*Please note that images and/or names of Indigenous people,
now deceased, are contained within this post and our collection.*

Tracing Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander
Family History Using Police Records

Sunday, 28 October 2018 | 11:00am to 12:30pm

Police HQ, 200 Roma Street,
Brisbane  QLD  4000

FREE ENTRY

Kathy Frankland is the Manager of Community and Personal Histories, Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships.  Kathy will present an overview of the control of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people in Queensland, focusing on the role Police played in the administration of the “protection” Acts.

The presentation will explore interaction and employment of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples with the Queensland Police Force, and how records created by the Police in their position as local protectors of Aboriginals can be used to trace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family history.

This one-and-a-half-hour presentation will commence at 11am on Sunday, October 28 and will be both informative and educational.  The lecture content will be suitable for all audiences.

The Museum opens its doors to the public on the last Sunday of each month from 10am to 3pm from February to November in addition to the standard Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm opening hours. Monthly Sunday openings feature guest speakers from across the historical and crime-solving spectrums.

PLEASE NOTE: The Police Museum will open on Sunday, October 28 from 10am to 3pm, and is located on the ground floor of Queensland Police Headquarters, 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.

At 1.30pm on September 16, 1914 Mr Benjamin Andrews reported to police that his horse and sulky had been stolen from the front of the Rowes Café in Edward Street, Brisbane.  A description of the thief was furnished, a man who had approached Mr Andrews begging for lunch, and Constable Florence O’Driscoll was sent to search for the stolen property.  On information received, Constable O’Driscoll rode a tram to Fortitude Valley then tracked the stolen sulky on foot to the Waterloo Hotel, Breakfast Creek Road, then back to Wickham and Brunswick Streets, past the Jubilee Hotel on St Pauls Terrace, and along Campbell Street to the Bowen Hills Railway Station.

Members of the public supplied more information; the sulky was now being driven by two men.  Whilst the Constable formulating his next move he noticed a horse attached to a sulky proceeding towards his direction.  He walked into the centre of the street and signalled the driver of the sulky to stop, but the driver whipped up the horse and it galloped towards him.  O’Driscoll stepped toward the sulky and caught the reins in an effort to slow the beast but was dragged a distance before the horse stopped.

Once Constable O’Driscoll ascertained that this was the stolen property, he stepped up into the sulky to arrest the two men but the driver attacked him, and the horse bolted down the street.  O’Driscoll continued to be assaulted whilst he grappled with the reins, the sulky careering down the road.  Eventually the Constable gained control of the horse and subdued the thief with handcuffs, with the help of a passing police officer.  The second man in the sulky appeared not to realise the driver had stolen the carriage.  The arrested man later appeared in court, charged with unlawfully using a bay horse, pled guilty and was imprisoned with hard labour for 12 months.

On October 9, 1914, Constable O’Driscoll was awarded a Medal for Merit for good police duty performed in arresting the criminal named Albert Hunt at Bowen Hills, for unlawfully using a horse and in obtaining possession of the horse attached to a vehicle at great personal risk.  O’Driscoll’s policing career of 34 years saw him retire at the rank of Inspector in 1946 with 8 favourable records to his name and 4 rewards totalling £28 8s.

Left to Right: Sub Inspectors J. Smith, Florence M. O’Driscoll, Charles J. L. Perrin, and Commissioner Cecil J. Carroll, outside Parliament House, Brisbane, c1937.
Image No. PM3112 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

Introduction of the Medal for Merit

On 4 October 1906 Police Commissioner William Cahill signed a memorandum announcing the institution of a departmental gallantry award to be known as the Medal for Merit. The medal was awarded when ‘a member of the Police Force, in the performance of police duty, displays preeminent bravery’.  Between 1906 and 1917 at least 103 Medals for Merit were awarded.

The obverse side of the medal shows an image of King George V, the reverse shows the Queensland state shield with the words Queensland Police For Merit along with the Latin phrase Audax At Fidelis (Bold But Faithful).

Two faces of the Queensland Police Medal for Merit.
Image courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing.  The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb – Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters, 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.  Email contact: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM the VAULT – Constable O’Driscoll”  by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode

The Coen Races was an annual event attracting locals and visitors to the dusty town racetrack for an enjoyable two days of racing and betting.  Constable Howard Green, recently from Cairns, was in attendance to police the event, and he also took a collection of photographs.  Constable Green’s colleague, Constable Charles Rattenbury, helped manage the people whilst Acting Sergeant James Dunne supervised the younger policemen and the crowds.  The Acting Sergeant was no stranger to horses.  As a Constable in Roma Street Police Station, 18 years before, Dunne had stopped runaway horses attached to a lorry on Victoria Bridge.

Fashions on the field in Coen included straw and lace hats for the ladies, with a choice of dress style; below the knee or ankle length.  Most of the men favoured silk banded felt hats, long trousers and either a vest or long-sleeved jacket.  The boys wore shorts with knee-high socks.  The most likely picnic lunch fare would have included potted meat, egg and watercress sandwiches with a dab of mustard, consumed under canvas tents or gunyahs made from locally milled posts and shaded by plentiful tree branches (pictured), with the food traditionally catered by local station owners.

The Cooktown Independent newspaper reported ‘good racing and honest riding’ at the Coen Races.  There were no misdemeanours mentioned, however at the request of Jessie Stevens the Queensland Police Gazette of 1928 requests information as to the whereabouts of her 43 year old husband, Vere Stevens from Brisbane, an unemployed bookmaker on route to Coen.  Mr Stevens was later mentioned in the September QPG as being located by the Banana police.  Both Constables Green and Rattenbury were reposted to Cairns shortly after; the Coen township had no need for so many police officers when the races ended.  Acting Sergeant Dunne moved to Mackay then Camooweal where he was Superannuated (retired) in 1936.

“Men folk of Coen and Cape York Peninsula gather together at the Coen races, 31 July 1928.”
Image No. PM0266 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

“ ’Why Not’ owned by F. Monaghan of Rokeby Station and ridden by Charles Hunter, is the winner of the Coen Handicap on 31 July 1928.”
Image No. PM1244c courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

“Constable Charles Rattenbury weighs himself on the jockey scales at the Coen Races, 1 August 1928.”
Image No. PM0265 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

“A crowd gathers around the twig roofed betting booth at the Coen Races, 1 August 1928.”
Image No. PM1244b courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

“The Clerk of the Coen Racecourse sits on his horse in front of the Judges Box and winning post at the Coen Picnic Races, 1 August 1928.”
Image No. PM1244a courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing.  The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb – Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM THE VAULT – A day at the Coen Races in 1928” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode

Queensland’s Criminal Practice Rules, 1900,  ushered in a number of critical amendments throughout the following century. The Rules passed in 1900 were extensive and encompassed all levels of the courts that formed the judicial system, from the Supreme down to the Magistrate’s courts. A reprint of the Rules as they were in force in 1996, contained a breadth of entries, including archaic entries such as ‘Possession of Clippings’ (Form 106 Section 153) of gold or silver ‘which had been obtained by dealing with current gold [or silver] coin in such a manner as to diminish its weight’ and ‘Counterfeiting Copper Coin’ (Form 110 Section 157) ‘apparently intended to pass for the current coin called pennies, or for a coin of the United States of America called cents (or as the case may be)’.

A Voodoo Cross

Amongst more and less outdated sections under the general schedule of ‘Obtaining Property by False Pretences: Cheating’  between ‘Frauds on Sale of Mortgage of Property’ and ‘Receiving Property Stolen or Fraudulently Obtained’, Queensland Criminal Code contained a slightly  more exceptional Section 432 ‘Pretending to Exercise Witchcraft or Tell Fortunes’:

(a.) Pretended to one to exercise [or use] witchcraft [or sorcery or enchantment or conjuration].

(b.) Undertook to one to tell his [or her] future fortunes.

(c.) Pretended to one, by virtue of a pretended skill in [or knowledge of] some occult science, to discover where [or in what manner] certain goods supposed to have been stolen [or lost] might be found.

Predictably, witchcraft prosecutions were not common. The section was omitted from the Code by Justice and Other Legislation Bill in 2000. Before it was struck out, however, there was an uncanny case or two that came to the attention of the police. In July, 1993 a wax voodoo doll was handed in to the Burleigh Heads Police Station. The item had been left on the complainant’s doorstep by an unknown person.

