Abraham Whitaker

221

D Wong on 2nd September 2017

16/12/1843 Leeds Intelligencer West Yorkshire, England: THE CROWN CALENDAR, Abraham Whitaker (24), and Abraham Northrop (32), were charged with having, at Bradford, feloniously assaulted and robbed Sarah Feather. Abraham Northrop was also on board. Abraham Whitaker was listed as 27 years old on arrival - his native place was Cullingworth near Bradford. Abraham was 5'8" tall, sallow complexion, black hair and whiskers, grey eyes, single can read and write a little, mole right side of chin scar on thumb right hand. Scar on Left Knee cap. 2 years probation to Norfolk Island. 20/8/1850: Permission to marry Mary Byrne (John Calvin. 16/9/1850: Married Mary Byrne, aged 30, he was 31 - married at St. John's, Hobart. 16/11/1850: Male child, name not recorded. (May have been Joseph to later married Elizabeth Stannard). 4/4/1852: Male child born, name not recorded. 28/9/1854: Female child, name not recorded. (Elizabeth)** 27/5/1852: TOL 14/6/1853: CP 13/10/1871 The Mercury, Hobart: The Charge of Murder. - Abraham Whittaker, who was arrestod on Wednesday evening on a chargo of having wilfully murdered his wife, was brought up at the Police Court yestorday, and, on the application of the Superintendent of Police, remanded to the l0th inst. An inquest on the body of the deceased will be held this afternoon at half-past two o'clock, at the Black Bull, Goulburn-street. 4/11/1871 Launceston Examiner, Tas: On the 11th alt, at about seven pm, Mary Whitaker, the wife of a quarryman named Abraham Whitaker, residing at the corner of Bathurst and Molle Streets, Hobart Town, died under circumstances of so suspicious a character that her husband has been apprehended on a charge of wilful murder. On that evening the husband returned home at the close of his day's work when he found his wife under the influence of liquor, and no tea had been prepared. He is said to have struck her in the face with his fist, severely blacking the right eye, her left eye having been similarly injured a day or two previously. Whitaker has been since committed for trial on a charge of manslaughter. 22/11/1871 The Mercury, Hobart: WILFUL MURDER Abraham Whittaker was then placed at the bar charged with the wilful murder of his wife, Mary Whittaker, on the 10th October. The prisoner was defended by Mr D'Emden. The Solicitor General said the prisoner lived in Bathurst street in October last, with his wife, Mary Whittaker, who appeared to be a woman of intemperate habits. From the evidence of the daughter, Elizabeth Whittaker, it would appear that on the 10th of October he left his home to go to work, and during the morning his wife had some beer. Before the father came home the girl saw her mother sitting on a box, partly intoxicated, and tried to induce her to go to bed. She did not go, and at about dusk, on the girl returning to the house, she saw her father there, and her mother was lying on the floor with her feet to the box. She then had a black eye, which the girl said she had not when she saw her sitting on the box. She was removed to bed, and remained insensible till the next evening, when she died .She was seen just before her death by Dr. Carns, and a post mortem examination which was subsequently made showed that death had resulted from a fracture of the skull, beneath a triangular wound in front of the right ear. The evidence adduced was similar to that published at length recently, when the Inquest was held on the body of the deceased. Drs. Carns and Smart gave the medical evidence, and were cross examined by Mr D'Emden. Both were of opinion that the fracture of the skull which deceased had sustained, and which caused her death, would not be occasioned by a mere fall against the corner of the box to which allusion was made by the Solicitor General. Dr Carns thought the blow which had caused the bruise on the right eye might have given sufficient momentum to the body to have caused the fracture but as the fracture was on the right side of the head, Dr Smart did not think a blow inflicted on the right eye or cheek would have given momentum in such a direction as to cause a fracture on the same side of the head, and he was of opinion that the discolouration on the left eye was not of so recent date as the blow which caused the blackness of the right eye. Both gentlemen believed that an interval would elapse between the infliction of the blow and the setting in of insensibility. Dr Carns thought an hour or more, even up to six hours, might have elapsed, but from the extensive clot of blood found on the brain, Dr Smart was of opinion hemorrhagc must have been very rapid, and that the interval would not be more than half an hour from the infliction of the blow to insensibility setting in. Elizabeth Whiltaker, aged 15, daughter of the prisoner, was then examined, her evidence being merely a repetition of what she said at the inquest addicted to drink while under the Influence of which she had frequently hurt herself. She fell down a flight of stone stops a few days before her death, but witness on looking did not discover any marks resulting from it. She once fell down and broke her arm, and on another occasion hurt her head seriously. Her father never ill treated her mother, he scolded her a little when she was in drink. Various other witnesses were called and examined for the prosecution after which Mr D'Emden addressed the jury and examined two witnesses for the defence. His Honor, the Chief Justice, summed up, and the jury retired about 5 p.m , and shortly afterwards returned with a verdict of manslaughter, with a strong recommendation to mercy on the ground that they believed "the death was accidental" Mr D'Emden handed in some certificates of good character to the Judge, who said he would impose a lenient sentence. 21/11/1871: Hobart Supreme Court: Manslaughter - 1 year imprisonment. 24/11/1894: Abraham died of Senilis at New Town. Listed as 75 years old, 'Whittaker'.