Biography

In the Coolgardie Miner, Monday 5 August 1901 under the sub-heading "Suicide at Siberia": James Leopold Dawson was formerly employed in the Coolgardie branch of the Bank of Australasia. He was transferred from here to the Kalgoorlie branch of the bank. Recently he was tributing with others on the Fair Adelaide mine four miles from Siberia. A few days ago he came into Coolgardie to sell some gold on behalf of the mine, and returned to his camp on Wednesday evening last. On Thursday morning he was found dead in his bed. This information was reported to the police, and Dr Seed was instructed to proceed to Siberia, and he arrived there on Friday morning. Acting on the instructions of Mr Benjamin Bryant, J.P, Dr Seed made a post mortem examination of the body, and found that death had resulted from cyanide poisoning. An inquest was held by Mr Bryant, and the verdict given was 'That deceased came to his death by cyanide poisoning, self-administered, while suffering from mental worry, no blame being attachable to anyone. The deceased was a single man, 27 years of age."