This wax Voodoo doll was handed in to the Burleigh Heads Police Station in July 1993.

From August to October, 1991, a number of mutilated wallabies and koalas were found by members of the public on separate occasions, in bushland areas around Capalaba and Sheldon. The incidents so outraged the local community of Capalaba/Redland Bay area, that local meetings were held to voice their concerns. A lengthy investigation by the Wildlife Task Force, in conjunction with the local police, resulted in the apprehension of an unstable young man from ‘Greenacres Caravan Park’, Capalaba. Although the defendant admitted to involvement in witchcraft practices after a raid on his caravan found numerous remains of native animals, he was charged under Fauna Conservation Acts rather than witchcraft. He was convicted in the magistrates court Cleveland on 12 November, 1991 and placed on 12 months probation, ordered to perform 100 hours community service  and undergo psychiatric assessment.

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 This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing.  The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“Exercising Witchcraft or Telling Fortunes”  by Museum Volunteer and Researcher Dr Anastasia Dukova is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode

The Queensland Police Museum is OPEN this Sunday.
There will be NO Sunday Lecture.

It’s the Queensland Police Museum’s regular Sunday opening on November 25^th, however due to the schedule of the International Police Museum Conference being held over the same weekend, there will be no Sunday Lecture.

We trust you’ve enjoyed this year’s line-up of speakers.  A few speakers for 2019 have already been booked as detailed below.

For further information about upcoming events plus historic Queensland policing stories, please consider subscribing to our weekly Blog here; https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/museum, it’s FREE!

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The Police Museum is open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb – Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Email: museum@police.qld.gov.au

Today, 27^th November 2018, is our 125^th birthday!

The Queensland Police Museum has evolved from a grisly accumulation of weaponry used by criminals, to a balanced collection of historic policing memorabilia; medals, uniforms, accoutrements, as well as unique pieces of evidence, so unusual they have the capacity to transform a true crime story from interesting to utterly fascinating.

Detective Senior Sergeant Les Bardwell, pictured here in 1962, examines one of hundreds of handguns displayed in cabinets for reasons of security and safety.
PR Neg 1962 (SL945) courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

When the collection commenced in earnest, by Memorandum from the Police Commissioner’s Office date 27^th November 1893, it was the preservation of articles connected with crime which were most sought after.  We believe it was the efforts of Detective Constable Les Bardwell, a collector of firearms and veteran of the Criminal Investigation Branch, who extended the collection to include policing regalia and equipment.  With a scientific mind and a detective spirit, Les set about acquiring secure glass cases to display the growing museum collection of crime and policing history, with the objects kept under lock and key for the eyes of police recruits only and a small selection brought out for public viewing each year at the Royal National Agricultural Show (The Ekka).

Mr Ross Chippindall, Curator of Queensland Police Museum between 1979 and 1985.
Image No. PM1159 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

The current collection continues to expand as specialist police equipment is introduced, used, replaced and finally offered to the museum for preservation and display; a process which can take decades.  Crime evidence is retained by Forensic Services until well after a case is solved, objects only being accepted into the museum for their rarity, educational potential, and the intangible value placed upon those used in the commission of criminal acts.  Photographic donations are sorted, digitised and catalogued before they can be enjoyed by forebears and used in social media circles.

We invite you to celebrate this big day by visiting us, following our Blog https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/museum/, and Tweeting to @QPSMuseum.

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This article was written by Museum Assistant Georgia Grier for the occasion of the Queensland Police Museum’s 125^th birthday.  The Police Museum is open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb – Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.
Email: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM the VAULT – Queensland Police Museum 125^th Birthday” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode

Victoria Police has launched a new podcast, A Shout from the Long Grass – the Police Murders at Stringybark Creek, which tells the story of the four Victoria Police officers attacked by the Kelly gang in 1878.

This story is one of the most infamous crimes in Australian history, and until now has been almost completely overshadowed by the legend of Ned Kelly.

The podcast (which is available on iTunes and Spotify) aims to address this imbalance and create more awareness of the police who were murdered.

A Shout from the Long Grass: http://bit.ly/2B9WL1s

It’s an important story, not just to Victorian police, but all Australian police services.

A contingent of Queensland Police Trackers were sent to Victoria to help in the hunt for the Kelly Gang in 1879. The Trackers along with Queensland and Victorian police officers pose in Benalla Police Paddock. Back Row L-R: Senior Constable Tom King (Standing); Troopers Jimmy, Hero and Barney and Victorian Police Superintendent J. Sadlier. Front Row L-R: Queensland Sub-Inspector Stanhope O’Connor, Troopers Johnny and Jack and Victoria Police Commissioner, Captain Frederick Charles Standish (hands in pockets). PM0130 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum

The bulk of the Queensland Police Force occupies army buildings at Victoria Barracks until 1883.

Victoria Barracks on Petrie Terrace in Brisbane is home to the Army Museum South Queensland.  A new exhibition, ‘The War To End All Wars’, will be launched in February 2019 providing meticulously researched stories of the aftermath of WW1 and how peace negotiations affected the Australian way of life.

Book now to view this remarkably retained piece of Brisbane heritage; $15 per person includes a guided tour of Victoria Barracks, Devonshire Tea served in the original Officer’s Mess, a self-guided experience of the curated exhibition, a souvenir booklet and a digital photograph.

Groups and individual bookings are essential and available on Wednesdays only.  Bookings can be made by website;
www.armymuseumsouthqueensland.com.au
by phone; 0429 954 663,
and by email; info@armymuseumsouthqueensland.com.au

Applications to volunteer are welcome from all age groups.  A background in Australian Military procedures is an advance but not essential as training will be provided.  Volunteers are currently required from March 2019 on Tuesdays and/or Wednesdays.

Senior Constable John Power was first stationed at Mitchell in September 1889. In late 1894 just prior to his move to Charleville, he must have asked about painting the police station and received these instructions on how the surface was to be prepared, the paint mixed and subsequently applied. Depending on how easy it was to find a painter and since John was transferring out, perhaps the job fell to his replacement Senior Constable Thomas Walsh who transferred into Mitchell in January 1895.

A plan of the Mitchell Police Station and Lockup, May 1884. Image courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

In any event the Order includes quite a lot of detailed instructions, spare a thought for those police officers staffing stations in 19^th century regional Queensland the next time you crack open a can of easily applied modern acrylic paint.

‘Points to be observed by the Police in carrying out the work of Painting Police Stations’, Mitchell Police Station Order Book (page 1), 1894. Image courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

‘Points to be observed by the Police in carrying out the work of Painting Police Stations’, Mitchell Police Station Order Book (page 2), 1894. Image courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

‘Points to be observed by the Police in carrying out the work of Painting Police Stations’, Mitchell Police Station Order Book (page 3), 1894. Image courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

‘Points to be observed by the Police in carrying out the work of Painting. Police Stations’, Mitchell Police Station Order Book (page 4), 1894. Image Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

This information was assembled by Curator Lisa Jones and was sourced from Queensland Police Museum the best resources available at the time of writing.  The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Email: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“Points to be observed when painting police stations 1894” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode

Police issue rubber-soled boots may have saved the life of Constable Kelvin Mooney. The 20-year-old was wearing such boots on 3 September 1980 when he was struck by 11 000 volts of electricity that arced from a power pole into his face. Kelvin was interviewed for the Police Vedette journal in January 1981 and the following is an extract from the description of the event reportedly in Kelvin’s own words:

Constable Kelvin Mooney studies one of the boots which probably saved his life.
(Image PM4109 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum)

“A man reported that a telegraph pole was on fire, so the Sergeant sent me down to check. It was about 7pm on a clear night, and when I reached the pole I could see sparks flickering at the top, but I couldn’t see any wires. I drove down to the next pole and counted the number of wires on it, and then backed up to the problem one. The only wire I saw was hanging low, almost in the cane. The last thing I remember is opening the car door. Apparently, there was such a high voltage of electricity around the pole that it jumped into my body. I remember hopping back into the car and driving around for a while. I almost drove down the slipway into the river at one stage. Then I remember seeing a yellow flashing light and I drove towards it. On the way my feet felt like they were blistering so I stopped and removed my right shoe. I noticed some back stuff on my face and I tried to wipe it off.”

