From Western Post, 2nd March 1861: SUDDEN DEATH On Thursday, Dr. KING, coroner for the District, held an inquest at Burrundulla on the body of Thomas TARRANT, the well-known fruiterer of Mudgee. Thomas TARRANT, being duly sworn, stated that the deceased was his father; they were fishing together yesterday. About half-past six o'clock he walked slowly down the river, taking to his father as he went, and when about a hundred yards distant, he fancied he heard his father speak; on looking round, he saw him roll over and afterwards get on his hands and knees and crawl a couple of yards from the water, moaning all the time. He called out two or three times to know if he had hurt himself, and not receiving an answer, he ran up to him; he was still on his hands and knees, gasping and unable to speak. He then turned him on his back, when he changed countenance. With the assistance of Thomas KENNING, his brother-in-law, he was conveyed to the house. To the best of his belief, he was dead before they got him over the creek. He had had a cough for sometime past, and was troubled with difficulty of breathing. Thomas KENNING was fishing at the time some fifty yards above the deceased; seeing one of his daughters running down the bank he went to see what was the matter, when he found Thomas TARRANT holding up his father's head; he heard him breathe only once; on getting him into the house he bathed his breast with brandy. Arthur Thomas Piggott CUTTING, stated that he was a duly qualified medical practitioner; he had examined the body, and, in the absence of a post-mortem examination, his opinion was that deceased came to his death by the bursting of an internal aneurism. Dr. KING having read the evidence, the jury returned a verdict of "death by the visitation of God". ***END*** Annette Piper Please note: Every effort has been to transcribe the above information correctly, however errors may have inadvertently been made. Spelling of surnames/places as appears in original.