THIS week's historic image shows the dirt road on the corner of Bentinck and Rocket streets where this superb home, "Ithica", was built in 1897, the same year that Edward Augustine Donnelly was killed by lightning near the spot in April. The two-storey home was a wedding gift for Dorothea Gillkrest from her mother. The edifice was designed by well-known Bathurst architect John Job Copeman. This week's article is a continuation of last week's article about the death of Edward Augustine Donnelly.
Meanwhile, Mrs Blackstone had run into the street and raised an alarm and Messrs. Wright, Keeley and Gorman, residents of the near neighbourhood, were speedily on the spot, as was Mr G. Wiburd, who was out on his bicycle.
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The latter, as soon as the nature of the accident had been made plain, started off to secure a cab and a doctor.
Mr Wright, who was one of the telegraph officials, went to the telephone at "Eberslie" and rang up the medical men, the police and Mr Blackstone, who was at the telegraph office, and that gentleman also communicated by telephone with the doctors and himself took a cab and hurried to the spot, taking Senior Sergeant Morris with him.
In the meantime, others had arrived on the ground and were horrified at the sight which presented itself to their view.
Poor young Donnelly's lifeless body was lying on the footpath, terribly marked and disfigured, while beside it lay George Marks in a state of semi-consciousness and partially paralysed.
As poor Donnelly was seen to be past aid, all attention was turned to Marks, who complained chiefly of a great numbness in the lower portion of the body.
The men rubbed his legs briskly until a cab arrived, when he was taken to Dr Edmunds, who speedily applied remedies which proved effectual in restoring life and feeling to the parts affected.
He was able to walk in about half an hour and was then driven home and immediately retired to bed, where he remained quietly for the remainder of the day.
He had had a marvellous escape from death.
The lightning appeared to have entered his clothing from the bottom and passed up the leg, across the body, where on the right side was a clearly marked fern leaf.
Beyond the numbness mentioned, he suffered no pain.
Strange to say, no part of his clothing was marked in any way, although when he arrived at the doctor's, a faint smell of burning was perceptible.
"With regard to his unfortunate companion, he must have received the full force of the electric bolt," it was reported.
"He was walking on the inside of the pathway and the traces of the fluid were principally seen on the left side of his body, while on Marks the chief traces are on the right.
"Donnelly also had a mark as of a severe blow on the back of the head, while his left side was terribly scorched and charred. His clothing was torn to shreds as though he had passed through a terrific struggle.
"His boots were burst asunder, the leather being torn and cut to shreds. The poor young fellow never moved after the bolt struck him, death being instantaneous.
"In the asphalt on the footpath close to the spot over which the two were passing when the bolt fell are two indentations, evidently caused by the electric fluid."
Immediately on the arrival of the police, a sociable was procured and the lifeless body was borne to the residence of his widowed mother.
The scene that followed in the house of mourning beggared description, it was reported.
The family were devotedly attached to each other and the lad who had met his untimely death was the favourite boy, being the youngest and exceptionally bright.
He was 21 years of age and had been a student at St Stanislaus' College.
Within the past few weeks, he had matriculated with honours and arrangements had been made for him to enter the university after June and pursue his studies in medicine there.