Constable Mooney’s police issue rubber-soled boots. The holes in the right boot show the exit points of the electricity as it passed through Kelvin’s body. The boots are on display at the Queensland Police Museum.
(Object No. QP21-1 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum)

Constable Mooney’s socks were melted to his feet as the electricity passed through his body. (Object No. QP21-2 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum)

Kelvin saw our original 2011 Queensland Police Facebook post about his brush with death and provided more information about his experience on that day in 1980.

I would like to fill in a few of the gaps if I may, I can see why some doubt what happened to me. When I saw what 13 newspapers across Australia had written about the accident – I did not believe what had happed either. Thirteen different stories……not one of them was even close to what happened. The stories ranged from – I had driven onto a power line – I had grabbed hold of a power line – A power line had fallen on the car to – I had walked into a fallen power line. 

My story – It was about 7.00pm one cold night in Maryborough, I went to investigate a fire on the top of a power pole. When I got to the pole I opened the car door to see the power line. It appears the electricity arced from the power line across an irrigation ditch and entered the right side of my face. I believe after I was electrocuted I dropped to my knees and slid down the bank of the ditch. Sometime later I recovered and got back into the police car and drove around the Maryborough shipyards and surrounding area. 

I only found out about dropping onto my knees about two years ago when talking to my mother. She has the trousers I was wearing on the night. The trousers still have the grass stains on the knees which could have only occurred by sliding down the grass slope of the irrigation ditch.

At the hospital I remember a nurse telling a doctor that she could not find my pulse…I can tell you that got me going. The doctor used his stethoscope and found my pulse – what a relief. YES, and I had one of those near-death experiences with the old bright light. I had lapsed back into unconsciousness and I remember seeing this bright light and I heard a voice. The voice told me to go back as he did not want to see me until I was 94. I then regained consciousness. YES, this changed the way I looked at life – if he does not want me then no one on earth is going to hurt me and I decided to do what I could to help others. 

I remember starting back at work in Brisbane…a few days later an electrician touched a power line carrying 11,000 volts. He however was killed and his whole body was burnt black. YES, I agree that those rubber boots saved my life because I was not earthed to the ground.  I still have the scars on my neck and feet to prove that it really did happen. My favourite quote is: “Every day above the ground is a great day”.

Kelvin recovered from his shocking experience and spent another 10 years as a Queensland police officer. He retired as a Detective Senior Constable from the Juvenile Aid Bureau on 6 April 1990.

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This information was assembled by Curator Lisa Jones and sourced from the best Queensland Police Museum resources available at the time of writing. The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Email: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“The shock of his life” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode

Between 1861 and 1867 there were a number of gold discoveries at Clermont; Cloncurry; Cape River; Nanango, Gympie and Kilkivan. Gold was discovered in Central Queensland near Peak(e) Downs in 1861, with a rush taking place in 1862. This led to the development of the Clermont Goldfield which was proclaimed in August, 1863 covering an area of over 4044 km² (1600 miles²). The principal gold mining areas were those named The Springs, Black Ridge and Miclere. The alluvial deposits covered a large number of gold-bearing leads and have yielded many thousands of ounces of gold. They were considered at the time to be the richest and most extensive alluvial gold deposits in Queensland. There were at least four batteries working in the area as well as large dry-blowing operations.

Clermont, 1870. (Image courtesy SLQ RN21220155670002061)

As gold was discovered across Queensland the police presence in these areas increased due to the large influx of miners, their families and others involved with banks, stores and pubs. The death and crime rate in these towns and around the diggings was high. Gold escort duty in these early days involved the movement of gold nuggets from the diggings to the bank at a main centre for exchange into bank notes which were then back to the gold fields. Only a couple of men would have been in charge of the bullion. Later in the 1890s when large amounts of gold were being discovered and moved, a gold carriage with up to 6 mounted men and a Sub-Inspector would have been inspected to accompany the cargo.  In this instance gold was brought from the Clermont/Peak Downes area to Rockhampton.

THE PLAYERS…

Sergeant James Julian was a grave young Irishman known to his juniors as ‘Count’ Julian, in his early thirties, came from County Kerry, Ireland and had been on escort work for four years. He was meticulous in dress and had a grand manner. He had escorted the consignment of gold from Clermont to Rockhampton and had received instructions from Commissioner Griffin to return the bank notes to Clermont on 26 October.

Patrick William Cahill was born in 1840 in Waterford County, Ireland and was a school friend of members of the Power family. After coming to Australia, he worked in various positions in Victoria and New South Wales.  In 1865 he met up with Power in Brisbane and cemented the childhood friendship. He was 27 years of age, nearly 6 feet tall with blue eyes, brown hair and a fresh complexion.

John Francis Power was born in 1842 in the neighbourhood of Carrickson Suir, between the counties of Waterford and Tipperary, Ireland. When he was about 20 a desire for travel saw him follow his brother to Australia, arriving in November 1862. He lived a varied life – living in Ipswich for a time; travelling to remote Gulf of Carpentaria; going into partnership on a sheep run on the Fitzroy River and prospecting. John became very ill and after recovering discovered that his partner had taken advantage of his absence, and sold the stock to leave him without any cash and in need of a job. He was 25 years of age.

In 1865 Power and Cahill met up Brisbane. In 1867 they travelled to Clermont and decided to join the gold escort. At the time there was only one remaining position so on 4 April Thomas Power was appointed as a Constable and Patrick Cahill was named as supernumerary until the next vacancy should occur.

Group image taken in Rockhampton L-R: Sergeant James Julian, Constable Patrick William Cahill. Constable John Francis Power and Gold Commissioner Thomas John Griffin. The two Native Police are not named. (Image courtesy QPM PM0680a)

Thomas John Augustus Griffin was born 27 July 1832 in Antrim, Northern Ireland. He entered Royal Irish Constabulary in 1852 and then volunteered for service in the Crimean war (1863 – 1856) where he won two decorations and a commission in the Turkish contingent. In 1857 he arrived in Victoria and on 29 April of that year married Harriett Klister, supposedly a wealthy widow. In May 1858 he deserted his wife and joined the New South Wales police working as a clerk and then Acting Sergeant on transfer to Rockhampton. In February 1859 he was appointed as Rockhampton’s Chief Constable. In Nov 1860 he became Brisbane’s Chief Constable and then promoted to Clerk of Petty Sessions, reputedly because of his friendship with the sister of a leading politician. In Oct 1863 Griffin was appointed Police Magistrate & Gold Commissioner to the Clermont gold field. He soon proved himself a unpredictable tyrant on the Bench. Spending money flamboyantly, he haunted the gambling dives of the camp and bet heavily to recoup repeated losses. Ugly rumours did the rounds that hinted at bribes for immunity from prosecution, or for a favourable verdict in civil claims. Griffin exhibited a very pleasant manner to those he desired to appease but was abrupt and tyrannical with anyone whom he regarded as inferior. He came close to destitution by heavy losses in Chinese gambling dens and the heavy demands from his wife whose discovery of his whereabouts also lost him the support of the leading politician’s sister.

In June 1866 the Chief Magistrate of Clermont, discovered that Griffin had stolen a letter addressed to him in criticism of the commissioner’s work. He asked for a civil service inquiry into this flagrant abuse of duty. The inquiry was held in Brisbane where few witnesses could attend, and Griffin was exonerated. Rumours that he had embezzled money entrusted to him by miners led to a public meeting in Clermont and a petition for his removal, but before it could be presented he was transferred to Toowoomba as Police Magistrate. In 1867 he was transferred to Rockhampton as the Gold Commissioner. In mid-1867 he was given custody of £252 by some Chinese gold diggers but when the moment for settling came in October he was unable to pay.

East Street in Rockhampton ca. 1887. (Image courtesy SLQ RN237283)

This information was researched by Curator Lisa Jones and sourced from the best Queensland Police Museum resources available at the time of writing. The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Email: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM the VAULT – Gold and Greed Part 1: the murder of Constables Power and Cahill in 1867” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

 Thursday 17 October – Griffin arrives in Rockhampton from Clermont

6 Chinese gold diggers entrust him with £252 worth of money and gold, for safe keeping. Griffin subsequently gambles this away. The Chinese men make repeated demands for the return of gold or its value and even follow him to Rockhampton. Griffin, unable to pay the debt, finds himself in great difficulties, desperate and probably at this point conceives the idea of robbing the gold escort.

