I have found that when doing my own research I am all too often and easily distracted by other interesting snippets that I come across along the way, and it gets the better of me and I end up being distracted.  This is what happened when looking through the microfilm of the Local Advertiser recently.

I found an In Memoriam notice and after reading it I was intrigued and found myself looking through further microfiche rolls of the Newspaper to see if I could find out what had happened that triggered the penning of this compassionate poem.

The Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser- September 11^th 1895

IN MEMORIAM

Of R. E. Bowring, who shot his fiancée, Ellen Randall, near the Bowenvale reservoir, and

Then shot himself in a fit of temporary in - Sanity.

Has no one a good word to say

          For the sake of our dead and gone brother?

Has no one a kind word to-day,

          For the sake of his Father and Mother?

 Yes, I have a little to tell,

          ‘Bout the young man, now gone to his rest

I knew him, and trust all is well,

          In sight of the Judge who knows best.

 I found him kind-hearted and true,

          Long before his distraction of mind,

And everyone knows, who him knew

          That he left but few equals behind.

 As a son, a comrade or friend,

          Were there many much better than Bowring.

Before that he met his sad end,

          Consumed by a passion devouring.

 Alas! For the lass that he slew,

          In a moment of madness he fired,

Tho’ he knew she was loving and true,

          And was all upon earth he desired.

 Alas! For the deed, so insane,

          That bereft the young lady of life,

She died quite unconscious of pain,

Maybe, hoping that she would be his wife.

 What he may have felt, none can know,

          When he laid her upon the cold ground,

And wrote the direction to go

          To the place where his darling was found.

 Then placing the gun at his head,

          He let off the contents through his brain,

Don’t blame him too much, now he is dead,

          For they may be both be happy again.

 And though their sad death we deplore,

Let us hope that the deed is forgiven,

Tho’ here we shall meet them no more,

          Yet, perhaps, we may meet them in heaven.  

-COMRADE, Stawell

I found the following article appearing in an earlier edition of the Newspaper. 

The Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser- August 16^th 1895

DOUBLE TRAGEDY AT TIMOR

Since the Vennell tragedy, about 12 months ago, there has been no such distressing affair as that which occurred on Wednesday afternoon last near Timor, when a young man named Robert Bowring, 26 years of age, of Timor deliberately shot his sweetheart, Ellen Randall, also of Timor a young woman of 20 years, and then shot himself.  Both the deceased are well known in the district, and it was no secret that Miss Randall was Bowring’s intended wife, and that he was passionately fond of her, as will be seen by the affectionate letters left by him.  The couple had been keeping company for the last two years, and it is said they were to have been married in October.  But events have recently occurred which must have disturbed the relations existing between the couple, and led to their sudden and untimely end.

Bowring followed the occupation of a miner, and seems to have been doing fairly well; but, like many others, he does not seem to have taken the best care of his earnings.  It is said that he attended the Caulfield races recently in the hope of retrieving himself, but apparently his ventures proved disastrous.  In view of his approaching marriage, the unsatisfactory state of his finances doubtless preyed on his mind, which, being thus disordered, would probably conjure up thoughts of losing his beloved affianced, and eventually would lead him into a frenzy of excitement which caused him to perpetrate the double crime.

Miss Randall was a young lady of attractive appearance and was well known in Timor, more especially amongst the young people as a very amiable young lady, also as a member of the Wesleyan Church.  Her parents, as well as those of Bowring, reside in Timor, and both families are much respected.

Further inquiries elicited at Timor yesterday tend to throw a somewhat different light on the affair from that which first appeared.  The little mining town of Timor yesterday morning wore a very solemn aspect, and along the main street and at the hotels little knots of people were observable discussing the distressing details in subdued tones.    It seemed at first sight that the tragedy had been bought about through Bowring being a heavy looser in speculations: but the deceased appears to have lived up to all he earned, and not to have had a great deal of money to speculate with.  He always gave his companions and also Miss Randall to understand that he was possessed of a fair amount of money, and that there was no monetary obstacles to their marriage, but there is reason to believe that these statements were not altogether in accordance with the facts.  He apparently was afraid to tell his affianced that he was not in a position to fulfil the promises made to her, and that if he did so she would perhaps give him up.  There does not, however, appear to be the least grounds for the latter apprehension, as Miss Randall is stated to have been very fond of him, and they were very frequently together.  The fear of losing her and his monetary troubles had apparently deranged his mind.  There can be no doubt the Bowring meditated suicide, but he does not appear to have previously made up his mind to first kill his sweetheart.   As showing his intentions with regard to himself, Bowring was observed early on the morning of the tragedy by a resident going towards his fathers paddock with a gun which he had previously borrowed.

He came back again about 10 o’clock, and went into a hairdresser’s shop for his customary shave.  The hairdresser noticed nothing peculiar in his behaviour, he appeared as usual.  Bowring said that he had been doing some shooting, and after having a shave, asked to be allowed to leave the gun there till he returned.  The hairdresser took charge of the gun, telling Bowring that he intended leaving the shop for a time, but if we went out before Bowring returned he would leave the gun in an adjoining butchers shop for him.  Bowring not returning in time, the gun was left in the next shop, from which he subsequently obtained it and proceeded up the street.  The employee who handed him the gun did not notice anything peculiar in his behaviour.  Bowring must then have went and got a horse and buggy, for he was afterwards see driving towards Maryborough with Miss Randall.

