Thomas Smith

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 9th July 2021

Conduct Record;- No; 455 Name; Thomas Smith Ship; Caledonia Transported for Burgulary Remarks; Killed 2nd February 1835 at the capture of Bushrangers; Jefferies and Browne Alphabetical Registers of Male Convicts. (CON23) No; 455 Height; 5 Ft 3 in Hair; Brown Eyes; Grey Age; 18 Trade; Weaver Trial; 23 March 1822 - Life Native Place; Liverpool

341

Maureen Withey on 8th August 2019

The Inquest was held yesterday morning before P. A. Mulorave, Esq., coroner. The Jury met at 10 o'clock, at the Court House, and after viewing the bodies, returned ; when the first witness called was Thomas Rogers, who being sworn, stated — that Brown and Jeffkins came to a hut at Port Sorell, where he was employed as a lime burner, on Sunday, the 1st. of Feb., in a very bad state as to clothing ; they had no shoes, but had pieces of leather and blanket tied about their feet ; Brown had a gray jacket drawn on instead of trowsers, and Jeffkins had a blanket sewed up round him ; they had each a ragged shirt and no other clothing ; they appeared weak, scarcely able to stand ; they were both armed with double barrelled guns ; they tied him and another man ; an old man who was in the hut they did not tie ; they ordered him to get them something to eat ; they said they had nothing to eat for five days ; but a parrot and a cockatoo, and were 3 days without water they remained all night, and kept us tied ; one kept watch whilst the other slept; they eat a great deal during the night ; their stomachs would not retain their food they were so weak, and they frequently went out to vomit ; next morning they got up before day and ordered the old man to bake a damper ; they told us they were going to a bark chopper's hut, three quarters of a mile from our hut ; they marched us up to the place where the ' barkers' lived ; Brown went up, Jeffkins following; Brown asked a man at the hut where his comrades where ; we then saw three constables coming over a hill at a short distance; Brown ran towards them ; he immediately levelled his piece and fired ; I saw a man fall ; he then fired the other barrell ; directly after I saw a gun fired by one of the party and Brown fell ; Jeffkins ran up and said 'get up you cowardly b------r and come on .' Brown said he could not ; Jeffkins rested his gun against a tree, and fired ; he cried to the party ' come on there is enough o you to eat me ;' he presented his gun and I think fired a second time ; I saw him soon after fall, after hearing a gun fired from the party ; I did not hear anything pass between the party and Brown before the firing ; I heard something said by the party when Jeffkins was behind the tree, but do not know what it was ; after the firing when I went up to the party, I found the constable who was shot, and whose name was Smith, still living, but he died soon afterwards ; Jeffkins died after the constable ; they were both shot through the head ; Brown was wounded in the body and had his left arm crushed by the shot : I called out to the constables when Jeffkins fell that there was no more of the bushrangers ; I should know the constables who were of the party if I saw them — [The men — James Small, James Buckley, (who were with Smith when he was shot,) John Harris, Frederick Carman, Henry Chalk, William Birmingham, Richard Berbrage, and Thomas Walker, —were then brought in and were recognised by the witness]— I saw nine constables in the party ; I only know two of the constables ; six came up after the skirmish commenced ; Brown and Jeffkins took clothes from us when they were in the hut on Sunday ; they did not say anything, but took them from the box in the hut. [The next witness examined was a comrade of Rogers, living in the same but ; but as his evidence was only confirmatory of that of the preceding witness, we have not thought it necessary to occupy the space it would take. No additional facts were elicited from him in evidence.] Wm. Seccombe, being sworn, said — I am Assistant Colonial Surgeon ; I have examined the body of Thomas Smith, constable, now lying dead ; he has come to his death by a penetrating gun-shot wound, entering the perietal bone, anteri, passing through and out of the upper part of the occiputal bone, destroying the upper part of the brain, and fracturing all the bones of the cranium ; instant death must have ensued ; — I have examined the body of George Jeffkins ; he has also come to his death by a penetrating gun-shot wound, apparently passing from the left to right side of the crown of the head, destroying the brain, and shattering all the bones of the cranium ; — I have examined the body of Edward Brown ; he has come to his death by penetrating gun shot wounds ; one passing into the left side, entering and fracturing the middle of the eighth rib, passing through the diaphragm, perforating the stomach through the left lobe of the liver, again passing through the diaphragm on the right side, wounding the right lung, taking an oblique direction between the cartilages of the false ribs, and making its exit about four inches below, and anterially to the right nipple ; another penetrating gun-shot wound on the left side of the back, taking an oblique direction downwards, fracturing the left transverse procis of the fifth dorsal vertebrae, penetrating into and dividing the spinal marrow ; there are also bullet wounds through the left arm, fracturing the bone into several pieces ; there is another gun shot wound on the top of the left shoulder, passing about six inches beneath the integruments, and then escaping ; either of the first two wounds would have caused certain death. The Jury without retiring returned the Verdict— Murder against Brown and Jeffkins— Justifiable Homicide in the case of their death. Constable Smith, it will be seen by a notice signed by the Commandant, in another column, will be buried to-morrow ; on which occasion it is the intention of a number of respectable inhabitants to give their attendance. We deem this acknowledgment of the services of the deceased as very becoming and appropriate. THE FUNERAL of the deceased Constable Thomas Smith, who fell at the capture of the bushrangers, Jeffkins and Brown, being to take place THIS DAY, at 2 o'clock, p.m., such of the inhabitants of the town is feel desirous of marking their regret for the death of all active and zealous member of the police in so meritorious a service, are requested to give their attendance. The funeral will start from the Watch-house. J. FAIRWEATHER, Commandant. Launceston, Thursday, Feb. 5, 1835. Launceston Advertiser, 5 Feb 1835 Thomas Smith, Caledonia, killed on the 2nd instant, at the capture of the Bushrangers Jeffkins and Brown.

68

Leonie Dolley on 15th April 2013

Killed at the capture of the bushranger Jeffries and Browne 12\2\1835.