Malcolm Holt - family tree

The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) - Thu 28 May 1903 - Page 5 - A LUNATIC'S DEATH. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197208607 A LUNATIC'S DEATH SAD CASE OF DROWNING. The unwisdom of the practice adopted by the management of tlie Kew Lunatic Asy- lum in sending out large gangs of patients to work at some considerable distance from the institution under the superintendence ot only one warder was illustrated in a tragic manner on Monday. The banks of the River Yarra, between tlie Outer Circle- bridge and the bend at the Fever Hospital, are precipitous, and to a great extent the country, as it stretches back towards Kew, is well wooded and hilly, rising in some places to a considerable altitude above the water level. During the past week a gang of ten men, patients of the Kew Asylum, have been engaged, under the charge of a warder, in this locality cutting down trees and splitting up wood. On Monday one of the patients named John Newman, left his work and disappeared among some of the bushes, which are plentiful in the locality. Newman was a well behaved patient, and had only been in the institution six months. The warder did not take particular notice of his action, believing he would return to his work within a reasonable time, but he did not come back. In the meantime a tragic scene was being enacted lower down the river. The unfortunate lunatic had by some means got in to the water, and one or two persons saw him being carried down the stream in the strong current. He was paddling with his hands and screaming for help. His cries of distress attracted the at- tention of .Mr. Purchas, proprietor of the Fairfield boatsheds, who observed the un- fortunate patient swirling round a bend in the river, which was much swollen with recent rains, and running a banker. Mr. Purchas. with the aid of his son, got a boat out, and hailed the poor fellow, addressing to him words of encouragement. The man in the water ceased his cries of distress on seeing the boat, which made an effort to intercept him as he was carried down by the current, but failed. He was carried past, and as the boat was getting near to him a second time he sank, and: did not again rise. Shortly afterwards the warder appeared on the op- posite side of the river, and was informed of the death of his charge, who had ap- parently floated about 200 yards down stream before he sank. He was not sui- cidally inclined, but he may have attempted to swim across the river with the object of escaping. The river was dragged by the local police.

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) - Mon 8 Dec 1902 - Page 9 - COUNTRY NEWS. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/9073499 BAIRNSDALE.--A man named John Newman who had been wandering about Bulumwaal in a demented state, was brought into Bairnsdale on Wednesday, and, after being examined by Drs. Alsop and Duncan, was committed to the Kew Asylum.

Victoria Deaths 1836-1985 First name(s) John Last name Newman Age 47 Sex Male Birth year 1856 Death year 1903 Father's name - Mother's name - Death place Kew State Victoria Registration number 6215