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H. J. McCooey part 7
Yowie / Bigfoot
Maitland Quarter Sessions.
FALSE PRETENCES.
The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW)
Date: March 15, 1888
Page Number: 7
Henry James McCooey pleaded not guilty to an information charging him with having, on the 28th February, at New Lambton, obtained
from Mary Williams the sum of 18s 6d, the property of John Williams, with intent to defraud.
Accused was
not defended.
The accused, who was sober on the occasion, entered the Hand of Friendship Hotel, kept by John
Williams, at New Lambton, and handed Mrs. Williams a cheque for £1, drawn on the bank of New South Wales, in favor of "self or bearer,"
and requested her to deduct the amount he owed her husband for five drinks, and a drink he was then supplied with. Mrs. Williams,
believing it to be a good and valid order, and knowing that the accused had been employed in the neighbourhood, cashed the cheque,
and gave accused 18s 6d change. When her husband came home she handed him the cheque. Prosecutor went in search of the accused, found
him in another hotel, and remarked to him that he thought the cheque was not any good. McCooey said, "Oh, you tender the cheque, and
it will be cashed for you all right." Williams requested him to return the balance as he wanted to have no trouble in the matter.
Accused replied "You can do the best you can." A report was made to Constable Kinnane, who asked the accused if he got the cheque
which the constable held in hand cashed. He admitted that he had done so, and that the cheque bore his signature. On being asked "Where
are your funds ?" he said "In the Bank of New South Wales, Cowra." He was confined in the lockup. On the way thither accused desired
to see his employer, Mr. Harper, whom he saw. He said to Mr. Harper "I am in some difficulty about a cheque. Can you assist me out
of it. Will you lend me £1." Mr. Harper said no, and advised him as a way out of the difficulty to telegraph to his friends to send
£1 for him. After that accused asked the constable if he could send a telegram to Sydney, that there was an arrangement that his cousin
was to pay some money into the bank for him. It appeared that the accused had an account at the bank at Cowra, upon which he operated.
On the 20th October last he had an interview with Mr. Dwyer, of the Cowra branch of the Bank of New South Wales, and asked him how
his account stood ; he was told that there was a balance of 14s 10d to his credit ; he then asked if he could draw a cheque for £1
; Mr. Dwyer said "No, I will give you the balance ;" accused said he wished to leave the balance, but Mr. Dwyer said the account was
closed, and was told, in answer to a query he put to that gentleman, that if he drew a cheque and presented it the answer would be
"account closed;" he was also advised not to attempt to draw a cheque unless he knew there was money placed to his credit ; it was
shown that the cheque in question was irregularly drawn, and that there was no money to accused's credit at Cowra.
Accused called Mr. Pope, of the Bank of New South Wales, Maitland, whom he asked if he (accused) had funds to his credit, and a cheque was
presented for payment at the Sydney office of the bank would it be cashed. Mr. Pope said that depended upon the judgment of the manager,
the cheque having been irregularly drawn. The accused addressed the jury at some length, asking their sympathy with him on account
of the difficult position in which he stood by reason of the absence of his brother, who, if he had been present, would have been
in a position to prove that he (accused) had £12 due to him at Dubbo. Readers of a Sydney weekly journal would recognise articles he
had written on subjects of natural history. He was also a member of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, and contributed to the
proceedings of that institution. He mentioned those facts to show that he had a reputation, and he would ask them whether he was likely
to risk his liberty and disgrace his name for the sake of a paltry £1. He said he reasonably believed that there was money to his
credit in the bank, otherwise he would not have presented the cheque.
His Honor said that the main questions
for the determination of the jury were: Did the accused knowingly make a false pretence ; and did he do it with intent to defraud.
The jury left the box at a quarter to 3. At 6 o'clock the forman said there was no possibility of their agreeing,
and they were locked up for the night.
Hand of Friendship Hotel c 1903
What happened next?
Yowieocalypse has yet to find the result of this court case although it would appear that McCooey was acquitted...
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: March 28, 1888
Page Number: 9
An interesting discovery of a singular nature was made at Coogee yesterday morning by Mr. H. J. M'Cooey, whose name is well-known
in scientific circles. Mr. M'Cooey was strolling in the neighbourhood of Coogee Bay, when he suddenly startled a large black snake (Pseudechis
porphyriacus) and no less than 18 young ones. No sooner was the reptile startled than she made a strange hissing or gulping noise,
and opened her mouth widely, into which her young glided with extraordinary rapidity and disappeared down her throat. Mr. M'Cooey
instantly despatched the reptile, and on dissecting her killed thirteen of the young snakes, the remainder making their escape in
the grass. Mr. M'Cooey's discovery sets at rest a question which has always been regarded by scientific men with scepticism, viz.,
whether or not snakes swallow their young in order to protect them.
Note: this is an article is about McCooey rather than by him. What does McCooey himself have to say about the snake which swallowed
its young?
SNAKES AND THEIR YOUNG.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: March 30, 1888
Page Number: 8
Sir,An article in your issue of to-day, regarding the discovery of Mr. M'Cooey as to the disposal of their young by snakes in time of danger, is apt to lead to misapprehension by your readers, as it states "... swallow their young in order to protect them," giving the idea that the young go into the stomachs of their mothers ; for it is a well-known fact to those who have made the investigation that the mother snake has a false stomach, or properly speaking, a pouch, extending from the inside of the mouth down as far as the anus, which can be traced by laying open the skin of the snake down the part indicated. If you think it necessary to give space to this, I shall be glad.