Chinese gold digger starting for work, ca. 1860s (Image courtesy SLQ, RN116084)

Thursday 24 October – Sergeant Julian arrives in Rockhampton with the Clermont gold consignment

Julian delivers the gold to the bank and receives instructions from Commissioner Griffin to make the return journey to Clermont with the exchange notes and coinage on 26 October.

Saturday 26 October – Mr T.S. Hall, manager of the Rockhampton branch of the Australian Joint Stock Bank prepares the money for transport.

4 packages containing a thousand £1 notes each; two bundles containing £5 notes equalling £3849 and £151 in gold, silver and copper coins. The numbers of the notes were ‘narrated’ (recorded) and then the whole amount equalling £8,151 was packed in 10 canvas bags.

Commissioner Griffin announces his intention to travel part of the way to Clermont with the escort

Griffin’s presence with the escort was quite unnecessary and unofficial. He told the Bank Manager that he would go no further with the escort than Bartholomew’s Hotel at Gogango, a few miles out, but he gave different stories to other people. Sergeant Julian appears to have been profoundly distrustful of Griffin. Coming from Clermont, he would certainly have heard of Griffin’s financial embarrassments, and probably considered the Commissioner’s presence on the escort to be both obtrusive and suspicious.

Sergeant Julian takes delivery of the money from the bank

However when  the escort Constable Patrick Cahill fails to arrive by 3pm, he promptly returns the money to the bank and rides back to the escort camp, located four hundred yards from the residence of Mrs Ottley, whose daughter Griffin was courting.  Cahill arrives at the camp.

 Sunday 27 October – That afternoon the escort travels 15mls (24kms) and camps off the road at Griffin’s suggestion.

Sergeant Julian takes to sleeping on top of the saddle bags containing the money.

Monday 28 October – 3am Griffin sends Constable Cahill after the horses.

Griffin moves himself and his blankets closer to where Julian is lying and appears uneasy and continuously keeps an eye on Julian. The Sergeant in turn keeps a sharp eye on Griffin until the Cahill returns to camp. Griffin asks Julian how much money he had received, and if the notes were signed, and then remarks that he now considers the party too small to travel with £8,000 to which Julian disagrees.

Griffin decides that the horses needed shoeing and that he will accompany Cahill to have them seen to. He instructs the Sergeant to stay with the money but in the end the whole party returns to the camp near Rockleigh, where they found Constables Power and Gildea.

At this point Julian becomes so suspicious of the shifts and devices of Griffin, that he resolves to get out of the job if he can. Leaving Gildea, Power and Cahill in camp, he follows Griffin to the Rockleigh residence and protests against being left alone with so much money. Griffin is furious and returns to escort camp with Julian. The 3 Constables leave to pick up the mail in Rockhampton, leaving Griffin and Julian alone in the camp.

Julian is accustomed to laying his blanket on the canvas treasure bags, and sleeping there but this night Griffin takes Julian’s place on the bags and an arguments breaks out; Griffin accuses Julian of not wanting to go to Clermont but that he would force him to go. Julian asks for his discharge and is refused and then asks for permission to go to town to see a doctor as he is ill, which is also refused.

Power, Gildea and Cahill return to camp, and Griffin goes off to Mrs Ottley’s, presumably to sleep there. When Griffin is gone, Julian moves the treasure bags to a different tent, and spread his blankets over them. Sleeping lightly, and in an apprehensive state, he hears Griffin arrive in the early morning and call out in a low voice call “Julian! Where are my blankets?” The Sergeant tells him that they are in the tent where he had been lying down the day before.

Griffin probably had intended on broaching the treasure bags that night.

Gold Commissioner Thomas John Griffin, c1864 (Image courtesy of the QPM, PM1923)

Tuesday 29 October – At daylight Griffin goes back to Rockleigh, telling the men to be ready for a start after breakfast.

Morning

At that meal the troopers thought that the tea had a bitter taste and they accused Gildea, who was known jokingly as ‘The Doctor’ (having been formerly a medical student) of putting salts in it instead of sugar. Julian saying, “There’s plenty of milk to drink”, empties out the tea, and sees a white sediment at the bottom of the billy. He thinks, unsuspiciously, that some bitter leaves or bark had given the tea the queer taste.

Late Morning

As the escort prepares to leave the Rockleigh camp Griffin tells the troopers that he will take them by a short cut across swampy country. He leads, but keeps looking backward, as if watching for something to happen or perhaps for the poison to work. 5 miles across the swamp, they approaches Archer’s Gracemere Station and Griffin says he remembers leaving behind, at the clubhouse in Rockhampton, a small parcel of gold which had come down with the last escort by mistake.

He orders Julian, Power and CahiIl back to Rockleigh camp with orders to unload the packhorses when they get to camp.

Late Afternoon

Once back in Rockhampton Julian returns the money to the bank – he is well and truly fed up with Griffin’s behaviour. Griffin sees the escort returning from the bank and confronts Julian demanding to know what he is doing in town to which Julian replies that he has returned the money to the bank for safe keeping.

Griffin, seeing his whole plan frustrated, goes into a furious rage, suspends Julian and appoints Power in his place.  Griffin explains to the Bank Manager that the money can now be handed over to Power. Mr Hall, says that he will only send half the money as Power is inexperienced with this new responsibility. The amount is reduced to £4000. In the afternoon Power takes delivery of the £4000 and Griffin meets the Chinese gold diggers and promises to pay them at the Clubhouse the next morning. When Power returns to camp with the money, Griffin takes charge of it, with the excuse that the boys can then have a worry free night’s rest. He takes the treasure bag to Mrs Ottley’s. That night Griffin steals £270 in notes.

Wednesday 30 October – Morning

Griffin goes into Rockhampton and pays off the Chinese gold diggers.

He returns the remainder of the money to Trooper Power, who notices that the parcel has a new covering which is explained away by Griffin as ‘for more careful conveyance’.  Power is not happy with this answer and says “Mr Griffin, as this is the first time I have been entrusted with such serious responsibility, I would like to see the parcel in the same condition as I got it from the bank. Will you please remove the outside cover?”  to which Griffin replies, “I assure you it is all right. It has not been out of my possession since you gave it to me.”

Power seems to have become suspicious of Griffin, and in order to gain time, draws his attention to a lame horse. Griffin tells Cahill to bring up the horses, but Power warns Cahill in Gaelic (which they both understood) not to do so but to drive them further off. Cahill does this, and on returning to the camp, tells Griffin that he could not find the horses. [It is unknown if Julian had warned Power the previous evening of his suspicions of Griffin but it certainly appears that there may have been some type of warning for Power to watch Griffin closely and to now question his actions.]

Power is allowed to take the lame horse back to Rockhampton, where he sees the Bank Manager and asks him to come out to the camp to see that the parcel is all right.

Thursday 31 October – Mr Hall, the bank manager, arrives at the escort camp.

Hall asks Griffin to seal the treasure bags, to which Griffin protests that this will be useless, as the seals will break through from the friction on the horses’ backs. To which Hall agrees.

After Hall departs, Power demands that Griffin seal the bags or he will not take charge of them. Griffin yields and seals the parcel from which the notes have been abstracted. There is no doubt that this action sealed the fate of Power and Cahill, as on the arrival at Clermont the notes will be found missing, and if Griffin’s seals are found intact, suspicion will fall upon him, as he has taken the money away from Power and kept it in his own room.

Friday 1 November – The escort starts out in earnest for Clermont after a week’s delay.

Monday 4 November – The escort reaches a wayside accommodation house at Bedord Dam. While the troopers go to escort camp, Griffin goes to the house and orders lunch from Mrs Ashcroft, the landlady.

While at lunch, Griffin ‘flashes’ his revolver, and asks some questions about Edward Hartigan better known as the ‘Snob’, a well-known criminal of the time.

Parker Cahill Hartigan alias ‘The Snob’, taken from the Queensland Police Gazette No. 57, 20 November 1897.

The troopers come up to lunch, and are shouted drinks by Griffin all afternoon.

Constable Moynihan from Dawson station, arrives. Power is greatly relieved and asks him to accompany them to Clermont. Power says to Griffin: “Here’s Moynihan, Mr Griffin, looking for police horses. Might he not come on to Clermont, and save you the trouble of going further?” to which Griffin replies, “Oh, certainly. How are you Moynihan? It is lucky I met you, but you will have to make an early start tomorrow.”

Griffin then drugs Moynihan’s drink. Early in the morning the escort cannot wake him and departs. To his good fortune Moynihan sleeps peacefully until 10 am.

