Tonight has been both frustrating and rewarding in my quest for more information on Anthony Edward Corvan. The Bendigo Advertiser is starting to be published on Trove, and I have been keenly awaiting its appearance as the index showed over twenty Corvan references.
An email from Trove tonight notified me of the first of the articles to appear, but before I had downloaded more than three, the site went down. Hopefully I will be able to finish feeding my insatiable Corvan curiosity tomorrow, but for now I can report on an article about Anthony published in 1859, which is in effect yet another assassination on his character:
Bendigo Advertiser, Thursday, October 6, 1859.
ILLEGALLY SELLING SPIRITOUS LIQUORS.
Edward Allan Pollard appeared on remand, charged on the information of Mr. Superintendent McCulloch, the Inspector of Distilleries, with having, on the 28th day of September last, sold two gallons of brandy, he not having a license for so doing. Mr Lysaght, with whom was Mr Helm, conducted the offence.
James Edwards, Detective Officer, deposed that on the evening of the 28th ultimo, he was in Short Street, Sandhurst, and met a man named Corvan with a two gallon keg in his possession, and close to the premises of the defendant. He took him to the defendant, and asked him if the man Corvan had purchased the keg and contents of him. The defendant replied "Yes." Corvan then said "The detective has taken me for stealing it." Witness again asked "Has he purchased this here?" He answered "Yes."
Witness then asked the defendant "Have you a license to sell liquor here?" He replied "No, I have not, but I will have one tomorrow." Witness then called in the Superintendent, who was close by. On his coming up, he told the defendant who he was, and told him he should have to search his house to see what quantity of liquor he had in stock. Defendant showed them over the cellar,where there was a large quantity of brandy and whisky.The Superintendent asked him if the spirits were his. He replied it was, and that he was about getting a house in View Point to open business. They then searched the cases.Went next into a store in the rear of the house, where they found several hogsheads of brandy and other liquors, some full and some not full. Tasted the brandy out of one of the hogsheads. There were several small kegs containing liquor, the name of which defendant gave. Some of them were marked brandy. In a small yard between the house and the store were two hogsheads. Defendant said one contained brandy,and witness thinks he said the other contained rum. The Superintendent seized the whole stock, and placed two policemen in charge. It was afterwards conveyed to the Government store at the Camp. The keg produced is the same witness took from the man Corvan. It contained brandy.
Cross-examined by Mr. Lysaght: It was not by chance that he was in Short Street on the evening in question. Had seen Corvan once before. From information received, expected to meet Corvan. Did not know whether Corvan knew him or not when he first saw him. Asked him where he got the keg, and if he had stolen it.
By the Bench: Defendant did not try to conceal anything when the Superintendent searched the premises.
Anthony Edward Corvan deposed that on the 28th ultimo he went to the defendant's store, and purchased of him two gallons of brandy, and paid for it, paid him L2 2s for the two gallons, in a one pound note, a sovereign, and two shillings; after purchasing it he left, and was proceeding to his store, when a person whom he did not know at the time caught hold of him and said "What have you got there?". Witness replied "Brandy."
Cross-examined by Mr. Helm. Witness was a storekeeper. Has an application in for a refreshment license. Was not a sly grog seller for four years. Was not set on to inform against defendant. Did it of his own accord, and from a love of justice.Gave the police information of what he was going to do three days previously.
By the Bench: Would swear positively that when he left the defendant's store, he did not expect to meet Detective Edwards.
Robert McCulloch, Superintendent of Police, proved the proclamation of the district as a Special Licensing District.
Cross-examined by Lysaght: Had not had any communication whatever with the witness Corvan, previous to the information; was aware some of the police had with a man or men, but was not aware who they were.
Mr Lysaght addressed the Bench for the defence, representing that the occupation of the house in Short Street for the purpose of a store was only a temporary arrangement, pending his opening a store at View Point; and with the peculiar facts of the case before them, and the knowledge that the defendant had not on any previous occasion violated any legal enactment, he trusted the Bench would look leniently on the matter and dismiss the case.
The Magistrates retired into their private room for a short time for consultation, and on their resuming their seats on the Bench felt bound to give the accused the benefit of any doubt that existed, as, from the valuable stock which was jeopardised by the infringement of the law, as the learned counsel had suggested, it was hardly probable that he would have the temerity or foolishness to embark in sly grog selling. The law had been broken in the letter, but not in the spirit, and from the manner in which the witness Corvan had given his evidence, which had been directly contradicted by the clear and straightforward evidence of Detective Edwards, they could put but little credence in what he had stated, and they should therefore dismiss the case.
The decision was received with audible tokens of satisfaction by those present; the demonstration was, however, promptly suppressed. The witness Corvan was, however, greeted on the stairs with a few hisses, groans, and other tokens of contempt.
The Court then rose."
Oh great...drunk, rogue, vagabond, wife-deserter and now police-informer and loathed member of a gold-mining community...Anthony's life just keeps getting better!!! :-)
I will hopefully be back tomorrow with another blog entry and more articles about Anthony from the Bendigo Advertiser...fingers crossed that whatever problems the Trove site is having will be sorted out by then.
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