With Murderous Intent:

THE COOLGARDIE MURDER

EXECUTION OF GOULAM MAHOMET
A PAINLESS DEATH

In the Fremantle Gaol on Saturday morning Goulam Mahomet, the murderer of Tagh. Mahomet at Coolgardie on January 10 was hanged, at the age of 27 years. Death was almost instantaneous and certainly was inflicted without pain. Just over three weeks ago Goulam Mahomet was sentenced by Mr. Justice Stone to undergo capital punishment for the murder of a fellow Afghan, Tagh Mahomet, a member of the wealthy trading and camel owning firm of Faiz and Tagh Mahomet, of Coolgardie. It seems peculiar that, of all places, the deed was perpetrated inside the Mahommedan mosque, and at a time when, to a Muslim, the victim was engaged in the solemn act of prayer.

Tagh rose early on the morning of January 10th and repaired to the mosque to perform his usual devotions, and he went away but was again summoned to the mosque by one of the attendant priests. Goulam Mahomet entered shortly afterward, and, as an evident misunderstanding existed between the two men, an Afghan asked Tagh the cause of the quarrel, and why he was offended with Goulam. Tagh declared that it was Goulam, and not he, who was angry, and, turning towards the sun again, he proceeded to pray once more. Goulam stood behind him, two feet away. Acting on a sudden impulse, the man produced a revolver from his clothing, and shot Tagh in the back, the victim expiring in five or six minutes. Goulam walked away but made no attempt to escape, the police arresting him without the least difficulty. What motive prompted the killing cannot rightly be stated.

Feb 1896: Ulrich Rust attempted to murder his wife Maria and then tried to commit suicide by shooting himself in the head.

MURDER AT COOLGARDIE
An Afghan Stabbed

TWO AFGHANS ARRESTED  –  THE CRIME CONFESSED

The chain of crimes that have been forged during the past few days was not completed by attempted murders, firing on unarmed police, robberies with violence, and attempted suicide, but apparently required the addition of an actual murder, carried out in savage Asiatic fashion by stabbing with a knife. About 3 o’clock this morning a report was made to the police, in consequence of which Constables Sullivan and Sayers proceeded to the Afghan camp, situated just over the railway bridge leading into Fly Flat, and found the body of an Afghan named Said Adan, who had evidently just expired, in consequence of a deep knife wound in the groin. As the circumstances suggested murder, investigations were at once commenced.

The Full Story:   The One-Armed Cameleer – Murderer or Madman?

A PAINFUL CASE

In the police court this morning Roska Brownlees, who appeared to be greatly agitated, was brought up to answer a charge of having on that morning feloniously shot with intent to murder her husband. The Information was handed in unsigned, Dr. Brownless, the husband of the defendant, either refusing or being unable to attach his signature. Inspector McKenna intimated that if the doctor refused to go on with the case the police would take it up.
He asked for a remand for eight days. Mr. Hogan, who appeared for the accused, objected to the length of the remand. Inspector McKenna said that he would probably be able to go on with the case tomorrow, and on that condition, the remand was granted. Mrs. Brownless had to be supported upon, leaving the box.

The facts in connection with this case are briefly as follows: – Dr. Brownless and his wife reside in Sylvester street, near the fire brigade station. At an early hour this morning, three revolver shots were fired in rapid succession, none of them taking effect. Those in the neighborhood rushed in the direction of the firing, and Mrs. Brownlees was found in an excited and hysterical condition. The police appeared on the scene and arrested Mrs. Brownlees, and conveyed her to the station, where she was charged as above. Dr. Brownless and his wife have lived here for some time. He is the son of the late Dr. Anthony Brownlees, Chancellor of the Melbourne University. and is well-known in Sydney. The charges were withdrawn.

THE SNODGRASS TRAGEDY
A PREMEDITATED CRIME

Mrs. Gold, a nurse at the Government Hospital, was shot dead by Kenneth Snodgrass, who immediately afterward committed suicide by shooting himself. Snodgrass was a man about 55 years of age and had a wife and grown-up family living in Coolgardie. Nurse Gold was 46 years of age (some say 33 years), and was the widow of the late Captain Gold, who died about 13 months ago, aged 70. Mrs. Gold was left in poor circumstances and had to take the post of a hospital nurse. Snodgrass, who was a man of unsettled and erratic habits, is believed to have been infatuated with the deceased nurse, and frequently visited her at the hospital. On Tuesday night she had dressed in white to go to a Cinderella dance. Snodgrass, who had been at the hospital in the afternoon, returned again at night, and, finding Mrs. Gold dressed to go out, shot her just outside the nurses’ quarters. He had borrowed the revolver he used during the afternoon. He fired two shots at the woman, killing her on the spot. Afterward, he turned the muzzle towards his own head, and his death was also instantaneous.

