| Notes |
- LATE MR. E. D. CREAM
DEATH FROM POISONING A VICTIM OF WAR INJURIES
As acting coroner Mr. H. J. Foster, .J.P.. conducted an inquiry in the Geraldton Courthouse on Friday afternoon last into the circumstances attending the death of Everand Daniel Cream, who died in the Victoria District Hospital early on the morning of September 11th. Evidence adduced by several witnesses disclosed that the deceased, who was a war pensioner had died from the effects of poison, which had been self-administered, and that he had been suffering for some time from an old war injury, which had caused him to become depressed. Police sergeant White assisted Mr. Foster at the inquiry. Dr. J. McAleer, said that at the post mortem examination he found the mouth, tongue and lower lip were all in a whitened condition, having apparently been burnt. From the general condition of the organs witness formed the opinion that death was due to lysol poisoning. In reply to Sergeant White, witness stated he had attended the deceased shortly after 10 o'clock on Saturday night. but he was then unconscious. He had also attended the deceased occasionally during the year. He seemed quite normal then, but was suffering from bronchial trouble. Gertrude Cream, widow of the deceased, residing at 33 Marine Terrace, said on Saturday September 10th, about 7 p.m., her husband appeared to be depressed. He went out with a companion named Barry, and on returning about a quarter of an-hour later went to the rear of the premises.
About ten minutes later he returned and told witness mother he was going to bed. Witness went to her room and her husband was then lying on the bed. As he appeared to be ill she asked him what was the matter. Deceased tried to answer, but was unable to speak. He tried to get up and in doing so fell to the floor, where he started to vomit. Witness called her mother and her uncle from the next room. Her mother remarked she could smell something like spirits, and witness asked her if he had taken anything. He was unable to reply. Her husband accepted a cigarette from her uncle, who lit it for him. Deceased staggered about the room and finally collapsed on another bed. Witness smunmoned a doctor. Latter she ascertained from a chemist that he had sold her husband a bottle of lysol and a packet of aspros earlier in the evening. Dr. McAleer arrival at her place of residence about 9.30 p.m. and her husband was later removed in the ambulance to the hospital. To Sergeant White: When she saw her husband about 7 o'clock he was quite sober. He was a returned soldier and was in receipt of a pension as a result of a war injury, which had also necessitated him undergoing several operations. For about three months prior to his death witness noticed that her husband appeared to be worried, but he had given no indication that he intended taking his life. Leo Vecchia. chemist, of Geraldton said on the evening of September 10th | he was standing outside his shop premises about 9.15 o'clock, when he was approached by the deceased. He had known the latter for twenty years. Deceased asked witness whether he would 'stand him up until Monday, meaning to give him credit, and witness replied in the affirmative. Deceased then asked for a bottle of lysol. Deceased also obtained a packet of aspros.Deceased did not give any reason as to why he required lysol and he did not ask him for any reason. Deceased then left the shop remarking as he left that he would pay him on Monday.
Later the same night about 10.15 o'clock there was a knock on his shop door, and upon answering it he saw Mrs. C'ream and another lady, whom he did not know. Mrs. Cream told him that a chap' had taken something and asked him whether he could do anything. Witness imniediately suggested summoning a doctor, and Mrs. Cream replied that had already been done and that one was coming. Continuing. witness said he went into the dispensary to prepare an emetic, and whilst there it suddenly occurred lo him that a man named Cream dad purchased a bottle of lysol from him that night. He then asked her if it was her husband who was ill and she replied in the aflirmative. The other lady remarked that she was sure it was lysol that he had taken and Mrs. Cream remarked 'what a silly man' or words to that effect. He told Mrs. Cream he had sold her husband a bottle of lysol. and after asking a few questions regarding his general condition he advised her to get him to hospital immediately.In reply to questions by Police sergeant White witness said the deceased was perfectly sober when be called at his shop. He also appeared lo be perfectly normal.
