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Paddy Haddygaddy (?–1875)

from Queanbeyan Age

This entry is from Obituaries Australia

The aboriginals of this country (says the Bega Standard) are mostly too indolent or too fond of rum and tobacco to do much in the romantic style. The recent murder case at Breadbatoura, it would seem, has certain romantic features attached to it. Wyman, a hale looking blackfellow in the prime of life, it appears was struck by the sable charms of "Sarah," a daughter of Paddy Haddygaddy's, and had been promised her as his wife, but Paddy afterwards retracted his promise, and, as Wyman states added violence to injury by giving him a sound thrashing. Haddygaddy, although advanced in years, was a noted pugilist, or "waddyist" we presume is better, and the two men fought, Jacky (Wyman) getting the worst of it. Paddy then threatened his opponent's life, and Jacky states that it was in self-preservation he committed the murderous assault that ended the unfortunate man's life. Another account is, that after a drinking bout all the blacks returned to camp, and that Jacky offered some insult to Paddy's gin, and for fear of the consequences when Paddy awoke from his drunken sleep, he brutally murdered him with the tomahawk. The injuries were described at the inquest as fearful, the first blow having cleft the skull, the axe fastening in the log on which the wretched man's head was resting, and the repeated blows shattered the head that when the scalp was removed the bone was literally in fragments. Jacky also states that he bore an old grudge against Paddy for killing his cousin's husband, and that Paddy took his cousin and step-mother and "knocked them about in the bush." Altogether, there was it seems a feud that could only have a tragic ending.

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Citation details

'Haddygaddy, Paddy (?–1875)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/haddygaddy-paddy-25507/text33852, accessed 29 March 2024.

© Copyright Obituaries Australia, 2012

Life Summary [details]

Death

17 March, 1875
Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia

Cause of Death

axe wounds

Cultural Heritage

Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.

Occupation