An inquest into the death of Constable Herman Komoll was held
at the home of farmer, Mr W Hunter, near Tarpeena in south-east SA on Friday
April 28, 1865.
Mr Scott, S M, of Penola acted as coroner, and Mr Hunter as
foreman of the 12-man jury.
Local publican Mr Laurance Egan, his son Francis and several
other witnesses testified that Trooper Komoll – who was stationed 20 miles
away at Penola – had arrived at their Tarpeena inn shortly before noon on
Thursday, April 27.
Their opinion was that the trooper had been sent to deliver a
parcel of uniforms to a Mount Gambier-based trooper, who was to meet him there.
At the inn, Komoll was served with a meal and several nobblers
of brandy with lemon syrup, and remained at the hotel until almost 4pm.
As he prepared to return to Penola, a farmer’s son,
Samuel Holland – whom he had befriended during the afternoon –
decided to ride part of the way with him.
When questioned on the subject of Komoll’s sobriety, all
witnesses, including Holland, said the trooper did not show signs of
drunkenness and appeared to be capable of managing the 20-mile ride.
In response to a series of questions from the coroner and
members of the jury, Holland said: “I started out with Trooper Komoll at
about 4pm. We started in at a canter. We had just passed the entrance to Mr
Hunter’s farm, which is about two-and-a-half miles from Tarpeena, when
Komoll asked if I would ride the full distance to Penola with him. I said yes I
would. He then said: “Come on, then, we have a good way to go tonight and
it is getting late.” We then broke into a good canter.
“We had not gone more than two or three hundred yards
when his horse, which was alongside mine, broke away to the side. It did not
appear to shy or rear up, it just swerved off the roadway. I heard Komoll sing
out but could not make out what he said. By the time I pulled up my horse and
turned around I was about 20 yards ahead of the policeman and I saw him laying
as if dead beside a large tree. I did not dismount but rode quickly back to Mr
Hunter’s place – a distance of about a quarter of a mile – to
get assistance.”
Other witnesses, including Alexander McLeod, who arrived on
the scene while Holland was at Hunter’s, then gave evidence as to the
condition of the trooper when found. “
The deceased was lying on the ground making a moaning sound.
His legs were stretched wide apart and his arms stretched wide apart above his
head. His head seemed to be twisted to one side. There was a little blood on
his lip and some under his nose on one side of the cheek. He was quite
insensible and breathed heavily.
“I briefly examined the tree under which the trooper
lay, and the tracks of the horse, and would deduce from the distance and spread
of the track that the horse had suddenly changed direction at full speed and
struck the rider against the tree. A large area of bark had been knocked from
the tree, and there was some bark adhering to the police cap, which I found on
the ground near the injured man.
“I laid him out straight and called to a group of blacks
about 150 yards away to take care of the injured man while I went to fetch
help.
“We arrived back at Mr Hunter’s house with the
trooper at about 6pm where he died about an hour-and-three-quarters later
without having regained consciousness.”
Mount Gambier medical practitioner, Dr William Talbot
Clindening, testified to having been summoned to Mr Hunter’s farm to
examine Trooper Komoll. He said he carried out this examination immediately on
his arrival at the farm at about 2am on April 28.
“I examined the body of the deceased. He had been dead
for several hours. I found a slight abrasion on the forehead, a small wound on
the nose, discoloured eyes and eyelids and some blood from the nostrils. From
the appearance of the pupils of the eyes I drew the conclusion that there had
been a concussion of the brain from which he never rallied.
“I made another examination later this morning. I found
discolouration to the back of the neck and shoulders. The discolouration of the
face had increased down the neck to the chest. Speaking from the appearance of
the injuries and the sight of the tree I have no doubt that the man’s
death was caused by him having been thrust against the tree with considerable
force. I was only surprised when examining the damage to the tree that the
trooper had not died on the spot.”
At the completion of the testimony, the jury held a brief
discussion and then announced its verdict: “We consider from the evidence
presented that the deceased, Trooper Komoll, came to his death by a fall from
his horse against a tree, the horse having swerved off the road causing the
accident.”
Komoll left behind his wife, Catherine – whom he had
married fewer than three years earlier – and sons, Walter, almost two, and
Herman, just two months. Story adapted from reports in The Border Watch (April
29, 1865), The Advertiser (May 13, 1865) and SA Police Historical Society
records.
Story adapted from reports in The Border
Watch (April 29, 1865), The Advertiser (May 13, 1865) and SA Police
Historical Society records.
