| Notes |
- Alice was terrified of thunderstorms and would hide when one was on. [Doris Makeham]
Portland Guardian:
The sudden death of Mrs Alice Floris Williams took place at her home at Crib Point on Thursday last. The deceased (aged 26 years) was theonlydaughter of Mr and Mrs Glen McCombe of Gawler St, Portland, and was popularly known to a large circle of friends, who were shocked at the sadnews.The late Mrs Williams was married to Mr Lawrence Williams, of Mt Gambier, who was attached to the Royal Navy at Flinders Naval Base. Theremainswere conveyed to Portland and interred in the South Cemetery on Saturday afternoon, when a large number of sorrowing friends attended to paytheirlast tribute.
Herald newspaper article:
"Woman found shot in back yard of home."
Shot through the chest, the body of Mrs Alice Florence [sic] Williams, 27, was found early today at Crib Point, in the backyard of a house whereshelived with her husband.
Powder marks on her clothing indicated that she had been shot at close range. A pea-rifle was found in a bush near a dog kennel some yards away.
Under another bush nearby, detectives found five pea-rifle cartridges.
Mrs Williams evidently staggered across the yard before she collapsed.
Marks on her legs - she was not wearing stockings - are thought to have been caused by twigs and brambles in her struggles. One of her shoes wasoff,but otherwise the body was fully clothed.
Her husband, Laurence Williams, a sick bay steward at the Flinders Naval Depot, told the police that their married life had been very happy, andheknew of no reason why his wife should take her life.
Williams was on night duty at the depot when the tragedy occurred.
"Not Murder"
On preliminary investigations, detectives do not think that his wife was murdered. No motive is apparent for murder or even for suicide at present.
An accident theory being examined is that Mrs Williams went into the yard to feed the dog, taking the rifle with her for protection, and thattheanimal jumped up at her, and discharged the rifle.
To make this possible, the muzzle must have been pressed into her body when the rifle was fired.
It is more likely, however, that she would have been carrying the rifle with the barrell pointing away from her. Also, she probably would nothavetaken additional ammunition with her.
The tragedy was discovered at 6.30am by Ronald Appledorff, a ward room cook at the Naval Depot, who lived at the house with his wife and Mr andMrsWilliams.
The house is in Perrott Street behind the main road, and none of several neighbors living in a cluster of houses around heard a shot during the night.
Appledorff returned home at 10pm and did not see Mrs Williams, but thought she was in her room because the door was shut. Mrs Appledorff was in bed.
The Williamses were sharing the house with the Appledorffs because they could not get other accommodation at Crib Point. They had been living atthehouse five or six weeks. Previously they lived at Bittern. They had been married two years, and had no family.
The Homicide Squad under Detective Sergeant Lyon, has gone from Police Headquarters to investigate the tragedy.
The Age newspaper article:
Detectives are investigating the death of Mrs Alice Floris Williams, 27 years, whose body, with a bullet wound in the chest and a dischargedpearifle lying about eight yards away, was found yesterday morning in a yard at a house at Crib Point.
Indications are that Mrs Williams was not murdered, and no reason has been discovered why she should take her own life, as she was in goodhealth,and lived happily and on the best terms with her husband, Mr Laurence Williams, who is employed as a sick bay attendant at Flinders NavalDepot.
Mrs Williams was last seen alive about 7.30pm on Wednesday, and her body was found at 6,30am yesterday by another occupant of the house, wheresheand her husband had rooms. Mr Williams was working at the depot when the tragedy occurred.
The shot appeared to have been fired at close range, and further light will probably be thrown on the fatality by a post-mortem examination,whichwill be conducted at the City Morgue today.
One of the woman's sand shoes lay a few yards from the body, while the belt of her dress was also lying close by. It is believed that they mayhavebeen torn as she struggled on the ground before she died. Five rifle cartridges were also found by the detectives.
The inquiries are being made by Detective-Sergeant Lyon and Senior Detective Boyd, of Russell Street headquarters.
Mr na Mrs Williams had been married for two years.
The Herald newspaper article:
Police Believe Woma Died Accidentally.
Mystery Shot at Crib Point.