THE MURDER OF THE TROOPERS

Tuesday 5 November

Early in the morning the escort arrives at the Mackenzie River crossing, 130 miles from Rockhampton.

Griffin leaves the troopers in camp, and goes the Bedford Arms Hotel for breakfast. He tells Alfred Bedford, the owner, that he will be leaving the escort here and going back to Rockhampton. Taking the trouble to explain that he had only come this far to try and make Mrs Ashcroft prosecute the ‘Snob’ who had shot at her.

As Bedford is also leaving for Rockhampton, it is agreed that he and Griffin will travel back together, while the escort goes on to Clermont. At Bedford’s, Griffin endeavours to get a supply of laudanum with the excuse that he is suffering from diarrhoea.

All day the escort party comes and goes between the camp and Bedford’s, drinking and socialising.

At 8.30pm the troopers leave Bedfords to head back to the camp with a couple of bottles of beer. Griffin, after purchasing a pint of brandy, follows them.

In the early hours of the morning, Bedford is awakened by the sound of revolver shots. One is heard about 2am, and the other at 3.30am (he looks at his watch to fix the time). Griffin returns to the hotel, carrying his saddle and swag at 3.50am, and awakens Bedford. Griffin appears tired and anxious to get away. Griffin tells Bedford that he had lost himself for an hour in the bush and only discovered the house by the crowing of the cocks.

Bedford tells Griffin that he has heard 2 shots but Griffin says that he had only heard one, which was fired by Power who had become lost himself while looking for the horses.

_______________________________

This information was researched by Curator Lisa Jones and sourced from the best Queensland Police Museum resources available at the time of writing. The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Email: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM the VAULT – Gold and Greed Part 2: the murder of Constables Power and Cahill in 1867” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode

Brisbane of the early 1860s was ‘not a very attractive city, with uniform streets, atrociously kept shops, and houses few and far between. Bullock teams frequently blocked the thoroughfare’. (So said WRO Hill) Policing Colonial Brisbane follows Queensland policemen on the colonial beat chronicling their experiences and observations, including an Irish lifer turned policeman; a detective constable; a prosecuting inspector; and finally, men and women that found themselves on the wrong side of the dock.

Slaters Pocket Map of the City of Brisbane, 1865

Dr Anastasia Dukova is currently researching local policing history for the State Library Queensland and will be presenting her findings on Policing Colonial Brisbane as part of the Monthly Sunday lecture series. She will outline experiences of colonial policemen and criminals, the difficulties impacting the policing response, the justice system and the individuals involved on both sides of the law.

A SCRUFFY BUNCH
Queensland Police officers, c1864
Image No. PM1946 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum

This one-and-a-half-hour presentation from 11am on Sunday, February 24 will be both informative and educational and suitable for any audience.

The Museum opens its doors to the public on the last Sunday of each month from 10am to 3pm from February to November in addition to the standard Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm opening hours. Monthly Sunday openings feature guest speakers from across the historical and crime-solving spectrums.

PLEASE NOTE: The Police Museum will open Sunday, February 24 from 10am to 3pm, and is located on the ground floor of Police Headquarters, 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.

AFTER THE MURDERS

 Wednesday 6 November

Griffin and Bedford start for Rockhampton with Griffin keeping Bedford in front of him all the way. About 20 miles into the journey, Griffin rides off the track to rearrange his swag (at which point some notes escape and fly about in the breeze).

Thursday 7 November

Griffin and Bedford arrive at Rockhampton. Both the men and another named Hornby called at the Commercial Hotel. Griffin ‘shouts’ his friends and tenders a torn and tattered £1 (No.1440).

Extracted from the Queensland Police Gazette of 4 December 1867, pgs 88 – 91.

Same Day

John Petersen, an employee of the Bedford Hotel, was out looking for a horse and as he was going towards the river bank he noticed a kind of stench and followed its direction. He came upon the bodies about 200 yards from the river. He calls out “Good morning” but does not get an answer. He sees one body lying in a straight position with its head resting on a saddle. The body is covered with a blanket to about half way up the face, he lifts the blanket to see the face which shows some blood and evidence of worms and flies, but he does not recognise him. Peterson sees another body nearer the river with its legs drawn up, the face is not so disfigured as the other, but he still cannot identify him.

Petersen reports the finding of the bodies to Sub Inspector Stokes at the Native Police Barracks. The NMP attends the murder site and then place the bodies between two sheets of bark and buries them.

Friday 8 November – Meanwhile News reaches Rockhampton

Griffin asks Sub Inspector Elliott and if he has heard the rumour that the Clermont gold escort has been found dead. Elliott makes inquiries to authenticate the information of the death of the troopers. The startling official news is brought by the mailman via telegraph that the two escort troopers had been found dead at the Mackenzie River – initially the report stated that the men had been poisoned. Griffin, shows himself as both distressed and surprised at the news.

Sub-Inspector George L. Elliott (Image courtesy QPM, PM1616)

A party consisting of Sub-inspector Elliott, Tom Hall, Manager Australian Joint Stock Bank, Henry Abbott, Police Magistrate, Dr Salmond, a black tracker and Griffin made ready to start for the scene of the murder.

Griffin was loud in his demands for a ruthless hunting-down of the murderers, even before it was officially known that murder had been done. He protested so much which confirmed some suspicions in the mind of Sub-inspector Elliott that had been building since Julian was relieved of his command.

In protesting to Elliott about his suspension, Julian had reported the various subterfuges adopted by Griffin to delay the start, and his belief that an attempt had been made to poison him. Elliott had been inclined to dismiss the complaint until during the ride out, Griffin went out of his way to express surprise that the escort had been robbed. He also told Hall that the troopers would have been shot despite the report of poisoning and lack of reference to shooting at that stage.

Griffin tries to wreck the carriage in which he is travelling with Dr Salmon. As the journey continued Griffin showed visible signs of nervousness. Elliott suspiciousness grows and during the night he extracts the cartridges from Griffin’s firearm.

Sub-Inspector James Balfrey of Clermont Station, heads for the murder site and arrives 24 hours before the Rockhampton party. He visits the scene briefly to note the burial of the bodies and sees Sub Inspector Stokes who has all of the trooper’s effects from the scene. He sends a telegraph to the Commissioner advising of the deaths and the amount of stolen money.

Saturday 9 November – The Investigation

The Rockhampton party arrives the Mackenzie River crossing at 9am.

The bodies are exhumed, and a post mortem is conducted by Dr Salmon.

On arrival Griffin shows much nervousness and on nearing the scene of the murder, he exclaims, “My God! I cannot face this” and sits on a log 50 or 60 yards away from the scene.

The camp is well examined by the officers of the native police who with the aid of their bush experience and the dry characteristics of black loamy soil, find tracks leading to and from the camp and to the hotel.

Griffin’s small boot prints are a match to the tracks, they show that he moved from the camp towards a small lagoon, which was away from the both the camp and the public house, to a log where he sat down. He then retraced his steps from the log to a point of the track leading to the public house. There are no other tracks.

Sub-Inspector Elliott and Detective Kilfeder conduct interviews with:

Mary John Petersen – concerning the movement of the escort men and the discovery of the bodies

Alfred Bedford – concerning hearing shots that night and what he observed of Griffin

Sub Inspector Uhr has a conversation with Griffin, on the subject of poisons. Griffin speaks of his knowledge that while mineral poisons are easily detected in the human stomach, vegetable poisons, such as morphia, are difficult to trace.

Arrest of Griffin

When the first post-mortem examination is completed, Sub-Inspector Elliott confers with the other police at the scene, the doctor, and completes speaking with and interviewing the witnesses. He is now sure that Griffin is the prime suspect. At 11am Detective Kilfeder and Sub-Inspector Elliott arrest Griffin on the suspicion of murder of John Power and Patrick Cahill.

Monday 11 to Thursday 14 November

An initial Court sitting is held at the Bedford Arms Hotel at the direction of Henry Abbott the Police Magistrate. Depositions are taken from Sub Inspector Elliott, Detective Kilfeder, Dr Salmond, Mr Alfred Harding Bedford, John Petersen, Sgt James Julian, Mary Petersen, Sub-Inspector Charles Uhr, Sub- Inspector Richard Stokes, Jonathan Ashcroft, Inspector James Balfrey and John Reborah.

