The Newcastle Sun, Tue 9 Apr 1918 1
COMMITTED FOR TRIAL
Frederick William Nichols [aka Frederick William Nichold] (17), laborer, appeared before Mr Gates, at the Newcastle Police Court this morning, charged with having committed an indecent offence. Mr Gates committed Nichols for trial, to appear at the Newcastle Quarter Sessions on May 7. Bail was granted, self in £40, or two sureties in £20 each.
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Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Wed 10 Apr 1918 2
NEWCASTLE POLICE COURT
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Tuesday, April 9.
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(Before Mr A Gates, DSM.)
DRUNKENNESS, Etc.
One first offender, for drunkenness, was fined 2s 6d, or the rising of the court. James Henderson (38), seaman, for being drunk in Scott-street, was fined 10s or three days’ imprisonment. Charles Condon (32), carpenter, on remand, was fined 40s, or 14 days, for improper language, in Maitland-road, Tighe’s Hill, on April 6.
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ALLEGED SERIOUS OFFENCE.
Frederick William Nichols (17), labourer, was charged with committing a serious [unnatural] offence, [on Cecil Schadel], at Mayfield on March 25. Evidence for the prosecution was given by Sergeant Dorl, William Hamence, and Cecil Schadel. Accused, for whom Mr TA Braye appeared, pleaded not guilty, and stated he would give evidence later. He was committed to take his trial at the Newcastle Quarter Sessions on May 7. Bail was allowed, self in £40, and one surety in £40.
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Barrier Miner, Sun 14 Apr 1918 3
A YOUTH SHOT DEAD.
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WHILE IN A BOAT.
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Sydney, Sunday.
Frederick William Nicholls, nearly 18 years of age, was shot whilst in a boat at Newcastle yesterday afternoon. Nicholls was sitting in the bow of a boat which was being rowed by a 14-year-old boy, Frank Charlton. When near Mosquito Island a crane flew over the boat, and Charlton, noticing it, sais, “There’s a good shot, Fred.” The next thing Charlton heard, according to his story, was a shot and a moan, “Oh, Frank!” He turned round and saw that Nicholls had fallen into the water, which was only a couple of feet deep at the place. Charlton got out and put his mate into the boat, then rowed to the boatshed, where it was found that Nicholls was dead. The deceased had lived at Mayfield.
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Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Mon 15 Apr 1918 4
FATAL SHOOTING CASE.
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Frederick E Nichols, 17 years of age, living at Mayfield, was the victim of a gun accident while rowing in a boat a few yards from Dempsey Island on Saturday afternoon.
Particulars of the occurrence in the possession of the police show that deceased, in company with Frank Charlton, 14 years of age, was seated in the boat, in the centre of which was a double-barrelled gun. Nichols was sitting in the bow, with his feet dangling in the water, Charlton, who was rowing, was seated in the centre of the boat, and remarked as a crane flew in the air, “There’s a flying shot, Fred.” Almost immediately afterwards Charlton heard a shot, and as he turned Nichols fell out of the boat, exclaiming, “Oh, Frank.” He was lifted back into the boat, but was then apparently dead, the gun having discharged through the right breast. The boat was rowed across to Latham’s boat-shed, at Mayfield, and assistance was given by Mr William Latham to get the injured youth ashore. Sergeant Dorl was soon on the scene, but the young fellow was then dead. The body was removed to the morgue. The sergeant took possession of the gun, which contained an exploded cartridge.
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The Farmer and Settler, Tue 16 Apr 1918 5
MISADVENTURES.
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A FATAL FLYING SHOT.
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YOUTH KILLED NEAR DEMPSEY ISLAND.
A youth named Frederick William Nichols, aged seventeen years, residing at North Waratah (NSW), accidentally shot himself on Saturday, and died immediately afterwards. He and another youth named Frank Charlton were in a boat near Dempsey Island and had with them a double-barrelled gun. Nichols was sitting in the bow, and Charlton, who was in the middle rowing, saw a crow and called, “There’s a flying shot, Fred.” Almost at the same moments he heard a shot, and turning round heard deceased say, “Oh, Frank.” Deceased then fell over into the water. Charlton went forward and succeeded in lifting deceased into the boat, after which he rowed across to Mayfield, Nichols being by that time dead. The charge had entered his right breast, in which it made a large wound.
1 The Newcastle Sun, (NSW), Tue 9 Apr 1918, p. 4.
2 Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Wed 10 Apr 1918, p. 3. Emphasis added.
3 Barrier Miner, Sun 14 Apr 1918, p. 2.
4 Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, Mon 15 Apr 1918, p. 4.
5 The Farmer and Settler, (NSW), Tue 16 Apr 1918, p. 4.