The sad death of George Ernest Biggs (1888-1914)

On Saturday, October 24, 1914, 26 year-old George Ernest Biggs of 65 Cecil Street, Williamstown, went to the picture show held at the Williamstown Mechanics’ Institute. Sadly, by early next morning, he was dead.

The program of films on the night of October 24, 1914 

Williamstown Chronicle October 24, 1914 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69979633 

The program for the evening included The Leaves of Memory and seven other films; good value at price. George sat next to off-duty constable, William Black on the night, who gave evidence at the Inquest into his death. You can read George's Inquest at the Public Records Office of Victoria, here.  

I have transcribed the report of  George's Inquest from the Williamstown Chronicle of October 31, 1914 (1). After the article I have added some information about George Biggs and his family and the people mentioned in report. 

Man Drinks Disinfectant. Dies in an hour.
Seated side by side at the Mechanics' pictures last Saturday night for some time were Constable Black and George Ernest Biggs, aged 26, coal-heaver, of Cecil-street. The latter entered into conversation with the officer, at the same time producing a bottle of disinfectant from his pocket, remarking, "I'm going to put this down my neck to-night, an you will have a job taking my corpse to the morgue." Black replied, "Don't be a fool." Biggs then remarked it was only a joke. The officer was however, startlingly reminded of the conversation later by an untoward incident in the death of his companion of the moment.

On Thursday Mr. T. Lonsdale, J.P., held a magisterial inquiry into the surroundings.

Dr. C. Fetherstonhaugh stated that on Sunday, 25th inst., he performed an autopsy on the body of George Biggs, who died at 12.30 a.m. The corpse was that of a well-nourished man. The lungs, heart, liver and kidneys were all healthy. In the stomach was a strong smell of disinfectant. The cause of death was shock caused by swallowing a quantity of irritant, which is a product of coal tar oil, and is very poisonous if taken internally.

Jane McFarland Biggs, mother of deceased, deposed her son was born on October 1st, 1888, and had always resided with her. He had left home at7.30 p.m. on Saturday in apparently the best of health. Witness did not know of any trouble that would cause him to commit suicide.

Constable J. F. Smith said that he was on duty at the Mechanics' pictures last Saturday night. At about 9.30 p.m. he was told a man recently in trouble was worrying over his case and was going to drink poison. He inquired from another man if this person (who was a relative of the deceased) was about the hotel, and was told "No." Later he saw Biggs, who spoke about having a bottle of poison. Witness said, "Do you intend to take it?" His reply was "I've just come out to have a drink." Deceased walked back to the Mechanics' with him. He seemed to be in his usual health, was cheerful and in good spirits. Witness had shown the bottle produced to a local chemist, who stated that he could not identify it, as he had sold a dozen bottles of the same disinfectant that day.

T. D. Compton, secretary, described how, about 11 o'clock, he had discovered a man groaning in Electra street. The man remarked, "I have taken it," pointing to a bottle on the ground. Witness at once proceeded to the telephone and advised the police.

Mrs. L. levers [sic], married woman, said that Biggs at 10.25 p.m. had called at the hotel and had a glass of beer. He seemed quite sober. Later he came back and remarked, "I have done it," throwing a bottle on the counter which her husband had picked up and handed to the police. Constable T. J. Walsh told how he had taken deceased to the hospital in a state of collapse in Dr. Maclean's motor car. Biggs died in about an hour.

The Acting Coroner returned a finding: "That George Ernest Biggs died from an irritant poison self-administered, but that there is not sufficient evidence to show the state of his mind at the time."

So this is the sad tale of George's death. 

Dramatis Personae
Biggs Family - George was born, as his mother attested at the Inquest, on October 1, 1888 and was the sixth of ten children of William Biggs and his wife Jane McFarlane Dick. They had married in 1877 and had the following children - the first two were born in Warrnambool, and the others in Williamstown - Martha Jane (b. 1878); Anna Maria (1880); William Frederick (1882); John Benjamin (1884); James Henry (1886); George Ernest (1888); Clarice Edith (1891); Mary McFarlane (1892); Millicent Alma (1894) and Eileen Victoria (1897). William died on December 5, 1907 aged 53 and Jane died July 18, 1919, aged 63. They are both buried at the Williamstown Cemetery, as is George. (2)

The Disinfectant was Lysol.

 

Lonsdale, Thomas  Justice of the Peace, the man who conducted George's inquest. He was  also an undertaker; President of the Williamstown Hospital and a prominent Freemason. He died in 1929 and you can read his obituary in the Williamstown Chronicle of November 23, 1929, here. 

Black, William David - the constable who sat next to George at the pictures at the Mechanics' Institute; he was off-duty at the time. He gave evidence at the Inquest. 

Smith, John Ferrie - the Constable who was on-duty at the Mechanics' Pictures; he also gave evidence at the Inquest. 

Fetherstonhaugh, Charles - a doctor of Ferguson Street, Williamstown, who performed the autopsy. You can read his obituary in the Williamstown Advertiser, of January 6, 1917, here. 

Compton, Thomas Duncan - a secretary of Electra Street, Williamstown. He was a Freemason, secretary of the Williamstown Hospital and of  the Williamstown Mechanics' Institute. You can read his obituary in The Argus, of August 19, 1938, here. 

Ivers, Lily Elizabeth on the Morning Star Hotel, Electra Street, Williamstown. Married to Joseph Ivers, whose father Edward had the lease and the licence of the Hotel from July 1910.  By coincidence Joseph died on September 4, 1915 at only 32 years of age,  and his father two days later. Lily was born in 1884 to John and Elizabeth Booth and had married Joseph in 1911, they had no children. Lily remarried in 1927 to Sydney Davidson, who was employed by the Railways. They lived in Donald and she died in Ballarat on June 21, 1972, aged 87. She is buried at the Donald cemetery with Sydney, who died in 1962. (3)

Note: I came across this story when I was looking for something to fill a page in Useful Knowledge, the newsletter I do for the Mechanics' Institutes of Victoria  Inc.; you can read the back issues here  https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3179681849 You can see our soon to be replaced website, here  https://mivic.org.au/index.html

Footnotes

(1) Williamstown Chronicle, October 31, 1914, see here.  The Williamstown Advertiser, of October 31, 1914 also has a report of the Inquest. see here.

(2) Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; William Biggs death notice - The Argus, December 6, 1907, see here; George Biggs death notice - The Age, October 26, 1914, see here;  Jane Biggs death notice - The Age, July 21, 1919, see here.

(2) Hotel notice - Williamstown Advertiser, July 9, 1910, see here; Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com; Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Find  a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/232389752/lilian-elizabeth-davidson; 

Ivers In Memoriam notice - The Argus, September 4, 1916, see here;