HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 478, 6 February 1869, Page 3

HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.

(From the Oipps Land Times.) One of the most frightful accidents that have lately occurred was that which took place on Sunday, November 15, at Blind Bob's Creek, Tangil river, and near Mount Baw-Baw, Gipps Land. It would appear that a miner, named Peter Warbridge, was residing there with his wife, occupied in mining, and without any mates, the nearest hut being at a distance of two miles. On Saturday they had been into Mr Gadd's store, at Russell's Creek, for provisions, but not getting all they required, owing to the non-arrival of some drays, returned horne — a miner, named King, with whom they were acquainted, having promised to bring out some sugar and tea on the Monday. Upon his arrival at their hut, he found the place burned to the ground, and the bodies of both its residents lying there charred out of almost any resemblance to human beings. King rushed back to Russell's Creek, and was so excited that, upon delivering the melancholy news, he fainted. Mr Gadd at once despatched a messenger for the police, who happened to meet mounted constable Smythe, at the Moe, from whence intelligence was forwarded to the coroner. Upon Mr Luke's arrival, ' a jury was at once summoned at Russell's Creek, and proceeded to the locality of the accident, some eight miles distant. Here a most lamentable sight presented itself. A large tree, the butt of which had been hollowed out by fire, had fallen across the hut, and evidently crushed the helpless ■ inmates by the position the bodies were found in. It is then supposed that the bark of the roof had become ignited through the fire in the hut, and communicated its flames to the tree, several branches of which were burned. The man's body was lying upon its face, both legs burned off to the knees and widely asunder, both arms burned, and, when turned over, the skull fell to pieces. The woman's body was burnt off at the thighs and arms, and half of the skull lying in ashes, only the trunt remaining, and, dreadful to relate, part of the body eaten, it is supposed by a valuable bulldog which the unfortunates had possessed, and which by some means had got loose from its chain. Everything in the hut was either crushed, or burnt. About two ounces of gold were taken possession of by the police. After the inquest, both bodies were placed together in a large box, and buried within a short distance of the disaster. The tree which was the cause of this unfortunate accident stood about seventy feet away from the hut, and was about 180 feet in height.

A dominie, examining his scholars on the Bible lesson, asked a young urchin, the question, " Who was Jesse ?" Without hesitation the boy answered, " The flower o' Dunblane, sir." ,