 Tuesday 19 November

Griffin’s arrival

On Tuesday 19 November crowds at the Rockhampton station awaited Griffin’s arrival, but police took him from the train at a nearby station and brought him inconspicuously in a cab to the lock up.

 First Rockhampton Court appearance

The Deposition Clerk reads the warrant, remanding the prisoner from the court held at the Bedford Arms, Mackenzie, on the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14^th instant, and the depositions then taken. Sub Insp Elliott then told the magistrate that he was not prepared with evidence to go on with the case and requested a remand of eight days. The remand was given.

After everyone returns from the Mackenzie River, the case against Griffin continued with great care and judgment by Sub Inspector Elliott, who had shown that in addition to the courage and pluck required to knock’ over a bushranger, he possessed also the coolness and calculation of a first rate detective. The main links and mass of closely connected evidence was put together by him, and the case was subsequently completed. Detective Kilfeder joined him first the day of notification of the murders, Sub Inspector Stokes of the Native Police and Uhr at the Mackenzie Station, Sub Inspector Balfrey of Clermont and then Detective Slattery from Maryborough, and lastly, Sub Inspector Samuel Lloyd from Brisbane.

30 November

Dr Salmon describes his findings and 20 other witnesses give evidence at the committal proceedings against Griffin and he was duly committed to stand Trial at the Rockhampton Supreme Court.

 14 December – The Trial starts

The trial takes place in the Rockhampton Supreme Court before Justice Alfred James Peter Lutwyche, who was the first judge for the Supreme Court of Queensland, and a jury of 12.

Justice Alfred James Peter Lutwyche, was the first judge for the Supreme Court of Queensland (Image courtesy SLQ)

The Crown is represented by the Attorney-General, the Honourable Ratcliffe Pring, QC (afterwards Mr Justice Pring) and Mr Charles Lilley, QC, afterwards Chief justice of Queensland.

Mr Charles Lilley, QC, afterwards Chief justice of Queensland (left) and Attorney-General, the Honourable Ratcliffe Pring, QC (afterwards Mr Justice Pring) (right) (Images courtesy of the SLQ)

For the defence were Mr Edward MacDevitt, a clever Irish barrister, newly arrived, Mr Hely and Mr Samuel Griffith.

For the defence were newly arrived Edward MacDevitt (Left), a clever Irish barrister, H.L. Hely and Mr Samuel Griffith (right), a young Welsh born lawyer, aged 22. Later Chief justice of Queensland, Premier and Chief Justice of the Commonwealth. (Images courtesy SLQ)

At the trial, a total of 60 witnesses were called to give evidence:

Chinese gold diggers, as most were not from an English-speaking background an interpreter had to be used and because they were not of Christian belief, they were sworn by blowing out a candle.

Each gave evidence that they had given Griffin money and he gave each a piece of paper in return for their money. They stated they paid money to Griffin approximately 4, and some up to 8, months earlier for escort to the Rockhampton bank. Griffin after transferring to Rockhampton kept telling the Chinese that their money had not arrived from Clermont. They all stated in evidence that Griffin had paid them at the back of the Club House Hotel, and the date of payment coincided with the dates prior to the escort leaving Rockhampton and the evening that Griffin took charge of and had possession of the money from Power.

The bank tellers gave evidence as to how they had narrated the numbers on the notes and how the notes had been placed in the parcels, and how each parcel was packed and tied. The police all gave evidence and it appears that Julian was a main witness as to how the escort had three starts to commence the journey to Clermont.

Bedford and the Petersens gave evidence as to circumstances at the Mackenzie River and how shots were heard in the early hours of the morning. How Griffin had a ‘big awful swag’ and how Griffin went off the road to adjust the swag.

Mr Pitt gave evidence as to how he had located the one-pound note in the vicinity where Griffin had gone off the road to adjust his swag. Evidence was produced to show that the note located by Pitt was one of the notes that had the number recorded by the bank staff. The tattered note produced by Griffin at the Commercial Hotel was also confirmed as being another of the notes recorded by the bank staff and was part of the escort money.

The fact that his small shoe prints were found at the scene indicated a different version of events to what Griffin had stated, that Power went looking for the horses in the early evening. Griffin’s comments to others and his behaviour whilst travelling from Rockhampton to the Mackenzie with the investigating party, were all given in evidence during the trial.

All this circumstantial evidence led to Griffin’s conviction. At no time, to this point, did he admit to killing the police officers.

28 March Sentencing

The jury returns to the court room and the foreman announced that they had found Griffin guilty of the murder of Power and Cahill and is sentenced to death.

Queensland Police Gazette Entry Vol. V, No. 4, 1st April 1868.

 Execution of Griffin

Griffin remain in the Rockhampton gaol, until his appointment with the hangman. He maintains his innocence publicly the whole time to his execution, he did however confide in a turnkey at the prison during his wait for his execution on 1 June 1868.

The execution of Griffin was recorded in a spectacular article headed, ‘Execution of Griffin’ in the Rockhampton Bulletin on June 2, 1868.

 The executioner, having completed all his ghastly preparations, shook his victim by the left hand and withdrew to the entrance of the platform, where he said, “God bless you.” A painful pause of a few seconds here occurred whilst the executioner waited for a signal from the Sheriff. On this being given, the bolt was quickly drawn, the drop came clanging down, and the murderer – Griffin – passed into eternity. His death must have been almost instantaneous as there was fracture and dislocation of the second and third vertebrae. The body fell a distance of four feet six inches, reckoning from the floor of the platform to the rope as he hung suspended. As the body fell the right leg and thigh were drawn up, then there was a trembling and a quivering of the feet, the result of muscular action rather than pain, and all was still; he was dead. The body swayed about for several minutes and settled at last with his face to the wall. After the lapse of about thirty-five minutes, Drs Salmond, Callaghan, Thon, and Robertson, examined the body. Life was pronounced extinct, and the executioner cut the body down. It was placed in a coffin which had been placed under the gallows and must have been before Griffin’s eyes as he ascended to his death.

 Griffin describes a struggle between him and the troopers and that he shot them in the stomach and eye – however both were shot from behind. He told the principal turnkey where he had hidden the money, but it could not be found at that point.

__________________________

This information was researched by Curator Lisa Jones and sourced from the best Queensland Police Museum resources available at the time of writing. The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Email: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM the VAULT – Gold and Greed Part 3: the murder of Constables Power and Cahill in 1867” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode

AFTER THE TRIAL and EXECUTION

 June 2 – Location of the Stolen Money

The money was subsequently located after a search of the area surrounding Mrs Otley’s but it was damaged and rendered useless by damp. Griffin said that there was £3730 leaving £16 unaccounted.

 June 9 – Grave Theft

Sensation did not end with Griffin’s death at the gallows, or the finding of the valise of bank notes. The horrendous news was broken on June 9 that his grave had been opened and the head severed from the body and removed.

The Cemetery Board had suspected an attempt would be made to interfere with the body and so ordered the Sexton to keep watch for the first two nights.

During this period the sexton and Tucker, the undertaker, decided to bury the body of an unknown Chinese seaman in the same grave… to prevent people stealing Griffin’s body.

20 reward offered – no takers

It soon became known the grave robbers were men with an interest in the science of phrenology and that they hoped to find in the shape Griffin’s skull an explanation for his actions. Many were aware that William Callaghan, the town’s best known doctor, was the ring leader and that the skull remained in his possession, but it was not publicly acknowledged until long after his death. A man who assisted in the gruesome exhumation wrote from England in 1918 and told how Callaghan, R.D.H. White himself had carried out the plan.

Griffin’s Personal Property

Griffin’s watch was raffled and an ad was placed in the Bulletin on August 8, 1868, it read “Griffin’s watch to be raffled for! Only two more chances … for that invaluable watch which so long ticked in a murderer’s pocket,”the winner of the raffle was Mr Milford, a well-known solicitor who was the attorney for the defence. Griffin’s three saddles and uniform had already been sold at auction, and even tufts of his beard and pieces of the hangman’s rope were eagerly snapped up by the public. It is understood small lengths of the rope sold for one shilling each.

Sub-Inspector Elliott claimed Griffin’s sword.

June 9 – Skulls of Power and Cahill returned for Burial

July 13, 1869 Burial at Rockhampton

It was eventually decided that the bodies of the two murdered troopers be exhumed from their grave at the Mackenzie River and be interned in Rockhampton. A public collection was taken up for a monument to be erected in the Rockhampton Cemetery. A number of articles publicising the burial were placed in the Rockhampton Bulletin and a large gathering turned out to farewell the officers Power and Cahill.