Phillip Frederick Kennedy, brother in-law of the deceased, gave evidence of identification. He saw deceased about 8.15 p.m. on Saturday September 10th. just before he went out. On returning be was informed by his sister that her husband had tan poison, and had been taken to hospital. Upon entering his sister's room he detected a strong smell of lysol. Witness rang the hospital at 12.15 o'clock on Sunday morning and was informed that his brother-in-law had just passed away. Witness had noticed prior to his death that his brother-in-law appeared to be worried about not getting work. He had applied for sustenance and had told witness he had been refused because he was receiving a pension.
Ethel Jane Kennedy, of 33 Marine Terrace , Mother in law of the deceased, said that on the night her son-in-law became ill he was assisting her in the kitchen early in the evening. He left the kitchen about 7 o'clock and about five minutes later witness saw him sitting on the back verandah. Later she heard him go into his room and then she heard him vomiting. Witness went to the room and there was the deceased standing up and vomiting. Deceased did not speak and witness called his wife. Witness remarked to her that there was a strange smell in the room,and said she did not know whether it was methylated spirits or what it was. When the doctor arrived he examined the deceased and ordered his removal to hospital. Deceased used to obtain work occasionally on the wharf, but be was worried because of the scarcity of work. When deceased was assisting witness in the kitchen he appeared to be quite normal. Police constable Styants stated that he made inquiries regarding the case on the morning of Sunday. September
11 th. In the lavatory at No. 33 Marine Terrace he found a capsule, which would fit a bottle. The capsule smelt of lysol. A search of the grounds and back yard adjoining failed to reveal any bottle corresponding to the capsule. A little distance from the lavatory, he found a china drinking cup amongst some weeds. The cup contained a small amount of liquid and smelt of lysol. The cup was identified by Mrs. Cream as one used on the premises. The clothing of the deceased was searched at the morgue,and a packet of aspros was found in the coat pocket. Thisconcluded the evidence and the acting coroner returned a verdict that 'the deceased came to his death at the Government Hospital at Geraldton on the morning of September 11 th, 1938 from the effects of lysol poisoning, the said lysol having been self-administered on September 10th 1938
- SUDDEN DEATH
LATE MR. E. D. CREAM SUFFERED FROM WAR INJURIES
In circumstances of a sudden nature the death occurred in the Victoria District Hospital at Geraldton early on Sunday morning of a man named Everard Daniel Cream. The deceased, who followed the occupation of a wharf labourer, and resided with his wife and family at the boarding establishment of Central House, only became seriously ill a few hours prior to his death. He was apparently in his usual state of health about 8.30 o'clock on Saturday night, but became violently ill a short time afterwards and was admitted to hospital. However, his condition failed to improve during the night and he passed away about 12.20 o'clock the following morning.
In view of the sudden circumstances of his death a post mortem examination of the body was conducted on Sunday, and it is believed the cause of death was considered to be due to poisoning. It is understood that inquiries since conducted bye police confirm this belief, and an inquest will he held at a later date. The deceased, was was 39 years of age, and who had lived in the district all his life, was well-known to many residents. At the age of seventeen and a half years he enlisted for service in company with his brother, Mr. William Cream, of Rudd's Gully and saw active service with the 4th Imperial Camel Corps for over a year. Pronounced medically unfit owing to a serious head injury, the deceased received his discharge and returned to reside in the district, but until the time of his death had never really enjoyed good health.
A recurrence of the trouble in connection with the old war j injury necessitated a number of major operations, causing him to frequently become depressed. Of recent months lack of employment had accentuated his worries, it is understood that he had recently submitted an application for sustenance work, but had been refused by virtue of the fact that he was in receipt of an invalid pension,
The deceased's remains were interred yesterday in the Roman Catholic portion of the Utakarra Cemetery, the Rev. Father Byrne officiating at the graveside. Amongst those present, in addition to the family mourners, were representatives' of the Geraldton Sub- Branch of the R.S.L. and the Waterside Workers Union. Deceased leaves a widow (Mrs. Gertrude Cream) and two children, in addition to four brothers and two sisters, to mourn their loss. The brothers are Messrs. A. T. Cream (Eradu), J. S. Cream (Nabawa). and A. J. and W. E. Cream (Rudd's Gully), whilst the sisters are Mrs. Rhodes (Geraldton) and Mrs. Halpin (Subiaco). [1]
- National Australian Archives
Digital copies of service records
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1898 - 1938 (40 years)
