HOW MR LALOR LOST HIS ARM.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1262, 7 May 1886, Page 3

HOW MR LALOR LOST HIS ARM.

A correspondent of the Ballarat ‘Courier.’ who signs himself “ One Who Knows,” observes s—“ Matters in connection with the amputation of the arm of the present Speaker of the Legislative Assembly bavin" been referreii to in a recent extract, 1 will, with your permission, supply a few facts relating to the event. I shall pass over Mr Lalor’s escape from the Stockade and subsequent adventures until his arrival at night at the residence of the Rev. P. Smyth. This was a small wooden cottage, and stood near the site of the present Roman t'atholie presbytery,in Victoria street, to which it afterwards served as a kitchen. The necessary preparations having been made for the reception of the wounded man, the amputation performed in this builditeSpiEthe of three doctors (one of whom was qhito recently in Ballarat) rind three other persons Owing to the bullet, of bullets, being embedded close to the shoulder-joint, some difficulty was experienced by the doctors, and the operation was rather prolonged. The patient recovering consciousness while the doctors were still at work', and noticing one of them (Dr Doyle, who was in a rather delicate state of health) showing signs of faintness, remarked in . a firm voice : ‘ Courage ! Courage 1 take it off?”. The iujuteifliinb having been removed, was carefully rolled up in carpet and pul in a place of-safey until opportunity could be found ,to dispo-e o f it ; the heat of the weather ren taring it imperative that this should he done as speedily as possible. The extremrst caution was necessary, however.' A reward of L2OO was offered (nr such information as would lead to the app'ehension of the wounded man. Some erstu bile < fire-eaters had now become ardent admirers of camp rale, and numerous spies were about. At

this time.an alluvi >1 lead had been wotke-1, coming fiom the 81.-o-k Hill al»n> the course of the present Indicator, an-l ih • holes hoe suggested the brat moans of disposing of the amputated limb. One of the deepest having been selected, and the arm having been placed m the centre nf a closely packed bundle of blood-stained carpet, blankets, sheets, etc., was safely conveyed thither during the night by two persons, and consigned to the bottom of the shaft. One of the two persons was MV rath, a schoolmaster, and tho other still lives in the locality. The hole where the bundle was deposited would be close to tho rear of where St. Paul’s parsonage now stands, and there is little doubt that the remains lie there to the present day, never having been discovered. The servant employed by Father Smyth at (the time was an Armenian, named Johannes Sl’Gregorius, but such was the secrecy observed in regard to the whole business that I do not think ihe had the least idea of what was transpiring,’ 1