Queanbeyan-Canberra Advocate, Thu 2 Sep 1926 ¹

SUICIDE AT WEETANGARA
———◦———
MAN CUT HIS THROAT
————

    Mr Coroner Gale held an inquest at the Canberra Hospital yesterday, on the body of a man named Harold (or Harry) Crawford, who was found dead in his tent on Monday with his throat cut. The following evidence was taken:—

    Sergeant Cook stated: About 2.30 pm on Monday last, in response to a telephone message, I went to Weetangara Road camp, and there in a tent I saw the body of deceased the subject of this inquiry. It was lying on a bunk, with the head over the right side. There was a gaping wound in the neck, and a large quantity of blood on the floor. The body was still warm, and I am of opinion that death had only taken place a short time before I had arrived. On a small table near the head of the bed was a razor covered with blood. The blood on it was still wet. On the floor of the tent were eight empty rum bottles and three empty beer botles [sic]. I had the body taken by the ambulance to Canberra Hospital Morgue, and there made an external examination of the body and found no marks of violence except the cut in the throat. I found a Commonwealth Bank pass book showing a credit of £38/0/3, and 10/11 cash, an Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force ² discharge giving deceased’s name as Harry Crawford, a native of London and enlisted at Cootamundra, NSW, on 23rd October, 1916, and had served for 2 years 293 days. At the date of his enlistment he gave his age as 31 years. He would therefore be 41 years old this year. I have ascertained that deceased’s next-of-kin is his sister, Mrs Crocker, residing at Redfern, Sydney.

    Charles Frederick Foster stated: I am a camp steward and reside at Weetangara Road Camp. Have known the deceased Harry Crawford for the past six months, and last saw him alive about 2 pm last Monday lying on his bed in his tent asleep. The next I saw him was about 10 minutes past 2 pm. I went to see how he was and if he required anything, and found him lying half off his bed on his right side with his right arm hanging down. I went close to him and saw that his mouth was all blood. I said, Harry, what have you done? He was too far gone to answer me, and I then noticed a gaping wound in his neck. I raised his head and saw that life was extinct. I then got into telephone communication with Sergeant Cook, who was there in less then half an hour and with him the Ambulance and I saw the body removed. For the last 14 days before his death he had been drinking alcoholic liquors. His general disposition was that of a quiet and reserved man who kept everything to himself and kept very much to his tent and so not [some text illegible here] much. I saw the razor produced when it was on his dressing table.

    Dr John Alexander James stated: I am medical superintendent at Canberra Hospital. On the afternoon of yesterday, 31st August, I examined the body of a man I knew as Crawford, as it lay in the Hospital morgue and found his throat cut. There were three separate cuts, two of which were shallow, the third and fatal cut passed through all the structures of the neck down to the postern wall of the gullet. One large blood-vessel, a branch of the internal jugular vein, was severed; most of the bleeding seemed to come from this vessel. The cuts were such that they were in my opinion self-inflicted with some sharp instrument, such as a razor now exhibited. A small piece of metal was taken from the wound and resembled a piece of razor blade corresponding with the gap in the razor now produced. Death in my opinion was due to hemorrhage [sic] and asphyxia caused by the wound examined. It is extremely unlikely that his life could have been saved if a medical man had been present after the wound was inflicted.

    The finding of the Coroner was that death was due to haemorrhage and asphyxia caused by a self-inflicted cut in his throat.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Goulburn Evening Penny Post, Wed 8 Sep 1926 ³

INDECENT ASSAULT
———

    Evidently the sentence of five years imposed by Judge Bevan last week for indecent assault had little effect, as today, in the Children’s court, a man was charged with two offences of indecent assault on children.

————————
CANBERRA SUICIDE.
———

    A workman made a gruesome discovery last week, when he looked into the tent of Harry Crawford, a fellow employee engaged on construction work at Canberra.

    Crawford was lying in his bunk with his throat cut and an examination showed that death had not taken place very long before the discovery.

    The deceased, who was a returned soldier, and of about 42 years of age, was a very retiring man, and was not known to mix much with the men of the camp.

    The Canberra police made an examination of the body, and are of the opinion that there were no suspicious circumstances attached to the death.

    The body was immediately removed to the hospital morgue.

    At an inquest held on September 2, Police Sergeant Cook stated that he found in deceased’s tent a commonwealth Bank pass book showing a credit of £38/0/3 and 10/11 cash, an Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force discharge giving deceased’s name as Harry Crawford, a native of London and enlisted at Cootamundra NSW, on 23rd October, 1916, and had served for 2 years 293 days. At the date of his enlistment he gave his age as 31 years. He would therefore be 41 years old this year.

    The coroner returned a verdict of suicide.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Cootamundra Daily Herald, Tue 5 Oct 1926 ⁴

QUARTER SESSIONS
———
To-Day
———
(Before Judge Bevan.)
———

…

INDECENT ASSAULT
———

    William Herbert Crawford pleaded not guilty to that he did, on 4th September, at Goulburn, indecent assault a male person—a lad, [John (C) Royal] of 12 years.

    Jury: AE Leslie, FE Fuller, Geo Thompson, John Neville, JJ O’Connor, H Armour, GA Forsyth, M Hallinan, John Young, EJ Douglas, James Mitchell, DH Clarke.

    After hearing evidence, the jury had a short retirement, the returned a verdict of guilty.

    Nothing was known against accused.

    Acting Gaoler Dixon, Cootamundra, said accused was 22, the a native of Victoria, but was not disposed to say what part of Victoria he came from. Witness knew nothing of who or what he was. Only for a few days had he been in Cootamundra. He was very quiet.

    Sentenced to Grafton gaol for two years.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Goulburn Evening Penny Post, Fri 8 Oct 1926 ⁵

INDECENT ASSAULT
————

    At the Cootamundra Quarter Sessions, on Tuesday, William Herbert Crawford was convicted of having indecently assaulted a boy of 12 years of age at Goulburn on September 4. Sgt Waugh represented the Goulburn Police in the case.

    Judge Bevan imposed a sentence of two years hard labour in Grafton gaol.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

William Herbert Crawford, Gaol photo sheet ⁶

---

Gaol Photo Sheet - Transcribed Details

No. 1990
Maitland

Date when Portrait was taken: 12-1-1927

Name: William Herbert Crawford

Native place: Ballarat Year of birth: 1877 Arrived       Ship: – in Colony }   Year: BC Trade or occupation previous to conviction  } Laborer Religion: R Cath Education, degree of: R & W Height: 5' 1½" Weight     On committal: 120 in lbs     } On discharge: Colour of hair: Light brown Colour of eyes: Blue

Marks or special features: Small scar centre forehead, mole left thumb   No photo available

(No. of previous Portrait ... )  CONVICTIONS
Where and When				Offence.	Sentence
Cootamundra Q.S	5	10	1926	Indecent assault on a male person	2 years H.L.

 

---

¹     Queanbeyan-Canberra Advocate, Thu 2 Sep 1926, p. 2. Emphasis added.

²     To view the WWI digitised service record (service No. 6965, barcode 3459953) of Harry Crawford go to: www.naa.gov.au

³     Goulburn Evening Penny Post, Wed 8 Sep 1926, p. 6.

⁴     The Cootamundra Daily Herald, Tue 5 Oct 1926, p. 2. Emphasis added.

⁵     Goulburn Evening Penny Post, Fri 8 Oct 1926, p. 4.

⁶     SRNSW: NRS2327, [3/5991], Maitland Gaol photographic description book, 1875-1930, No. 1990, p. 219, R5132.

---