I am, &c.,
A. ESSEX EVANS.
"it is a well-known fact to those who have made the investigation that the mother snake has a false stomach, or properly speaking,
a pouch, extending from the inside of the mouth down as far as the anus, which can be traced by laying open the skin of the snake
down the part indicated."
FALSE
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: April 19, 1888
Page Number: 9
OUR attention has been drawn by Mr. J. M'Cooey to the cruelty which is being inflicted upon birds by dealers in the market...
April 24, 1888 - SNAKES, SWALLOWING THEIR YOUNG.
...
At Coogee Mr. H. J. M'Cooey witnessed a snake swallow its young. This experience
of Mr M'Cooey is claimed to have settled a question hitherto doubted by scientific men. In some of the country districts it has for some
time been accepted as a fact, and I can offer an experience which occurred to myself some six years ago in the Berrima district, which
is precisely similar to that of Mr. M'Cooey's.
...
OVERCROWDING AND CRUELTY TO BIRDS
IN THE CITY MARKETS.
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: April 23, 1888
Page Number: 5
May 9, 1888 - MARSUPIALS AND THEIR YOUNG.
...
It has been a matter of surprise to me that scientific men have left unanswered a most
important item bearing on this subject that appeared in the Herald on the 8th August last year, from Mr. H. E. Kater, of Mount Broughton,
who wrote:"I have in my possession the pouch of a native cat which was killed during the past few weeks, with eight young ones, in
a rather advanced state of development, attached to eight teats." A scientific gentleman, named Mr. M'Cooey, said (in his letter in
the Herald, March 11, last year) "Bushmen cling with dogged tenacity and firm unwavering faith .... that the native cat, which isa marsupial and only has six teats, bears nine young at a time."
I am, &c.,
J. S. BRAY.
_____
Females have six nipples...
Up to 18 quolls are born in each litter, but only six survive the first two weeks.
OTHES SPECIES OF CRUEL TY TO SHEEP AND OTHER ANIMALS.
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: July 20, 1888
Page Number: 5
...
Judging from the vulgar censure that was heaped upon me by certain classes when I recently obtained a conviction against a person
for cruelty to cockatoos in the city markets, and from various other experiences, I can safely affirm that an over-sensitiveness regarding
the treatment and welfare of birds or animals is not regarded as popular; but I shall run the risk of becoming unpopular or being
termed a sentimentalist whenever an opportunity presents itself of raising my voice in defence of poor misery-striken dumb creatures,
which are unable to speak for themselves.
...
SATURDAY'S POLICE COURT.
ANOTHER ALLEGED CASE OF FRAUD.
Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW)
Date: October 6, 1888
Page Number: 4
Timothy O'Sullivan was charged with fraudulently appropriating to his own use, on the 10th June last, a port-manteau, wearing apparel, books,
&c., to the value of £70, the property of Henry James McCooey.
...
portmanteau - a large suitcase
October 13, 1888
October 16, 1888
...
Sub-inspector Fenton here stated that he had just ascertained that McCooey was in
the Goulburn Hospital, and he accordingly applied for a postponement of the case to admit of his attendance. He understood that McCooey
would not be fit to be discharged for four or five days.
...
...
I resided with a brother-in-law of mine
in Goulburn some years ago, when I was only about 16 years of ago; I worked at the Commercial Hotel in Goulburn for a few months,
looking after a couple of horses and some buggies ; that must be 16 or 17 years ago; that was the only employment I had in Goulburn
; I afterwards went as an assistant surveyor with Mr. Jas. Evans, of Cootamundra, and was with him about 12 months ; I afterwards went
with other surveyors, including Mr. Dunkin, of Cootamundra, with whom I stayed about 6 months ; I then went with Mr. Tozer, another surveyor,
and remained with him about 12 months ; I have since worked at various things, sinking tanks and assisting surveyors ; I was in the
Newcastle district and had some court cases there ; I was the defendant in a criminal matter there; I was charged with false pretences
; that was in March last; the result of that case was that I was acquitted; it was only a mere piece of spleen on the part of a publican
that caused me to be brought up
...
I have been a member of the police force, and was stationed at Armidale; I was in the force about
18 months or 2 years, under the superintendence of Mr. Beveridge; Mr. Orridge was also there part of the time; the reason I resigned
was that I was in debt, but I have since paid all I owed
...
...
The jury accordingly returned a verdict
of not guilty, and prisoner was discharged.
The Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW)
Date: October 31, 1888
Page Number: 2
ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT.
H. J. McCooey, Goulburn. You letter denying the authorship of a letter which appeared in this journal
on the 17th instant signed "Yclept" is altogether unnecessary, as no one would be likely to mistake you for the author and even if
they did so it is not our place to undeceive them, the adoption of an anonymous signature being permitted in order to withold the
name of the author.
Yowieocalypse is unsure what this was about...
DESTRUCTION OF MARSUPIALS.
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: December 25, 1888
Page Number: 7