Constable William Haviland died at the corner of Sale and Byng streets in Orange on June 16, 1862, and was involved in a shootout with bushrangers in the largest gold heist in Australia.

Last week the Central Western Daily wrote about the heist at Escort Rock when when bushrangers, including Frank Gardiner, John Gilbert and Ben Hall, used a bullock team as a road bock to ambush a gold escort travelling from Forbes to Orange on the Escort Way.

Constable Haviland and three other officers, Sergeant James Condell, Senior Constable Henry Moran and Constable Rafferty were on duty as part of the Forbes Gold Escort.

They were in charge of gold worth 14,000 pounds along with banknotes and registered mail, when they were attacked by the bushrangers and the coach was overturned.

Constable Haviland was the only officer of the three who was not injured and the next day, June 16, 1862, the coach was righted and they travelled on to Orange.

According to Orange historian Elizabeth Edwards, Constable Haviland accidentally killed in the coach carrying him and Senior Constable Henry Moran, who was injured in the heist, soon after they arrived in Orange.

She said he was the first policeman in NSW to be killed on duty, just three months after the Police Force had been formed. At the time of his death, he was 33 and left behind a pregnant widow and two children.

Ms Edwards said Constable Haviland and Senior Constable Moran had intended to stay at James Dalton Senior's O'Connell Inn in Byng Street.

It was reported that he died after a revolver that was under the seat in the coach was accidentally discharged. The shot travelled up through the seat, striking Constable Haviland under the chin and killing him instantly.

Haviland was taken to the nearby inn where he was pronounced dead.

The Empire provided an account of the officer's death on June 19, 1862: "This man, who was shot under such mysterious circumstances in the vehicle of the gold escort, just after its arrival in Orange, was a very deserving officer of the force.

"He was formerly a sergeant in the Royal Artillery at Woolwich, and, leaving the regiment, he arrived in Sydney about four years since from India, when he entered the metropolitan police.

"He was for a considerable time in the Parramatta street division, where he was always known as a very efficient member of the force. He was a first-rate marksman and a good shot, and, we believe, he was so well versed in drill exercises that it was intended at one time by the Inspector General, to make him act as an instructor to the Sydney Police.

"He subsequently acted as orderly to the Inspector General, in which capacity he was looked upon as a confidential servant. From that position he entered the gold escort, in which service his untimely fate is to be regretted. Haviland has left a widow and two children residing in Sydney, to deplore their loss; and Mrs Haviland is at present, we understand on the eve of her confinement."

According to other report's in The Empire of June 17, 1862, the coach arrived in Orange at 7pm and Sergeant Condell reported: "About 9 o'clock this morning I started from Cubong, in company with senior-constable Moran and constable William Haviland. Arrived at Orange about 7pm proceeding through the town, I heard the report of firearms. On enquiring, I was told constable Haviland had shot himFix this textself - whether accidentally or intentionally cannot say. Now he lies awaiting coroner's inquest, which will be held tomorrow morning. Senior constable Moran wounded near the groin, and myself in the left side. The wounds are not very dangerous."

On June 24, 1862, The Sydney Morning Herald reported on an inquest into Constable Haviland's death.

"On Tuesday, at noon, an inquest was held, at the O'Connell Inn, Orange, on the body of Constable Haviland, in the presence of Mr John Arthur Templer, coroner of the district, and a jury of 12.

"Sergeant James Condell: The deceased escaped unhurt. He was troubled in mind the whole of yesterday; he said he had several narrow escapes, and would not stop in the escort any longer.

"He was quite sober yesterday, he did not take any drink to my knowledge. We arrived in Orange about seven o'clock last night, and delivered the mail bags to the postmaster, when deceased got out of the coach at the post office. He got in again, and we started for Mr Dalton's inn, where we usually put up.

"On turning the corner at the Commercial Bank, I heard the report of fire-arms. I enquired where it came from and was told deceased was shot. I was sitting on the box seat.

"The body was brought down here (Dalton's inn). I saw the body removed from the coach. I saw that deceased was shot somewhere about the head. I searched him and found his own revolver on his side in the sheath. I produce deceased's revolver and pouch as I took it from his side; the revolver is loaded in every chamber. I then searched the coach, and found the revolver produced lying in the bottom of it. I examined it and found one chamber discharged. It was Senior Constable Moran's revolver, and he being wounded could not wear it could not keep his belt on.

"Deceased only "appeared " distressed in his mind but did not say anything he spoke of his wife and children in Sydney, and said this was a very unfit life for him. There had been no dispute, he was a very quiet and well-behaved man, you would not hear a word out of him during the day. The utmost good feeling existed amongst us. The deceased appeared to be a delicate man, but he never complained; the distance from where deceased was shot to Dalton's inn is very short.

"I found no property upon deceased's person, except one shilling, and a watch, which constable Moran claims as his property."