Chief of the C.I.B. Homicide Squad (Detective Sergeant Lyon) thinks that the myserious death of Mrs Alice Floris Williams, 26, of CribPoint,resulted from an accident.
While this theory still lacks prooof, it is strengthened by the complete absence of any evidence of murder or any motive for suicide.
Mrs Williams had been reading a crime novel called "Murder Is Easy", but the police do not think that the story had any connection with the tragedy.
Police investigations so far have thrown no light on the mystery, and after an autopsy today by the Government Pathologist (Dr C. H. Mollison)murderwas ruled out, leaving suicide and accident as the only alternatives.
Mrs Williams was found dead at 6.30am yesterday in the backyard of a four-roomed cottage in Perrott Street, Crib Point, which she and her husband -asick-berth steward at Flinders Naval Depot - shared with another Naval man, Ronald Appledorff and his wife.
A pea-rifle bullet fired at close range which had pierced her chest below the heart, was located today in the muscles of her back.
Mrs Williams staggered and rolled about the yard before she died. Her husband's pea-rifle was near a dog-kennel eight yards from the body andthepea-rifle cartridges were under a bush nearby.
Mishap at Kennel?
It is surmised that some time on Wednesday night, while her husband was on duty at the Naval Depot, Mrs Williams decided to take the dog for awalkand that it leapt at her and discharged the rifle when she bent down to untie the dog.
Mrs Williams probably took the rifle with her for protection, and put the spare cartridges on the ground while she untied the dog.
The upward direction of the bullet, the detctives say, shows that Mrs Williams was bending over the rifle. It is surprising that, for safety, shedidnot have the muzzle pointing away from her, but she might have thought there was no bullet in the breech. Mr Williams told the police, however,thathe has always made sure the rifle was unloaded when he put it away. The cartridges left in the yard were taken from his sports coat.
Mrs Williams had often fired the rifle when she went out rabbit-shooting with her husband, but he could not recall her ever having loaded it.
It seems strange that if she were too afraid to take the dog for a walk at night without the rifle for protection, she went out at all. She wasnotalone in the house; Mrs Appledorff was there, and Appledorff returned from duty at 10pm. He did not see Mrs Williams then, and thought that shewasasleep.
Not feeling well, she had slept most of the day, and had evidently been reading the murder novel before she went into the yard, for the bookwasopen, turned face downward, in her room, and Mrs Williams was wearing a coat, indicating, the detectives think, that she intended to be outsideforsome time.
In Good Spirits
Another probability is that, before Mr Appledorff came home, Mrs Williams heard the dog barking furiously and went into the yard with the rifletosee whether a prowler was about. None of the neighbours heard the shot.
The only explanation that can be offered for Mrs Williams taking the dog for a walk late at night is that she was unable to sleep, having been inbedall afternoon.
She was last seen alive at 7.30pm on Wednesday by Mrs Appledorff, and she was then in good spirits. The Appledorffs and neighbours spoke highlyofMrs Williams.
Her domestic life was happy and no reason can be advanced for suicide. That likelihood is, however, still being investigated.
The Age newspaper article:
Police inquiries continued yesterday concerning the death of Mrs Alice Floris Williams, 27 years, of Crib Point, whose body was discovered earlyonThursday in the yard of her residence. Near a dog kennel in the yard was a pea rifle.
As the result of an autopsy at the Morgue yesterday a pea rifle bullet was extracted from the bosy. Police investigations, it was stated, hadshownno evidence of murder, and that possibility had been ruled out.
In considering the likelihood of accident, attention was being given the theory that Mrs Williams, with the pea rifle in her hand, or on thegroundin front of her, was bending down to unleash the dog at its kennel when the gun went off.
One surnise is that she was about to take the dog for a night walk. Another is that she may have heard the dog barking and had taken the riflewhileshe went out to investigate.
- Event Memos from GEDCOM Import...
Death
Alice's death certificate records her death date as "23rd or 24th April" in the yard of her residence at Crib Point.
Alice was 26 and her occupation was given as home duties.
The cause of death was a "rifle bullet wound in the abdomen - open finding". An inquest was held into her death.
