Ellen was a witness to this child’s inquest.
VPRS 24/PO
Unit 60 1858/13
Item 13
Susan Park
31 January 1858 at the Golden Point Hotel, Ballarat
Death took place on the 13th instant and was caused by suffocation from having accidentally fallen into a cesspool hole on same day and there are not any marks of violence on her person.
Coroner George Clendinning
Jurors
John Bryce Kilpatrick
William Derwent?
Robert Deas
John Mulranie xxx
Thomas Rodger
Alexander Allen
James McLean
William Arnott
Alexander Airth
John Edgar
Renard Anderton
Edmond Consedine
Witness
Duncan Parke, miner of Ballarat
That the deponent Duncan Park on his oath saith as follows.
I am father to the deceased who was aged about two years and on yesterday about six o’clock pm the deceased was with me in the stables and returned into our tent with me where she was playing about as usual for some minutes. The deceased was not out of my sight five minutes when Mrs Arnott came and asked if Susan was in and I said no out. When I saw Mrs Arnott making her way towards the closet I went after her and saw the deceased lying on her back in the hole and all covered over except her fore head. I then caught hold of her arm and lifted her out. She was quite dead but I sent for a Doctor and Dr Hobson came and pronounced the deceased dead.
Duncan Park (signed)
Witness Ellen Arnott of Ballarat
The deponent Ellen Arnott etc.
I … of the deceased who was aged about two years – and an yesterday about sundown. My own little girl came to me and told me that the deceased had fallen into the water closet. I went immediately to Mr Park’s tent and asked of deceased not within and Mr Park said she was not.I then went to the closet and saw the deceased lying on her back and saw part of her face right hand . She didn’t move at all and Mr Park arrived then and he took out the deceased who appeared quite dead.
Ellen Arnott xxx (her mark)
