Oram, Edward Thompson

Appointed Sydney City Coroner in January 1935, Edward Oram was soon thrust into the media spotlight during the case known popularly as the Shark Arm murders after a tiger shark held at the Coogee Aquarium Baths vomited up the left hand and forearm of small-time criminal, James Smith. During the coronial inquest, the suspected murderer’s legal team argued that as the rest of Smith's body had not been found, Smith may still have been alive, prohibiting Oram from holding an inquiry into his death.  A year later, Oram conducted the formal inquest into the death of 18 year old Edwin Hickey who was, controversially, executed after being found guilty of murder. He declined requests by the press to be present at the inquest. Oram was reappointed to be Special Magistrate for the Children's Court in August 1943 and retired from the public service in 1950.