Alice had lived 24 years in Victoria and 2 years in South Australia. I think those 2 years would have been after she and Dad married as he wasresident in Mt Gambier at the time of their marriage.
Portland Guardian, 28 April 1941:
WILLIAMS- On the 22nd day of April (result of accident), at Crib Point, Alice Floris, loved wife of Lawrence F. Williams (Flinders Naval Depot).Aged 26. "In God's Keeping."
Portland Guardian:
The sudden death of Mrs Alice Floris Williams took place at her home at Crib Point on Thursday last. The deceased (aged 26 years) was the onlydaughter of Mr and Mrs Glen McCombe of Gawler St, Portland, and was popularly known to a large circle of friends, who were shocked at the sad news.The late Mrs Williams was married to Mr Lawrence Williams, of Mt Gambier, who was attached to the Royal Navy at Flinders Naval Base. The remainswere conveyed to Portland and interred in the South Cemetery on Saturday afternoon, when a large number of sorrowing friends attended to pay theirlast tributes.
Herald newspaper article:
"Woman found shot in back yard of home."
Shot through the chest, the body of Mrs Alice Florence [sic] Williams, 27, was found early today at Crib Point, in the backyard of a house where shelived with her husband.
Powder marks on her clothing indicated that she had been shot at close range. A pea-rifle was found in a bush near a dog kennel some yards away.
Under another bush nearby, detectives found five pea-rifle cartridges.
Mrs Williams evidently staggered across the yard before she collapsed.
Marks on her legs - she was not wearing stockings - are thought to have been caused by twigs and brambles in her struggles. One of her shoes wasoff, but otherwise the body was fully clothed.
Her husband, Laurence Williams, a sick bay steward at the Flinders Naval Depot, told the police that their married life had been very happy, and heknew of no reason why his wife should take her life.
Williams was on night duty at the depot when the tragedy occurred.
"Not Murder"
On preliminary investigations, detectives do not think that his wife was murdered. No motive is apparent for murder or even for suicide at present.
An accident theory being examined is that Mrs Williams went into the yard to feed the dog, taking the rifle with her for protection, and that theanimal jumped up at her, and discharged the rifle.
To make this possible, the muzzle must have been pressed into her body when the rifle was fired.
It is more likely, however, that she would have been carrying the rifle with the barrel pointing away from her. Also, she probably would not havetaken additional ammunition with her.
The tragedy was discovered at 6.30am by Ronald Appledorff, a ward room cook at the Naval Depot, who lived at the house with his wife and Mr and MrsWilliams.
The house is in Perrott Street behind the main road, and none of several neighbours living in a cluster of houses around heard a shot during thenight.
Appledorff returned home at 10pm and did not see Mrs Williams, but thought she was in her room because the door was shut. Mrs Appledorff was in bed.
The Williamses were sharing the house with the Appledorffs because they could not get other accommodation at Crib Point. They had been living at thehouse five or six weeks. Previously they lived at Bittern. They had been married two years, and had no family.
The Homicide Squad under Detective Sergeant Lyon, has gone from Police Headquarters to investigate the tragedy.
The Age newspaper article:
Detectives are investigating the death of Mrs Alice Floris Williams, 27 years, whose body, with a bullet wound in the chest and a discharged pearifle lying about eight yards away, was found yesterday morning in a yard at a house at Crib Point.
Indications are that Mrs Williams was not murdered, and no reason has been discovered why she should take her own life, as she was in good health,and lived happily and on the best terms with her husband, Mr Laurence Williams, who is employed as a sick bay attendant at Flinders Naval Depot.
Mrs Williams was last seen alive about 7.30pm on Wednesday, and her body was found at 6,30am yesterday by another occupant of the house, where sheand her husband had rooms. Mr Williams was working at the depot when the tragedy occurred.
The shot appeared to have been fired at close range, and further light will probably be thrown on the fatality by a post-mortem examination, whichwill be conducted at the City Morgue today.
One of the woman's sand shoes lay a few yards from the body, while the belt of her dress was also lying close by. It is believed that they may havebeen torn as she struggled on the ground before she died. Five rifle cartridges were also found by the detectives.
The inquiries are being made by Detective-Sergeant Lyon and Senior Detective Boyd, of Russell Street headquarters.