The motive for the crime is still a mystery, but it is thought the deed was due to jealousy. Mrs. Gold had been a great friend of the Snodgrass family since the death of her husband, and it is not known yet whether an ill-feeling existed latterly. A daughter of the deceased Snodgrass is at present a probationer in the hospital, while the matron, Miss Snodgrass, is a cousin. Mr. Snodgrass was married, and leaves a wife and several children, residing at Coolgardie. It is stated that last night, between 5 and 6 o’clock, a bailiff entered his house, in Clifton Street, Toorak, and took possession. Mr. Snodgrass was not home at the time, but returned soon afterward, and signed a paper undertaking not to dispose of any goods in the house.

This afternoon the body of Nurse Gold was buried in the public cemetery. All the nurses who could be spared from their duties attended. The body of Snodgrass was also interred in the cemetery later in the day. Snodgrass, who was the son of the Hon. Peter Snodgrass, M.L.C., was educated at Winchester school, England. Then by his relatives, he was placed as a junior clerk in the Colonial Bank and was subsequently raised to the management of one of the smaller branches. Leaving banking, he was a miner, prospector, etc., in Gippsland.  Next, he was a miner working in Bailey’s Reward, Coolgardie, and subsequently a commission agent, auditor, and boarding-house keeper in the same town.
NOTE: The ghost of Nurse Gold is supposed to haunt the old Coolgardie Hospital Site.

THE BURBANKS HORROR
MURDOCK SENTENCED TO DEATH

At the Criminal Court today, William Patterson Murdock was sentenced to death for the attempted murder of Roger Clark. The circumstances which led to the dread sentence of death being passed upon William Patterson Murdock yesterday furnishes one of the most sensational and diabolical acts in the annals of crime in this colony. The two men were the owners of a mine known as the Paisley Lease, situated close to Burbanks near Coolgardie, and worked together as mates. A short lime prior to the attempted murder, Murdock had obtained the lease, which was under offer for £5,000, in his own name, and in response to Clark’s objections, he promised to have it rectified in a day or two.

On November 30th, Clark was working at the bottom of a winze below the 60ft level, while Murdock was standing at the top After splitting a hole, Clark ascended the ladder, and when within a few feet of the drive Murdock struck him heavily on the head with a mulga stick, inflicting a terrible wound. Clark was driven to the bottom of the winze, and made repeated attempts to reach the surface, but was repulsed on each occasion by being pelted with stones. He was kept below during the whole of that night and suffering the pangs of hunger And thirst he made another attempt to climb the ladders when he was mercilessly beaten down.

During that night, in response to Clark’s appeals to be allowed to come up, Murdock said they would first pull some dirt. He then apparently conceived the diabolical idea of placing a charge of dynamite with a lighted fuse attached to the bucket, presumably in the expectation that it would explode while his unfortunate prisoner was filling the bucket with dirt. Clark, however, noticed the burning material and frustrated the attempt by running into a short drive. Clark made frequent appeals for permission to go to the surface, to all of which Murdock turned a deaf ear By this time the wound in Clark’s head had become flyblown, and weak and exhausted from loss of blood and hunger and thirst, he was in a pitiable state. He refrained from making further appeals to his jailer until the following morning when he again requested his mate not to molest him.

Doubting whether Murdock was waiting for him in the drive at the top of the winze, he hesitated about making another effort to ascend, but eventually decided to make a last attempt, and painfully began to climb the ladders. Fortunately be had chosen a moment when Murdock had gone to the surface, and stealthily climbing up the ladders he eventually reached the surface. He proceeded to the camp of a neighbor named O’Shaunasy, who, after hearing his extraordinary story, sent for the police. On the officer’s arrival at Murdock’s camp, he was arrested. A letter was found in which he admitted the attempt, and, asking his mate’s forgiveness, stated his intention o’ committing suicide.
NOTE: Murdock’s death sentence was committed to imprisonment.

NOTE: The execution of GOULAM MAHOMET was the first for a crime committed in the WA Goldfields. There was not another execution of a Goldfield’s crime carried out until 1903 when Stelios Psichitsas received the death penalty for the murder and rape of his sister in law and nephew in Lawlers – A Greek Tragedy at Lawlers