A monument is erected at the old South Rockhampton cemetery for the murdered troopers, the inscription reads:

Of your charity

Pray for the repose of the souls of

JOHN POWER

and

PATRICKCAHILL

Members of the Gold Escort Corps murdered at the Mackenzie River

Whilst in charge of Public Treasures on the 6th day of November 1867

Rockhampton grave of John Power and Patrick Cahill, members of the gold Escort Corp murdered at Mackenzie River 1867 – Monument at South Rockhampton Cemetery. (Image courtesy QPM, PM2642a)

Evidence

It is believed that Griffin drugged the liquor which the troopers drank, and they vomited it up but the events of the night are wrapped in mystery. The probability is that Griffin drugged both men and that Power was unexpectedly awake when Griffin tried to remove the money, and fired at him, and then that Griffin shoot both men, so they could tell no tales.

As a pig had been found dead nearby. It was thought that the pig had eaten the vomit of the dead men.

He had a parcel described in Bedford’s evidence as ‘a big awful swag,’ probably containing the stolen money; and while in the bush away from Bedford’s observation, he readjusted the swag. The evidence for this is that a one pound note, identified by the number as one belonging to the bundle sent by Mr Hall was later found near this spot, by a person named Pitt, and this must have been dropped by Griffin in his repacking operations. Bedford remarked later upon the nervousness of Griffin, and how he had lagged behind him, subsequently as they neared Rockhampton, Griffin turned off towards the settlement where his fiancee lived.

Both the landlady Eliza Pearson and the barmaid Kezish Seymore, also known as Annie, gave evidence. Pearson stated that Seymore was given the one pound note from Griffin. When she got it, she turned around and said to Mrs Pearson, in Griffin’s presence and hearing, “look at this note, there is one number off the corner”. She said nothing to them . Mrs Pearson replied “you know who you got it from it’s all right,” and she put it in the till. No one had access to that till but herself and Kezish. Mrs Pearson further stated in evidence that she did not take the money out until between twelve and one at night. She took it out of the till and put it away in the drawer in her bedroom and locked the drawer. She left it there until Monday following, she then gave it to Kezish, with other notes, to pay into the bank on her account. There were no other notes with the corner torn off; both remembered this note, in consequence of a dispute whether they ought to change it in its mutilated condition. When banking the next day the bank official’s attention was called to the condition of the note. This was also one of the stolen notes.

On Wednesday, November 6, the morning that Griffin and Mr Bedford returned to Rockhampton, Mary Peterson, wife of John Peterson, and in the employment of Mr Bedford at the Bedford Arms,  Mackenzie, said at the original hearing that she had lent the two troopers a billy can to make tea. On the following morning about ten o’clock she went to the camp for the billy-can, and when she got about fifteen yards from one of the troopers lying on his back covered with a blanket; she called out but he did not answer. She said that she thought he was asleep, she stated in her evidence that she only saw one. She then returned to the house. Her husband asked about them and she said that they were fast asleep. John Peterson stated that on Wednesday the 6th he was awakened by Mr Bedford and told to give the horses a feed of corn, and Griffin told him to get the horses out of the stables. Peterson stated in evidence that Griffin appeared to be in a hurry and called for the horses a second time, he told him that the horses had not finished their corn yet. Griffin then went to the stable and they left for Rockhampton within the hour of waking Petersen. Mr Petersen did not see a swag on the prisoner’s horse at the time.

Sub Inspector Stokes was again present when the bodies were later exhumed for examination by Dr Salmond. Mr Peterson stated that he did not hear any shots fired the night before Griffin and Mr Bedford left for Rockhampton

The Doctor gave evidence at an examination into witnesses at the scene on November 11, 1867. On the examination of the victims by Dr Salmond, the bodies were found to be, of course, in a very extreme state of decomposition, but the heads had a shot through each of them proving thereby that if they were in fact poisoned, it appears the troopers may have been showing signs of recovery after their sickness from their overdose of poison and Griffin had deliberately shot them.

That certainly upset Griffin’s statements, because if Power was out looking for the horses his tracks would also be seen – Griffin’s boots had been measured and fitted exactly to the track. All the facts were of great consideration, these tracks combined with the whole of the circumstances showed a circumstantial case against Griffin.

Sub Inspector Elliott and Balfrey thought the first thing was to hold an inquest of death, but Mr Abbott would not have it. He stated that he should have the prisoner up at once. The case commenced that evening and was continued until 2 o’clock in the morning. One of the important matters of the case was that Griffin had been with the two troopers drinking at the camp and stated that he left them at lam on Wednesday, and Bedford had him arriving at the Inn at ten to four. Griffin claimed that he was lost in the bush for three-quarters of an hour, but had not been able to account for the other two hours. Bedford stated that he heard one shot about lam and another two hours later. Elliott was also suspicious of Griffin’s demeanour on the way out to the Mackenzie, especially his forecast that the men would be found shot – first reports had suggested poisoning.

In 2012 a new monument to the two slain officers was positioned at Bedford Weir and new plaques were placed in the Rockhampton Cemetery,

Plaques were placed for the two slain officers John Power and Patrick Cahill at the Rockhampton Cemetery in 2012. (Image courtesy QPM)

________________________

This information was researched by Curator Lisa Jones and sourced from the best Queensland Police Museum resources available at the time of writing. The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Email: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM the VAULT – Gold and Greed Part 4: the murder of Constables Power and Cahill in 1867” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode

Coen, c1897 – Staged scene of police officers capturing bush rangers: Constable 1/c Charles Batemen of the Coen Township Police, on his horse aims his firearm at a “bushranger”, Senior Constable George Inkerman Smith of the Coen NMP Camp is on the ground grappling with a “bushranger”, one unknown “bushranger” actor is playing dead and the other “bushranger” actor is being handcuffed by Senior Constable Smith. An indigenous mounted trooper calmly keeps hold of Senior Constable Smith’s horse. Image No PM1326 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

There was obviously a lull in criminal activity in the Coen area around 1897. This fabulous photograph purports to show a staged scene of police officers capturing bushrangers. A quick look in the 1897 Queensland Police Gazette reveals that only six apprehensions were recorded for that year, so  there was definitely plenty of time for practicing the techniques for capturing bushrangers!

Coen Native Mounted Police Camp in the Cooktown District opened on 27 October 1885 with Sub-Inspector Frederick Mergetts in charge with a staff of two Constables and nine indigenous troopers and trackers. Coen Township Police Station opened 20 April 1895 with Constable James Kenny in Charge.

There are five people in the photograph Constable 1/c Charles Batemen sits on his horse with his revolver pointed at one of the so-called bushrangers; Senior Constable George Inkerman Smith is in the foreground keeping a tight handle on the other so-called bushranger. A mounted indigenous police trooper keeps hold of the horses on the left. Unfortunately, we are not sure who was playing the part of the bushrangers.

Constable 1/c Charles Bateman at Coen, ca 1896. Image PM0635 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

Charles Bateman was sworn into the Queensland Police on 24 October 1888 and served at Port Douglas, Montalbion, Herberton, Cooktown, Musgrave, Piccaninny Creek and Cooktown before being transferred to Coen Township Police Station in 1895. Charles spent four years at this remote station before moving on to Mount Morgan in 1900.

George Inkerman Smith was sworn into the Queensland Police on 19 September 1884 and served at Glenroy, McIvor and Laura police stations before he was transferred to Coen Native Mounted Police Camp as officer in charge in 1894. George spent four years at the NMP camp before moving on to Cardwell in 1898.

George Inkerman Smith, his wife Annie and five of their eight children at Coen ca1895. Image PM1306 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.

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This information was researched by Curator Lisa Jones and sourced from the best Queensland Police Museum resources available at the time of writing. The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Email: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM the VAULT – How to capture bush rangers: a demonstration, Coen c1897”  by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode

Thomas James Heaney was sworn in as a Queensland police officer on 18 December 1888. He first served at Roma Street police station and in 1894 he was transferred to Woolloongabba. In 1905 after seventeen years of service, Thomas’s life would change after he was viciously attacked outside the Norman Hotel at Woolloongabba by two men.

Sergeant Thomas James Heaney. Queensland Figaro 4 October 1906, page 13.