What transpired from tis point is conjecture.  Bowring had been in the habit of driving with his affianced into Maryborough very frequently of late and there was nothing unusual in the circumstance.    The couple proceeded to Maryborough, but instead of returning by the usual main road, must have proceeded down the Dunolly Road as far as Newtown, and there taken a less frequented bush track which is some rugged, rocky country near the reservoir, and the ground is thickly studded with timber- about as weird and lonely a spot as one could with to find to commit a dark deed.

From where the couple turned into the rush at Simson’s, the road is at once a dense bush, and it would probably be here that Bowring would lay his affairs before his fiancée.  But what took place between them can only be surmised.  An angry conversation may or may not have taken place.

However, in the light of subsequent events the outcome could not have been satisfactory. About 3 o’clock, Mr William Grose, who was out shooting near the reservoir in company with his son, saw Bowring drive up and stop near the fence on the reserve, Mr Grose did not at first take much notice of the circumstance, but his attention was forcibly dawn towards Bowring on hearing a dull report of a gun.  His son went towards Bowring, whom he found with blood running from his head.  In response to calls of his son Mr Grose then went to the buggy, and saw Bowring, who had apparently placed the muzzle of the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger, the result being that his head was badly shattered and his face almost unrecognisable.  They found a note pinned on the cushion in the buggy, on which was written the following: “Go on till you come to the ridge of rocks and turn to the right this side.  Get on past Scotch Jock’s and will find my darling Ellen.  Both died together. Good-bye all”

 It appeared to Mr Grose that Bowring had held the gun between his knees and pressed the trigger with a forked stick which was found in the buggy.  Miss Randall’s hat was in the buggy and a quantity of wattle blossom.  Mr N Crowle then joined Mr Grose and his son, and the former proceeded to the spot where Miss Randall’s body was stated to be.  They found the body of the unfortunate girl about one and a half mile away, according to the note left by Bowring.  There was no appearance of a struggle, and it seemed as if Miss Randall had been shot whilst in the buggy.  The body, which was carelessly covered by an overcoat, excepting the head, on the right of which there was a gunshot wound, was lying about five feet from a pool of blood.  The girls hair was slightly ruffled, but her clothes were neatly arranged, and the body lay in a peaceful attitude.  Some of her brains were seen scattered on the ground, and a handkerchief was lying near the body.

Bowring would probably be in a agitated state of mind after committing the foul deed and this will account for the fact that after throwing the overcoat over the body and again getting into the buggy, her turned the horse sharply around, and drove over the body of the girl, as the wheel marks were plainly discernible on her dress and arms.  After committing the deed, Bowring drove on for about a mile and a half, still in the bush.  During this time if he still retained his right senses, the full consciousness of the awful deed must have come upon him and his reflections during that lonely ride of a mile and a half can only be imagined.  He would probably allow the horse to move on as it like till he chanced to see Mr Grose and has son in the bush, and then, seeing no hope of escape from the dreadful consequences of his crime, resolved at once to extricate himself from his difficulty by blowing his brains out.  The gun used was a double-barrelled breech-loading one. 

The Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser- August 19^th 1895

THE TIMOR TRAGEDY

FUNERALS   OF THE VICTIMS

The funeral of the young man, Robert Edwin Bowring, who, after shooting his fiancée, Ellen Randall, near the Bowenvale reservoir on Wednesday last, while in a fit of temporary insanity, then shot himself, took place at Bowenvale on Friday.  A large number of residents attended to show their respect and sympathy for the deceased’s family in their bereavement, and the Rev H. Greenwood officiated in an impressive manner at the grave.

The funeral of the unfortunate young woman, Ellen Randall, of Timor took place on Saturday afternoon and was very largely attended, about 60 vehicles following the hearse to the Carisbrook Cemetery, where other members of the family are buried.  The deceased was a great favourite amongst the young people of Bowenvale, and these turned out in large numbers to see the last of their old and beloved companion.  The floral tributes were numerous, and six young ladies, dressed in white, acted in pall-bearers.  A large crowd had also wended their way to the little necropolis of Carisbrook, which is picturesquely situated on Craigie road.  The Rev H. Greenwood conducted the burial service, and took advantage of the occasion to make a few suitable and impressive remarks; and when the body of the young woman was lowered to its last resting place there was scarcely a dry eye amongst the assemblage.

Mt J DuBourg, of Timor, carried out the mortuary arrangements for both funerals in a very satisfactory manner.

__________________

 On Sunday afternoon large numbers of people, the fair sex greatly predominating, who came in buggies and on foot, visited the scene of the tragedy near the Bowenvale reservoir, and loitered about in groups discussing the various theories as the precise manner in which the deceased young woman met her death.  Some kind friends had thoughtfully covered the pool of blood with a large mound of stones and rocks, which were stacked in pyramid form, about 3 or 4 feet in height, the top being covered win wattle blossoms.  This mound will probably serve as a lasting monument to the deceased, as the locality is so rocky and wild that it is not likely to be disturbed with habitations for many years to come.

 The mound is still standing today.

__________________

Authors notes from TIMOR –THE JUNCTION OF THE DEEP LEADS.

Compiled by Sue Frahn

Researched by Alan Rycroft

Illustrations by Maree Rycroft

Ellen Randall’s body was exhumed on November 27^th 1895 and is buried at the Timor Cemetery.

The body of Robert Bowring was buried with that of Fanny Bowring.

 
The author of the first article has certainty used poetic licence and many contradictions in his interpretation of some aspects of the events.  

                                 

  DuBourg’s were the undertakers at Timor at the time

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