John

DETAILS OF DEATH

On the morning of 3 February 1865 Constable Ward was returning to Coonabarabran from a prisoner escort to Mudgee. Near the locality known as Barney’s Reef he was informed that a Chinese man had been robbing travellers in the vicinity and was nearby in the scrub. After a short search Constable Ward located the offender’s camp and approached him. When the offender saw the constable he pointed a shotgun at him. The constable drew his service revolver and told the offender to put down the shotgun. The offender then fired the shot striking the constable in the side. Constable Ward returned fire however the offender managed to escape. The murderer the Chinese bushranger Sam Poo was later captured and hanged. The Senior Constable was born in 1829 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 1 February 1858. At the time of his death he was stationed at Coonabarabran.