The Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday 27 January 1863
(New South Wales)
 

PICTON
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
INQUEST.—On Thursday, 22nd, Mr. J. M. Antill, J. P., coroner, held an inquest on the Goulburn extension line of railway, on the body of a man named William Hannam, who died rather suddenly from disease of the lungs. Deceased was occasionally subject to fits of intemperance, and at Christmas last had been drinking, but had resumed his work as a stonemason at the culvert on No. 6 cutting until a day or two before his death. Dr. Bell gave evidence that deceased had died from pneumonia, or congestion of the lungs, and the jury returned a verdict of “Death from natural causes.” Deceased had a wife living somewhere near Maitland with her family. He was fifty-seven years of age, and a native of Cornwall in England.

Contributed by Bob Bolitho