Elizabeth Jane (Stephens) Lines (1863 - 1885)

Born 8 Dec 1863 in Kooringa, South Australia, Australia

Ancestors

Wife of Ernst Wilhelm Traugott (Graetz) Gratz — married 1881 (to 1881) in Kooringa, South Australia, Australia

Wife of Alfred Stanley Lines — married 3 Sep 1881 (to 12 Jun 1885) in Kooringa, South Australia, Australia

Descendants

Died 12 Jun 1885 at age 21 in North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

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Biography

Elizabeth (Stephens) Lines was born in the Colony of South Australia (1836-1900)

Elizabeth was born in 1863, in Kooringa, South Australia, Australia. She was the illegitimate daughter of James Stephens and Martha Keam. ^[1]

On 28 April 1882 Elizabeth Jane, aged 18 years was sentenced to serve 7-8 weeks at the Redruth Girls Reformatory, Burra for assault.

It is unlikely she married William Gratz, in Kooringa, Burra, South Australia, as previously thought. Refer "Burra Record" 5 May 1882, Magistrates Court, Redruth, May 3; Gratz v Grow - Assault in "Images".

She married Alfred Lines in 1881, in the residence of Joseph Lines, in Kooringa, Burra, South Australia, Australia. ^[2]

Elizabeth had a dalliance with Maurice William O'Connor, born about 1864. His occupation was Hairdresser.

Alfred Lines shot and killed Elizabeth and Maurice in 1885, and Elizabeth was buried 15 June 1885 in the West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. The cause of death was injury to the heart caused by bullet wounds. The Coroner's findings were that Elizabeth Lines and Maurice O'Connor (her lover) were both shot by Alfred Lines, and that the latter then destroyed himself in Stanley Street, North Adelaide, South Australia. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

The inquest on the bodies of Maurice O'Connor, Elizabeth Lines, and Alfred Lines, the victims of the Stanley street tragedy, was concluded on Monday afternoon. Both the fathers of O'Connor and Lines gave evidence, but nothing of any great importance was elicited. Dr Jay in the course of his examination stated that in all three cases the heart seemed to have received injury, and that death must have been instantaneous. On Lines's body he found a distinct bullet wound over the right side of the heart, passing downwards towards the apex of that organ. This was the only external wound on the body. The body of O'Connor presented two wounds, one at the base of the heart and the other two inches to the left of it. These wounds directly communicated, and were caused by the entrance and exit of the same bullet. On the sleeve of the left arm a small portion of the coat had been carried away y a bullet striking it, but the arm had not received a scratch. This indicated that O'Connor had two shots fired at him, the first of which cut away a piece of the coat, which was found by Constable Wellington in the wood-work of O'Connor's bedroom door. The second, which took effect, was probably fired in Mrs Schutt's house, where the unfortunate man ran for refuge. Mrs Lines also received two shots, one directly over the heart and one in the armpit. Thus it will be seen that all five shots fired by Lines have been traced. Further evidence was called, and the jury returned the following verdict:-"We are unanimously of opinion that the deceased, Maurice O'Connor and Elizabeth Lines, were wilfully murdered by Alfred Lines, and that the said Alfred Lines committed suicide by shooting himself". During the afternoon all the bodies were interred. Mr O'Connor made arrangements for the interment of his son's body, but the bodies of Elizabeth and Alfred Lines were buried at the expense of the Government. It is understood that the city coroner will apply to the lodge of which Lines was a member to refund the money. Mr Joseph Lines left for the Burra on Tuesday afternoon, but before he left he informed Mr Ward that he had received a telegram from his wife stating that she was very ill and it was extremely improbable that she would recover. ^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Birth: "Digger - South Australian Births 1842-1906 (c) SAGHS"; Surname: Stephens; Given Names: Elizabeth Jane; Date: 1863-12-08; Sex: F; Father: James Stephens; Mother: Martha Kearn; Birth Place/Residence: Kooringa; District Code: Bur; Symbol:; Book: 30; Page: 25
2. ↑ Marriage: "Australia, Marriage Index, 1788-1950"
   South Australia-Marriages 1842-1916; Page number: 1015; Volume Number: 128
   Ancestry Record 1780 #5497629 (accessed 6 July 2022)
   Elizabeth Jane Stephens marriage to Alfred Lines on 3 Sep 1881 in Res of Joseph Lines Kooringa, South Australia.
3. ↑ Death: "Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985"
   Ancestry Record 1779 #5840085 (accessed 15 October 2021)
   Name: Elizabeth Lines; Birth Year: abt 1863; Age: 22; Death Date: 12 Jun 1885; Death Place: North Adelaide; Residence Place: Burra; Registration Place: Adelaide, South Australia; Page Number: 58; Volume Number: 147.
4. ↑ Reference Burra Record (SA:1878-1954), Friday 5 May 1882, page 2 - Magistrates Court, Redruth. May 3 [Before Messrs JD Cave, JP, and WF Coglin, JP] Gratz v Grow - Assault; Reference The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1858-1889), Tuesday 16 June 1885, [1]
5. ↑ Burial: "Australia and New Zealand, Find a Grave Index, 1800s-Current"
   Ancestry Record 60528 #2524975 (accessed 19 January 2022)
   Elizabeth Lines burial (died on 15 Jun 1885) in Adelaide, Adelaide City, South Australia, Australia.
6. ↑ Inquest: "The Sound Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1858-1889) Tuesday, June 16, 1885; Pages 4 and 5; https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/36308342/2698694

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