Tuesday July 7, 1863
GENERAL INTELLIGENCE
THE FUNERALof the late R.J. JONES, Esq., took place on the 21st June, and was attended by a very large concourse of people anxious to show their respect for the memory of one of the oldest and most esteemed of their fellow-colonists. The volunteers were also called out to attend the funeral of the deceased gentleman, whose eldest son is the Commandant of the Rifle Corps, and nearly all the members of whose family have been leading supporters of thevolunteering movement throughout.
Tuesday July 14, 1863
TRANSKEIAN INTELLIGENCE
DEATH OF THE PARAMOUNT CHIEFS – FAKU & FUBU (Kaffrarian News Correspondent) The twooldest chiefs in Kaffirland are no longer numbered with the living. FUBU the chief of a tribe of the Amatembus, died a week or two back at the age of about 130 years! No doubt he is well-known to every Colonist. FAKU the Paramount Chief of the Pondo tribe, and also of a ripe age, died the other day. The death of the latter, says our correspondent, will most probably cause a war between the tribes in and about theTerritory of the Transkei that is between the sons of FAKU, DAMAS and ANOKELA, who both claim the successorship to FAKU...
Tuesday July 21, 1863
LOCAL NEWS
SUDDEN DEATH of Mr. MEYEREN, Baker of this town. It appears that Mr MEYEREN was returning from Port Elizabeth, in a cart, on reaching Deep River, by some means, he was thrown out of the cart and received severe injuries, which has since resulted in his death. Deceased was buried on Sunday afternoon last. Great excitement was caused when the report of his death first came into town, in consequence of it being said that he had been killed by Kaffirs.
Tuesday July 28, 1863
DIED at Queenstown on 24th instant – Ethel Amelia, the beloved child of Frederick and Amelia BROWN. Aged nine months.
Tuesday August 25, 1863
BIRTH, at Queenstown, on Saturday 22nd August 1863, the wife of M.W.J. NETTTLETON, of a Son.
Tuesday September 15, 1863
GENERAL INTELLIGENCE
A man named John BRITON, at Simon’s Town, died suddenly a few days ago, with all the symptoms of poisoning by strychnine. His stomach has been forwarded to Mr SCHMIETERLOEW for analysis, but the result is not ye tknown. The man’s wife has been arrested on suspicion; and the acting Clerk of the Peace is now engaged in inquiring into the case and collecting further evidence.
Tuesday September 22, 1863
BIRTH on the 17th instant at the Parsonage, Mrs. F. ST. LEGER of a Daughter.
Tuesday September 29 1863
BIRTH, at the farm “Drummond” near Whittlesea, on the 26th September, 1863,the wife of Mr D.W. McDONALD, of a son.
MURDER WILL OUT. Confession of one of the murderers of Mr Thomas KIDWELL.
Although it has been known for some weeks past that one of the murderers of the late Mr Thomas KIDWELL had given himself up and made a confession, we refrained from giving publicity to the fact in the hope that his accomplices in the murder might have been apprehended before the confession was made public. Now, however, that we see the subject, noticed by some of our contemporary’s, we think that too much publicity cannot be given to the matter in the hope that the other accused parties, READ and SHEPHERD, may be apprehended and brought to justice. It will be in the recollection of many of our readers that four years ago last month as, Mr. KIDWELL was returning from Bedford (whither he had taken his wife to be confined) to his farm, distant only a few hours ride, he was most fouly murdered. Mr KIDWELL left a wife and sixchildren. Suspicion at the time rested entirely on the natives of Bedford, who were known to be very restless. It has now come out that the murder was committed by three Europeans named SHEPHERD, READ, and BADRICK. The latter, after keeping the secret four long years, tormented and worried with nigh unto death, has at last made confession of the crime. We hear that some time prior to his giving himself up he was in continued dread of being apprehended. He had engaged himself to a farmer in this district, who on being told his name was John BADRICK , remarked to him it was a very bad name and he did not like his looks. Leaving shortly after for Queen’s Town the prisoner thought he had gone for assistance to apprehend him, and his feelings were so worked up that he confessed soon after his employers return. He was conveyed to Queen’ Town, the District Surgeon giving it as his opinion that he was not in his right mind, but suffering from Delerims, he was kept quiet and attended to until released form medical aid when he made the statement given below. The prisoner has a most forbidding look as though afraid to enter into conversation, large whiskers, sallow complexion, and sunken eyes as if some deep grief had settled upon him. At Queenstown, this 25th day of Sept. 1863, appeared before me, Charles Duncan GRIFFITH Esq., Resident Magistrate for Queenstown,JohnBADRICK, who after being duly cautioned that he is not obliged to make any statement that may criminate himself, and that what he may say may be used in evidence against him, makes the following statement:-“I have come to surrender myself as being guilty of murder, in having been concerned in the murder of Mr KIDWELL near Bedford, about four years ago. At the time of the murder, I was in Bedford with two other men named “READ” and “SHEPHERD”, we had been drinking togethe rat Mr KITCHEN’s canteen, this was on the same day that Mr KIDWELL was murdered, we all three left Bedford together on the afternoon of that day, and went along the footpath towards Baviaans River, and when we got on to the neck, we all three sat down and had some more brandy to drink, which we had brought with us. Sometime after dark a person came along the footpath on horseback, he spoke to us, and asked us for a light for his pipe, and dismounted from his horse. I think it was SHEPHERD who gave him a light, the other man named READ asked him (KIDWELL) he addressed him by name, if he intended to pay him some money which he owed him. KIDWELL said he was mistaken as he owed no money to him; with that READ struck him a blow on the head with a stick, and we all then commenced to fight one with the other. MR KIDWELL then fell down and I struck him a blow on the head with a stick, and he said “my God you have killed me” he laid quite still for abou tfive minutes, and then we found he was quite dead, we then took his body and carried it some distance from the footpath and laid it down, we then said amongs tourselves that we must get away out of this – we took the road to Dagga Boers Neck, and remained there that night, the next morning I separated from READ and SHEPHERD, they said they would take the road to the Free State, and I took the road to the Tarka, and have been working in the colony ever since. I have not seen or heard of READ or SHEPERD since I parted with them at Dagga Boers’ Neck. I cannot say for certain whether SHEPHERD struck Mr KIDWELL or not, but I am quite certain that READ struck him the first blow. I had never seen Mr KIDWELL before this murder took place, it was not an arranged plan to go to this neck and wait for Mr KIDWELL, not a word was said to me about it by the other two men. I do not recollect ever leaving Bedford, I was so much under influence of drink at the time. The description for SHEPHERD as far as I can recollect is as follows: Rather stout made, with light hair and whiskers, fair complexion, and about 5 feet 7 inches in height. The description for READ was as follows: Also stout made, and rather shorter than SEHPERD, with dark hair and beard, darkcomplexion, both these men I think were sailors. I think SHEPERD was called Jack and READ Jim, amongst themselves, but I only met them for the first time on the day we committed the murder, I may be mistaken. JohnBADRICK." Witnesses John HEMMING, Alex PETRIE. Taken befor eme and in the presence of the above witnesses, at Queenstown, this 25thSeptember, 1863. Charles D.GRIFITH. Resident Magistrate.
