• Born: 6 Mar 1845, Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia ¹
• Died: 2 Nov 1898, Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia ²

  Research Notes:

Wagga Wagga Circuit Court, Monday, October 19th (abridged from the Wagga Wagga Advertiser)

"William Smart... was charged with attempting to commit suicide. He was undefended. The Crown Prosecutor opened the case, and called Bridget Williams: I know the prisoner; about the 5th July he came to my house, about 8 or 9 o'clock; I told him to go away, when he said he was going to his sister's; I went with him to Mrs. Hughes's, and afterwards towards a Mrs. Smith's; as we were going along, I asked him to go and borrow a horse; he then took a piece of bread out of his pocket, and a bottle labelled poison, and with strychnine written on it; he sprinkled some strychnine on the bread, and said he was going to kill himself, as he was tired of his life; I tried to snatch it from him but he prevented me, and began to eat the bread; I then ran away to tell Mr. Healy, whom I met on the road. John Healy: Prisoner is my wife's brother; on the 5th July he came to my place, but I did not see him; afterwards, from what I was told by Mrs. Williams, I ran to meet him, and charged him with taking strychnine from my place; he said he had none; I then told him that I would give him in charge to the police; as we went along, he told me he had taken some strychnine on a piece of bread; he seemed quite melancholy and deranged, as if after a heavy fit of drink. Patrick Ryan, constable: Prisoner was brought to me on the 5th July by Mr. Healy, who told me that the prisoner had taken strychnine on a piece of bread; went for the doctor; when I returned the prisoner was in spasms in the cell. Allan Bradley Morgan: I am a legally qualified medical practitioner; I was called in to see the prisoner; he was lying down trembling; I asked him if he had taken poison; he said "No;" afterwards said he did take it; gave him an emetic, and used the stomach-pump and a solution of tobacco; the spasms were severe, but he gradually got better; he said he had taken about two grains. Robert John Monteith, gaoler: I noticed something in his sleeve, and on searching him found a bottle of strychnine. [The bottle was produced, and identified by witness, also by Mrs. Williams and the witness Healy.] The prisoner declined to address the jury; and his Honor having summed up, the jury returned a verdict of guilty. His Honor sentenced the prisoner to be imprisoned in Goulburn gaol for twelve months." ³