has met with an accident at Johannesburg, by which he has broken his right arm. He was hurrying to catch a train on a dark, rainy night, when he stumbled and fell on his arm. A good doctor was soon provided and it is hoped he will soon have the full use of the arm again as usual. He is getting on as well as can be expected and hopes to be able to travel down, reaching here about the 18th.

Saturday 16 January 1897

SAD CATASTROPHE
The Express hears from [Pet.....] (district Fauresmith) on 6th January:
Everything looked gay and cheerful on New Year’s morning after the rain, but the day was not to pass unclouded. On the farm [N...gedacht], about two hours from town, belonging to the widow of the late Barend VAN NIEKERK, an accident occurred which has cast a gloom over the entire neighbourhood. In the afternoon Miss Bella DE BEER and Miss Johanna VAN NIEKERK went to bathe in a dam, Catherine VAN NIEKERK looking on. It was [clear] that Johanna, who could not swim, was out of her depth and in distress and Miss DE BEER tried to save her [illegible......] the drowning girl clutched her by the hand she had to drag herself loose to save her own life. When Catherine saw her sister [illegible] she dashed in without [understanding], disregarding Miss DE BEER’s [cries] of warning as to the [illegible] of the attempt. Alas but [illegible] devotion was in vain and the sisters in death, [not divided], sank for the last time. The Misses VAN NIEKERK were fine, healthy, [spirited] girls. Only those who have had [similar] bereavement can [illegible] the anguish of the widowed mother. The bodies were recovered and the funeral took place on Sunday afternoon. The ceremony was most affecting and the large attendance showed the profound sympathy that was felt.

Tuesday 19 January 1897

A FATAL ACCIDENT
On the farm [Diemersdahl], near to Durbanville, the eldest son of Mr. Jan DREYER [illegible] lost his life on December 30th. He was attending to a threshing engine when his foot caught in the machinery and was torn and crushed. A doctor was immediately sent for and on his arrival he amputated the leg, but the unfortunate young man succumbed at four a.m. the next day.

Saturday 23 January 1897

FATAL ACCIDENT
An accident which terminated fatally occurred at Braamfontein to a young man named SOLOMON, employed as a delivery van driver. He left Mr. MICHEL’s establishment with a vanload of bread, drawn by one horse. Whilst driving he accidentally dropped one of the reins and the horse was seen taking an erratic course through the street at a high rate of speed. The occupant of the van was thrown between the spokes of one of the wheels, and dragged some distance. On being picked up he was found to be in an unconscious state and died soon afterwards.

Tuesday 26 January 1896

FATAL SNAKE BITE
A sad affair is reported from the [Caledon] district. A young lady named [Miss GAIN] was jumping over a [stone ....] to pluck [illegible] at The Oaks, a farm belonging to Mr. P. BREDENKAMP, when she trod upon a cobra. The reptile bit her just above the ankle and she died within an hour.

KILLED WHILST AT PLAY
A sad accident occurred in Maritzburg on Tuesday, by which the three year old son of Mr. and Mrs. W.L. GRANTHAM lost his life. The child and an elder brother were left playing in the garden in charge of a native servant but the latter in the absence of his [......chatted amongst his own.....]. The children [left] by themselves climbed upon the roof of the [....house], from which the younger one fell to the ground and was instantaneously killed. Three doctors were called in but nothing could of curse be done.

JOHANNESBURG
Monday. A man named W.J. THOMAS fell down a shaft of the Glen Deep Mine yesterday and was killed.

HENNING PRETORIUS DEAD
A Transvaal Commandant
The Body Sent to Pretoria for Full Military Funeral
A telegram was received her yesterday afternoon from Carlisle Bridge to the effect that Commandant Henning P.N. PRETORIUS of the Transvaal Force died at 4pm yesterday at the residence of his relative, Mr. WESSELS, [H...den], in this district. Mr. A. WILL, the well-known undertaker, at once sent out his light spring wagon and the body will arrive here this afternoon. A special track has been engaged for the coffin, which will be sent to Pretoria, where a full military funeral will, we believe, be held on Friday next. The deceased died from sub acute Bright’s disease as a primary cause and, as a secondary, bronchitis and pneumonia. He had only been ill for 3 weeks and 10 days. The late Commandant and his brother were here at School, at St.Andrew’s College, we are informed, when his father was President of the Zuid Afrikaan Republique [sic].

Thursday 28 January 1897

BIRTH at Lansdowne Lodge, Grahamstown, on January 25th, the wife of Mr. R. Restell STOCKS of a daughter.

TWO SAD SUICIDES – REVOLVER AND DYNAMITE
Two sad suicides are reported from the [M.....] by the News. One took place on Saturday when Mr. Seymour GRANT-DALTON of Twist Kraal, district of Middelburg, with Mr. Archie BLAINE and [illegible] engaged [illegible line...] At about [?:30] Mr.BLAINE, as it appears in the evidence at the inquest, committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a revolver. He was found by the chambermaid lying on the floor in a pool of blood. He was only twenty years of age and had come to the Colony to get an insight into Colonial farming. He was an only son. The bullet mark is visible in the ceiling of the room which it perforated, and the bullet went through his mouth and the back of his head.
At Naauwpoort on Tuesday Mr. ELSWORTH, a storekeeper, committed suicide in the most [terrible] manner with a charge of dynamite.

Saturday 30 January 1897

DIED at Grahamstown on Saturday 30th January, Madge, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert LAWRANCE.

SAD BEREAVEMENT
We sympathise most sincerely with Mr. and Mrs. A. LAWRANCE in the severe loss they have sustained by the sudden death of their little girl. She was alive and well ten minutes before her death, but a blood vessel was ruptured in some way, and she died in a few minutes from total loss of blood.

THE SUICIDE OF MR. ELSWORTH – BLEW HIMSELF UP
Further details with regard to the suicide at Naauwpoort are to be had:
At Naauwpoort a shocking suicide occurred on Tuesday. Mr. F.P. ELSWORTH, hotel and storekeeper here, and well known in Cradock, has been for some time past in an unsettled frame of mind, arising, it is feared, from pecuniary troubles, and on different occasions had threatened to take his life. On Tuesday afternoon he kissed his wife and children, wishing them goodbye. Not much notice was taken of this, as he had [done] several times previously. The unfortunate man then went into the building used once as a butcher’s shop, placed a dynamite cartridge in the left hand pocket of his waistcoat (just over his heart), attached a detonator and fuse and coolly set the latter alight. The result of the explosion was awful to behold, and we will draw a veil over grief of the widow and children, with whom much sympathy is felt. The deceased was a man of many and varied parts, and although eccentric at times, was of a kindly and charitable disposition – in fact his good nature has often been imposed upon by designing persons.
Midland News.