No. 83
9th June 1865
Sir,
I have had the honor to receive your despatch No. 14, of the 14th March, enquiring as to the fate of Captain Cavendish Venables who has disappeared from this Colony.
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2. I enclose a report from Mr Brew, Police Magistrate of New Westminster on the subject, and one from Mr Charles Good, Clerk of the Council.
3. There is not a suspicion of foul play in the matter. There is almost a positive certainty that Captain Venables, in a state of intoxication, has fallen from the wharf at New Westminster into the Fraser and been drowned.
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4. The peculiar circumstances of the case prevented any immediate enquiry. His disappearance from this Town was simply accounted for by his having gone to the island where he laterly lived. When that supposition proved unfounded, there was still a probability that he had gone direct to San Francisco where money awaited him, regardless of the articles of small value left on the Island.
5. It would be difficulttoManuscript image to speak too highly of the kindness shown by Mr Good to Captain Venables for many months previous to the disappearance, and I may almost conclusively say, death, of the latter. I believe that Captain Venables was entirely supported at the expense of Mr Good.
I have the honor to be
Sir,
Your most obedient
humble Servant
Frederick Seymour
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Elliot
This enquiry about Capn Venables seems to have been made at the request of Col: Sturt. Send Col: Sturt a copy of this despatch.
ABd 25 Augt
Draft.
TFE 25 August
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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C. Brew to Seymour, 1 June 1865, advising that all available information on the disappearance of Venables appeared to have been already provided by Good.
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C. Good to Seymour, no date, reporting on the disappearance of Venables.
Other documents included in the file
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Elliot to Colonel Sturt, 4 September 1865, forwarding copy of the despatch and enclosure.
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Draft reply, Cardwell to Seymour, No. 14, 14 March 1865.
Minutes by CO staff
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N.B. Mr Cardwell has kept Col: Sturt's Note, in order to answer it privately.
TFE 14/3