FATAL ACCIDENT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 403, 7 January 1870, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT.

It is our very painful duty to record the melancholy death of Mr. John W. Garrett, one of the pioneers of quartz mining in the Bendigo Gully district, and a shareholder in the Cromwell Quartz Mining Company.

On Thursday evening, the 3 th ult, Mr. Garrett, who had attended the Cromwell races, and was in the full enjoyment of health, left the Junction Hotel, stating it was his intention to return in less than two hours, and in less than half an hour was brought back to Cromwell a corpse, having, while on his way to the Lowburn, been thrown from his horse and killed on the spot.

This sad affair cast a gloom, not only over the township of Cromwell, but also over the whole district. As is well known to most of our readers Mr. Garrett has been engaged, in conjunction with Mr. Logan (and more lately Messrs. Eb len and Goodgcr), for the last four years in developing the Bendigo Gully quartz reefs, and now that, after a world of labor and most extraordinary perseverance in the face of many difficulties, he had succeeded in turning them to profit, and was receiving a reward for his past exertions, a sudden accident has deprived him of life itself. On Friday last an inquest was held on the unfortunate gentleman’s remains, before the District Coroner, Vincent Pyke, Esq. After hearing the evidence of Mr. Barclay, who was with Garrett at the time of the accident; Dr. Cotse. who minutely described the nature of the injuries; and also of several other witnesses, the jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.”

The funeral took place on Sunday last* and was most numerously attended. Mr. Garrett was a member of the Dunstan Lodge of Freemasons, and almost every brother of the Order attended. The Lev. Mr. Drake read the funeral service, which was followed by Mr. Fyke’s reading the service peculiar to the freemasons in a most impressive manner. The Brethren then walked round the grave three times, and one by one dropped a sprig of evargreen on the coffin.

Mr. Garrett was only thirty one years of age, and though we believe he has no relations in this Colony, ho has left behind to mourn his loss a large circle of friends to whom he has endeared himself, by his liberality, kindness, and sociability.