On April 28, 1865 George Douglas was charged with having at Young on November 28, 1864 feloniously assaulted Ah Look and by throwing a quantity of earth on him attempted to suffocate him.
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Douglas pleaded not guilty and was defended by Mr Issacs and Mr Walsh.
Andrew Gibson, a mounted constable, stationed at Young apprehended Douglas on the 13th January at his residence at Young.
He was charged with attempting to murder a Chinaman and was taken to the lock up.
Douglas claimed that he as not the man responsible.
Ah Look stated in court that he was a miner residing at Lambing Flat and recollects being dug out of a hole.
He had been digging in a hole about eighteen feet deep, there was a drive about two foot deep.
There were three other Chinamen with him but he was the only one at the bottom of the hole.
Two men approached the hole one of them being Douglas, and called out for him to come up.
He did not come up and dirt began to fall on him.
He saw Douglas as more dirt came upon him and he fell to the ground.
The dirt was so heavy that Ah Look could not get up and thought that he was going to die.
Some white men came to his help and extricated him.
Another Chinaman, Ah Koong, had been working on the windlass and was told by the other man to keep away or he would kill him with a shovel.
Ah Koong ran away and sought help.
George Dempsey, George Geazlsy, Michael O'Shanghassy and a man named Armstrong were involved in helping Ah Look from the hole.
Thirty or forty buckets of dirt had to be taken from the hole to extricate Ah Look.
Dr Charles Temple attended to Ah Look and found him quite insensible, his legs were stone cold and his face swollen.
He gave the appearance of a person and was in precious state, but after three days he recovered.
Apparently George Douglas had left Young after the incident Gundagai diggings but had been arrested on his return.
Sergeant Richard Musgrave was present when Ah Koong identified Douglas as being the perpetrator.
The jury after a short deliberation found him to be not guilty. He was immediately re-arrested and charged with assault.
- Brian James produces his column for publication in the Young Witness each Tuesday on behalf The Young and District Historical Society Inc.
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