"By the foreman: Deceased received no injury in the attack. Moran's revolver has not been reloaded since. It is in the same state now as when I found it. Deceased took one glass of port wine between Forbes and Coobong, at the Lagoon Hotel. I am not certain, but I believe it was wine. I did not hear of Moran giving deceased charge of his pistol."

"Senior constable Henry Moran: I knew the deceased William Haviland; he started from Forbes with me, as one of the escort. We left Forbes on last Sunday morning; we were attacked by bushrangers about half-past four o'clock the same evening.

"Deceased told me he was not hurt in the attack. We left Mr Clements' yesterday morning. The sergeant was on the box with Haviland, and a passenger in the coach.

"Deceased said during the day he would not come on the escort any more, unless there was a mounted party along with us. Deceased had no spirits or wine that I know of; he was perfectly sober.

"Yesterday evening, between six and seven o'clock, we arrived at Orange. We had taken up a lady passenger, with her servant and child. I and a lady and the other male passenger were sitting with our backs towards the driver. The female passenger was sitting in the middle.

"We heard the report of a revolver after leaving the Orange post office.

"The female passenger exclaimed "My God, the man is shot!" Haviland was sitting at the back of the coach opposite me. I said, "no! It can't be! " I saw the flash from the revolver in a line with deceased's chest. The female put her hand over first; I then put out my hand and I felt the blood pouring down quite warm; I said, "he is shot in the stomach." The coach was going on all the time.

"I said it might be from the sergeant's rifle. He said, "no, it could not be." In reply to a question from the sergeant I said deceased was shot in the coach there was my revolver, and a revolver case empty, belonging to the man who went to the Lachlan.

"Haviland had his revolver by his side; the last time I saw my revolver it was in a case. Haviland brought it out of Clements' in the morning, and put it under the seat he was sitting on, it was then loaded; that is the revolver produced (stained with blood); it was my revolver. I had it in my charge; when I arrived here (at Dalton's Inn) I asked the sergeant if I could go in and sit down, he said yes.

"I know deceased had no money with him, because he asked me for the loan of £1 to pay a bill he owes here. He had my watch in his pocket. I gave it to him to carry."

"It was capped and loaded by myself. The revolver could slip out from under the seat by the jolting of the coach. I don't think the revolver could discharge itself from a jolt. I never knew an instance of it.'

"Henry Boynton: I am manager for Ford and Co. coach proprietors, at Forbes. I joined the mail at Mr Clement's station at Eugowra. There were three of the escort on the coach, two inside and one on the box. The deceased was inside; the sergeant was on the box.

"I saw nothing wrong with deceased on the road. He appeared very chatty. He stated that he should probably live a hundred years or so, as he had had so many narrow escapes.

"On coming round the last corner before we arrived here, I heard the report of a pistol. My first impression was that the report came from the outside of the coach very close to the coach. I then saw deceased's head incline forward, and I thought he was looking out to see where the report came from. Soon after, I saw his body incline forward. I caught him by the coat collar and called out to the driver that he was shot.

"I was sitting in the near hind corner, and he was sitting on the off hind corner of the coach. I held deceased up until we arrived here. He was dead.

"The coach had previously pulled up at the Orange post office. Deceased got out and assisted to take out the mail bags. I saw him get in again. I did not remark any strange movement on his return. I did not notice deceased make any movement as if to take anything from under the seat, when he get in at the post-office, or afterwards; everything had been quiet and amicable in the coach all the way.

"I did not know that a revolver was loose in the bottom of the coach, although I found the revolver now produced in the body of the coach, on arriving at Dalton's.

"I recollect Senior Constable Moran telling me when I brought the revolver in that it was his, and that it had been in the bottom of the coach.

"After the luggage was removed out of the coach, I saw this revolver lying between one of the spare bats in the bottom of the coach. It was lying between the bar and side of the coach-muzzle downwards. It might have been thrown into that position on shifting the luggage. I recollect now it was the sergeant who brought the pistol in here. Deceased was perfectly sober on the coach.'

"Dr. Warren: Last night, about seven o'clock, I was sent for to see the deceased arriving at Dalton's inn, I found him lying on the bed in the verandah-room, with blood running out of his mouth and out of a wound in his neck. He was quite dead. This morning, I traced the course of the bullet. It entered the throat below the chin, just above the pomum Adami. Its course was backward and slightly upward-passing through the larynx and through the pharynx back to the spine at the junction of the skull. I believe the immediate cause of death was effusion of blood into the windpipe.

"The wound would cause almost instant death. It is my opinion he might have been stooping down to pick up the pistol, it being just the close of the journey."

"The jury, after a brief consultation, returned an open verdict: That deceased came by his death through a wound inflicted by a shot from a revolver; but how the revolver was discharged there was no evidence to show."

It is believed he is buried in an unmarked grave in the Catholic section at Orange Cemetery.

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