Crown Hotel (Blackwood)

For other hotels with the same or similar names see Crown Hotel.

Crown Hotel

Picture needed
History
Town	Simmons' Reef, Blackwood
Known dates	1859-1889

The Crown Hotel was a hotel in Blackwood, Victoria, <1859-1889>.

Site

The hotel was in Blackwood at Simmons' Reef about 1.5km to the south east.

Background

Not listed in the December 1880 Licensing Court hearing.

History

In April 1859, an Italian doctor was charged after stabbing a miner in the Crown Hotel:

STABBING WITH INTENT. Giuseppe Moratti, a gentlemanly and intelligent looking Italian of about 35 years of age, and by whose passport it appeared that he was a legallyl-qualified doctor of medicine from Bergamo, in the Lombardo-Venetian kingdom, was charged with stabbing with a knife, on the 13th of March last, one Samuel Hand, a miner, at Mount Blackwood;- and with an intention to do him grievous bodily harm. There was a second count against him for maliciously wounding Hand. As Dr. Moratti was not well versed in the English language, one of his countrymen, named Bartolomeo Cantiero, acted as interpreter. At the commencement of the proceedings, Dr. SEWELL stated that, as the accused was a foreigner and was undefended by counsel, he should be happy to appear for him. The offer having been translated to Dr. Moratti was thankfully accepted by him. Mr. BREWER stated the case to the jury, and called Samuel Hand, the prosecutor, who deposed that on the 13th of March last he went to the Crown Hotel, at Symons's Reef, Mount Blackwood ; and, on going into the back parlor saw the defendant sitting on the sofa beside another person, named Charles Rule. There were also several others in the room. Hearing one of them say that the Italian was a doctor, witness, having been unwell for some time past, went up to him and asked him if he were a medical man. So far as he could understand his answer, he said " I pronounce so." Witness then held out his hand to the Doctor, for him to feel his pulse, when the latter made a thrust at him with his right hand, and he at once feeling himself stabbed cried out that such was the case. He was cut upon the thumb, and there was also a slight wound in his side. The thumb bled a good deal. The weapon with which the wound was inflicted was found lying on the ground. (The weapon, an ordinary-sized penknife, the large blade at which had been evidently used to cut tobacco with, was produced in court. In addition to the tobacco marks remaining upon the blade there were one or two stains of blood. The witness, Hand, was cross-examined at considerable length by Dr. SEWELL, for the purpose of showing that he had been making game of the Doctor, and that the latter, who was cutting up some tobacco, in attempting to push him away, had done so with the hand containing the open, knife, but without remembering that fact, and that the wound had thus been inflicted unintentionally. Hand stated that he was perfectly sober and had not been drinking, but confessed that he had asked the Doctor for a dose of-salts in a jocular tone. He, however, adhered to his story, that the defendant had designedly made the thrust at him. The wound inflicted had been very slight, there being merely the slightest scar at present upon the thumb, and the wound in the side, where the knife had glanced off the thumb and struck him, being completely healed. Oriiginally it had not been a quarter of an inch deep. John Dunsmore the landlord of the hotel corroborated the evidence of the last witness. In cross-examination, he stated that after Hand had been stabbed Dr. Moratti was seized, and his hands were tied behind him with a rope, his pockets also being searched, and the contents taken out. It further appeared that the Doctor had been obliged to summon the witness before the Police Magistrate in order to obtain restitution of the money thus taken from him. From the evidence of Thomas Combe, a miner, and Hand's mate, it appeared that as the nearest Police station was about two miles and a-half distant from the hotel, and as the night was very dark, the occurrence having taken place at 10 o'clock p.m.-the Doctor had been kept bound all night, and, as he attempted to get away, his feet were afterwards tied as well as his hands. He was not given in charge to the police until the next morning. Patrick Francis Maher, a mounted constable, proved having taken the accused in charge. When he arrested Dr. Moratti, he seemed well able to understand English, and answered him in the same language, in such a manner as to enable him (the witness) to comprehend him without any difficulty. This closed the case for the prosecution. Dr. SEWELL, on behalf of the defence, called Mr. Charles Rule, a miner, who stated that he had known Dr. Moratti for the last two years, and had always found him to be a very quiet, peaceable, and humane individual. He had, been practising his profession at Mount Blackwood for some time. For the last three months witness had been residing with him, and on the evening in question the Doctor proposed that they should go down to Symons's Reef, for the purpose of getting some articles that he required. They accordingly went, first to the butcher's and grocer's, and afterwards to the hotel, to see Dunsmore, the landlord, who was a carrier, the Doctor wishing him to bring up some medicines, from Melbourne. Whilst they were there, cutting in the back parlor, they heard a disturbance outside, and witness told the Doctor, who was cutting up a pipeful of tobacco for himself, to cut up another for him, and he could go and see what the row was. He accordingly went outside and succeeded in quelling the disturbance. One of the party then asked him to "shout" for them. He did so, and whilst conversing with some of them suddenly heard the Doctor call out for assistance. On going towards the back parlor, a person told him that Hand had been stabbed. On entering the room, Dr. Moratti's face was bleeding, and he appeared to have been much ill-used and knocked about. Witness appealed to the landlord to protect the accused, saying that if there was any charge against him he would be found quite prepared to defend himself. The only answer witness got was, that if he was not quiet he would be treated in the same manner himself. Later in the evening, after Dr. Moratti had been bound one of the men came to him, and said that if Hand were paid £5 as compensation for the injuries he had sustained the matter could be settled. Hand was a well-known character at Mount Blackwood, usually going hy the cognomen of "Flash Sam." The witness further stated that, although he was the only, one in favor of the Doctor, and there were numbers against him, they deemed it necessary, in order, to secure him, to strike him with a brass candlestick, amongst other things. Witness did not think that Hand really wanted to consult the Doctor, as there was an English practitioner close to him, who was far better known. From his slight knowledge of English Dr. Moratti had not many patients. Witness could converse with him in Italian. Mr. George Andrew Martin, wine and spirit merchant at Mount Blackwood, stated that he had known the defendant for nearly three years, and that he had always found him to be of a very kind and inoffensive disposition. He was also of a very retiring character, and whenever he did enter a hotel, almost invariably went into a private room, instead of mixing with the people at the bar. Witness generally conversed with Dr. Moratti in French, as his knowledge of English was very limited. Witness, from his acquaintance with Dr. Moratti, had such a high opinion of him that when he was committed for trial, and the Police Magistrate said he should require very substantial bail for his appearance, he at once voluntarily offered to be one of the parties to the bail, and that without any request from the Doctor that he should do so. He did not believe that the wound given could have been any other than accidental, as, from his knowledge of the Doctor, he felt convinced he was not a man who would at once give way to a sudden impulse of passion. After His HONOR had summed up, the jury Consulted together for a few minutes without leaving the court, and then returned a verdict of "Guilty" on the second count, viz., that of "maliciously wounding" the prosecutor Hand. They, however, stated that, under the circumstances of the case, they strongly recommended the defendant to mercy. His HONOR observed that he entirely concurred with the recommendation of the jury. Dr. SEWELL asked his Honor if he could not merely sentence Dr. Moratti to a fine. His HONOR stated that the law would not allow him to do so. Had it been in his power to simply fine the defendant, he would have done so. As the ends of justice would, however be satisfied by a very light punishment, but one at the same time which would mark the feeling of the Court that such a use of a knife as appeared to have been made was most improper, and repugnant to the feelings of Englishmen, he should, taking into consideration the fact that the wounds inflicted had been of a very trivial character, merely sentence Dr. Moratti to be imprisoned for a period of seven days.

In June 1864 the hotel was described as having two sitting rooms and three bedrooms.

In December 1887, Thomas Quick advertised his intention to renew his license:

Notice of Application for Renewal of a Victualler's License. I, THOMAS QUICK, of Simmons Reef, Blackwood, in the Colony of Victoria, the holder of a VICTUALLER'S LICENSE for " The Crown Hotel," at Simmons Reef aforesaid, do hereby give notice that I desire to obtain and will at the sitting of the Licensing Court for the Licensing Districts of Ballan North, South Ballan, Egerton, and Blackwood, to be holden at Ballan on the 23rd day of December, 1887, apply for a Certificate authorising the renewal of my said license. Dated the Thirtieth day of November, One thousand and Eight hundred and eighty-seven, THOMAS QUICK.

The People

• In June 1864 the licensee and owner was John Dunsmore.
• In December 1874, 1876, 1877, 1886, 1887, and 1889, the license was granted to Thomas Quick.
  • In December 1881, Thomas Quick applied for a renewal of the license. The application was adjourned for one month.
  • In December 1886, Thomas Quick paid £15 for the hotel license.