Mr and Mrs Williams had been married for two years.
The Herald newspaper article:
Police Believe Woman Died Accidentally.
Mystery Shot at Crib Point.
Chief of the C.I.B. Homicide Squad (Detective Sergeant Lyon) thinks that the mysterious death of Mrs Alice Floris Williams, 26, of Crib Point,resulted from an accident.
While this theory still lacks proof, it is strengthened by the complete absence of any evidence of murder or any motive for suicide.
Mrs Williams had been reading a crime novel called "Murder Is Easy", but the police do not think that the story had any connection with the tragedy.
Police investigations so far have thrown no light on the mystery, and after an autopsy today by the Government Pathologist (Dr C. H. Mollison)murder was ruled out, leaving suicide and accident as the only alternatives.
Mrs Williams was found dead at 6.30am yesterday in the backyard of a four-roomed cottage in Perrott Street, Crib Point, which she and her husband -a sick-berth steward at Flinders Naval Depot - shared with another Naval man, Ronald Appledorff and his wife.
A pea-rifle bullet fired at close range which had pierced her chest below the heart, was located today in the muscles of her back.
Mrs Williams staggered and rolled about the yard before she died. Her husband's pea-rifle was near a dog-kennel eight yards from the body and thepea-rifle cartridges were under a bush nearby.
Mishap at Kennel?
It is surmised that some time on Wednesday night, while her husband was on duty at the Naval Depot, Mrs Williams decided to take the dog for a walkand that it leapt at her and discharged the rifle when she bent down to untie the dog.
Mrs Williams probably took the rifle with her for protection, and put the spare cartridges on the ground while she untied the dog.
The upward direction of the bullet, the detectives say, shows that Mrs Williams was bending over the rifle. It is surprising that, for safety, shedid not have the muzzle pointing away from her, but she might have thought there was no bullet in the breech. Mr Williams told the police, however,that he has always made sure the rifle was unloaded when he put it away. The cartridges left in the yard were taken from his sports coat.
Mrs Williams had often fired the rifle when she went out rabbit-shooting with her husband, but he could not recall her ever having loaded it.
It seems strange that if she were too afraid to take the dog for a walk at night without the rifle for protection, she went out at all. She was notalone in the house; Mrs Appledorff was there, and Appledorff returned from duty at 10pm. He did not see Mrs Williams then, and thought that she wasasleep.
Not feeling well, she had slept most of the day, and had evidently been reading the murder novel before she went into the yard, for the book wasopen, turned face downward, in her room, and Mrs Williams was wearing a coat, indicating, the detectives think, that she intended to be outside forsome time.
In Good Spirits
Another probability is that, before Mr Appledorff came home, Mrs Williams heard the dog barking furiously and went into the yard with the rifle tosee whether a prowler was about. None of the neighbours heard the shot.
The only explanation that can be offered for Mrs Williams taking the dog for a walk late at night is that she was unable to sleep, having been inbed all afternoon.
She was last seen alive at 7.30pm on Wednesday by Mrs Appledorff, and she was then in good spirits. The Appledorffs and neighbours spoke highly ofMrs Williams.
Her domestic life was happy and no reason can be advanced for suicide. That likelihood is, however, still being investigated.
The Age newspaper article:
Police inquiries continued yesterday concerning the death of Mrs Alice Floris Williams, 27 years, of Crib Point, whose body was discovered early onThursday in the yard of her residence. Near a dog kennel in the yard was a pea rifle.
As the result of an autopsy at the Morgue yesterday a pea rifle bullet was extracted from the body. Police investigations, it was stated, had shownno evidence of murder, and that possibility had been ruled out.
In considering the likelihood of accident, attention was being given the theory that Mrs Williams, with the pea rifle in her hand, or on the groundin front of her, was bending down to unleash the dog at its kennel when the gun went off.
One surmise is that she was about to take the dog for a night walk. Another is that she may have heard the dog barking and had taken the rifle whileshe went out to investigate.
Alice was terrified of thunderstorms and would hide when one was on. [Doris Makeham]
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AIGS/FHC Member's - Family Trees
1914 - 1941 (26 years)