Rob Cochrane, retired police officer, Brisbane Greeter and a Committee member of the Friends of the Queensland Police Museum, researched the life of Constable Thomas Heaney and will outline the circumstances of the assault on him and the events that followed.

This one-and-a-half-hour presentation from 11am Sunday, 31 March will be both informative and educational and suitable for any audience.

The Museum opens its doors to the public on the last Sunday of each month from 10am to 3pm from February to November in addition to the standard Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm opening hours. Monthly Sunday openings feature guest speakers from across the historical and crime-solving spectrums.

PLEASE NOTE: The Police Museum will open Sunday, 31 March from 10am to 3pm, and is located on the ground floor of Police Headquarters, 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.

Queensland Police and the Great War Effort, a project by Dr Anastasia Dukova, a policing historian, connects personal, police and war service stories and histories of the Queensland Policemen who left active police duty to volunteer in the Australian Imperial Force, 1914-1918. An estimated total of 128 policemen applied for leave from police duty to volunteer to fight in the First World War.

Constable Thomas McGillycuddy was one of these policemen. McGillycuddy, the youngest of five children, was born in June 1891 in small townland of Carhoobeg, County Kerry to Irish and English-speaking parents, Margaret and Timothy.[i] The McGillycuddies were a Roman Catholic family and lived on a farmstead. At 19 Thomas was living in his parents’ three-room house and worked on the family farm.[ii]

Census of Ireland, 1911 (A)

In 1913, Thomas left Ireland for Australia, arriving in Sydney in March on Westralia.[iii] A few months later he applied to join the Queensland Police Force in Brisbane. On 30 September 1913, Supernumerary McGillycuddy, described as 5 feet and 9 inches tall, of ruddy complexion with brown hair and brown eyes, was sworn in into the QPF (Reg No 1784). His only recorded transfer was to Bundaberg.[iv]

T. McGillicuddy, New South Wales, Australia, Unassisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1826-1922.

In August 1915, after barely two years in the service, McGillycuddy enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force, 45^th Battalion (initially 47^th, Reg No 2770).[v] Aged 24, he embarked on HMT Minnewaska and left for Gallipoli. Following over four months of training near Cairo, he departed for Gallipoli peninsula, landing at what became known as Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915. Thomas was one of few ANZACs to have survived the disastrous campaign; 8709 Australians were killed during the Gallipoli Campaign, between 25 April 1915 and 8 January 1916.[vi]

Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Anzac Area (Gallipoli), Anzac Beaches Area, Anzac Beach (AWM A03868).

On Christmas Day 1915, he disembarked as an ex-Anzac at Alexandria. Three months later, he was taken on strength of 47^th Battalion, AIF. In June 1916, McGillycuddy proceeded to join the British Expeditionary Forces, arriving in Marseille later that month. Throughout 1916-17, Thomas sustained a number of serious injuries on the Western Front. In August 1916, he was severely wounded in action by a shrapnel in his left hip and right foot and had to be transferred to Dublin for treatment. In September, Thomas was discharged to duty at the AIF Command Depot No 1, Perham Downs after convalescing at the Central Military Hospital in Cork. The next day he was granted a furlough for a fortnight.

In mid-1917, McGillycuddy was back in France where he was shot again and wounded in the left arm and admitted to General Hospital in Rouen, Normandy, France. In October 1917, upon his release from the hospital he joined a Depot at Le Havre, Normandy. There, he was charged with being out of bounds in a town without a pass. He was sentenced to 14 days Field Punishment No 2 by the Commanding Officer for the offence.

McGillycuddy was granted a month-long leave to the UK, between March and April 1918. In May, he was taken on strength with the 45^th Battalion in France. Six weeks later, Thomas McGillycuddy was killed in action during the Battle of Hamel, just four months and three days before the Armistice.

Thomas is buried at Villers-Bretonneux, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France.

Villers-Bretonneux, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France.

[i] Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958, Vol 5, p. 257.

[ii] Census of Ireland, 1911.

[iii] New South Wales, Australia, Unassisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1826-1922.

[iv] Register of Members of the Queensland Police, 1895-1917 and 1879-1924

[v] NAA B2455

[vi] AWM

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This information was researched and written for the Police Museum Blog by Police Historian Dr Anastasia Dukova. The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Email: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM the VAULT – Queensland Police ANZACs: Constable Thomas McGillycuddy (Jun 1891 – 8 Jul 1918)”  by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode

James Kissane, The Queenslander 24 June 1916 ( JOL).

James Kissane was born on 1 April 1889 in Kilcock Upper, Lissleton, Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland to John Michael and Catherine Cronin (Katie). He came from a large farming Catholic family; and lived with a younger sister, Lizzie, two older sisters, Mary and Norah, and three brothers, Patrick, John and Richard. The farm was quite extensive. The farmstead also had a servant.

Census of Ireland 1901 – Form A.

Kissane departed from London to Brisbane on Oswestry Grange, Queensland Line, on 18 January 1911. He joined the Queensland Police Force on 10 July 1911 (Reg No 1449, QSA 3302), he was 22 years and 3 months at the time. The Register, describes James as 5 feel 11 inches tall, with brown eyes and hair, and of fair complexion.

London to Brisbane on Oswestry Grange, Queensland Line. UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960.

Between 1911 and 1915, Constable Kissane received three transfers. He was stationed at Cooyar for nearly a year (1912-1913); Toowoomba for a month (Sep-Oct, 1913); and finally Inglewood. The Queensland Police Gazette shows, Kissane made eight arrests with successful convictions in 1915. The offences ranged from stealing to fraud and obtaining goods or money under false pretences.

On 2 September 1915, a month before the Commissioner of Police Cahill released a memorandum withholding permissions for policemen to join the Expeditionary Forces due to personnel shortages, Kissane took leave from active police duty and volunteered in the Australian Imperial Force. He was soon promoted to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant and assigned to 11^th Machine Gun Company.

Page 22 of the Queenslander Pictorial supplement to The Queenslander 24 June 1916 (JOL).

In February 1917, he was transferred to 3^rd Division, England. Following a brief period in Pelham Downs, Kissane was taken on strength to 9^th Machine Gun Company, attached to 3^rd Divisional MGC. On 7 September, he proceeded to France. At the beginning of 1918, following months on the battlefront, he was granted a brief leave to Ireland. Soon after, on 18 January, he was awarded the Military Cross.

Extract from the London Gazette, Fourth and Fifth Supplements.

In March 1918, Kissane was admitted to the General Hospital with a septic right hand. A month later he was invalidated to the United Kingdom. In August of the same year, he was re-admitted to the hospital with the injury, this time to the Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield Park, Middlesex, England. Following a fortnight at the hospital, Kissane was seconded for duty with Machine Gun Training Depot. Nine months later, he returned to Australia. On 11 October 1919, 2^nd Lieutenant’s AIF appointment was terminated.

Kissane returned to Brisbane and on 12 September 1919 resumed police duty. Having said that, James resigned from the Queensland Police at the end of March 1920, less than a year after getting re-appointed. In 1921, he proceeded to take up a full-time paid position of the Queensland Irish Association (QIA) secretary. He remained in this role until 1924.

Following his civilian appointment, James married Mary Agnes O’Driscoll on 10 July 1922 (1922/B/30439), in ‘Dara’, the seat of the Brisbane Archbishop, on Gotha Street, Fortitude Valley. Mary Agnes was a daughter of Kate Mary Cecilia Hayes and Andrew O’Driscoll, the Queensland Police Inspector.

Births, Deaths and Marriages 1922/B/30439

Kissane resigned from his role of the QIA secretary in 1924 and went on to work as Insurance Inspector. The family lived in 8 Cordelia Street. Kissane died at Mater Hospital on 27 October 1953 from complications from cancer and heart failure (1953/B/45993). The obituary indicates he was survived by his children, John Andrew, Katherine Mary, and James Morgan, and grandchildren.

Queensland Police and the Great War Effort, is a project by Dr Anastasia Dukova, a policing historian, which connects personal, police and war service stories and histories of the Queensland Policemen who left active police duty to volunteer in the Australian Imperial Force.

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This information was researched and written for the Police Museum Blog by Police Historian Dr Anastasia Dukova. The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Email: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM the VAULT – Queensland Police ANZACs: Constable James Kissane (1 Apr 1889-27 Oct 1953)”  by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode