~Murder~
Dora Dora
1891 - THE ALBURY TRAGEDY. [By Telegraph.] Svdney, May 18. - The Government have offered a reward of £50 for the arrest of each of the aboriginals who murdered a settler named Seweryin Murczkiewicz near Albury. A telegram from Tumut states that tracks, supposed to be those of the murderers, have been found going up the river in the direction of the Bogong Mountains. - (Ref- South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900)(about) Previous issue Tuesday 19 May 1891).
1891 - THE MURDER BY BLACKS AT DORA DORA. ALBURY, THURSDAY. - The news received to night from the Police who are searching for the murderers of Serweyn Murczkievietz is not of a very definite character. There is nothing fresh from Detective Sergeant Sainsbury, who last night telegraphed to say that he was following the tracks of the two aboriginals in a north easterly direction towards Gundagai.
Captain Battye, however, tonight received a telegram from Gundagai stating that Senior Sergeant McGuffie, who had been directed to proceed to the Brungle Aboriginal Government Station, had, with the trackers from Yass, come across tracks at Adginbilly Creek, which were supposed to be those of the murderers. This creek is a short distance from Gundagai, and in the same direction as that in which Detective Sainsbury reported that the blacks were travelling. With regard to this Captain Battye has just received a telegram from Inspector Cornett, of Gundagai, who states that Senior Sergeant McGuffe has been informed that two blacks were seen on Tuesday night at Owen's place, 12 miles from Brungle, he proceeded at once to the spot, as also did the Police from Wee Jasper, with a black tracker, and this party is still out. - (Ref- The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956)(about) Previous issue Friday 15 May 1891).
1891 - THE MURDER PT BLACKS AT DORA DORA.,THE SEARCH FOR THE MURDERERS.[BY TELEGRAPH.] (FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.) GUNDAGAI, TUESDAY. - In connection with the blacks, Willie and Jack, late of Benalla, who murdered tho man at Dora Dora, and who are supposed to be making in the direction of Gundagai, all kinds of reports are in circulation. Last night Detective-sergoant Sainsbury, Constables Ray, Joyce, Angel, Ross, and Tracker Crocker reached here, and will remain until to-morrow waiting further instructions, as Captain Battye is expected to-morrow. Many of the reports published are somewhat misleading.
The party of police referred to above have been out 16 days. Constables Ray and Angel, of Welerogong, N.S.W., and Constable Ross, of Tintaldra, Victoria, left their respective stations for Dora Dora at 11 p.m. on May 2, reaching there at 10 next day, and, after searching about for some time, they discovered some tracks, which are believed to be those of the blacks, going in a N.E. direction. After further search they left Jingellic for Coppabella on May 9, and from there proceeded to Caroboss on the 12th. They have found tracks, which were followed for four miles. The blacks were not seen by teamsters, as previously reported. The tracks found were traced for a considerable distance through thick scrub, and in passing over the fence the murderers were several yards apart. The trackers engaged have no doubt that the tracks found are those of Willie and Jack, as they know the impressions left by their feet. The tracks were running along the main divide in a north-easterly direction.
Next morning the police party proceedod to Humula, and since then they have found no trace, though they have scoured the country along Ellerslie, Green Hills, Mount Pilot, and Adelong, reaching Gundagai last night. There are 14 men and three trackers out under Sainsbury in three divisions. Sergeant Sainsbury says the police have no end of trouble owing to the number of untrue reports in circulation ; and he is of opinion that the indications, so far, point to the conclusion that the blacks are travelling in a direct line from Benalla to Fraser Island (Qld), opposite Maryborough. This is where Jack comes from. Jack, he says, has a very bad reputation among the other trackers, who assert that, before he was brought to Victoria, he tomahawked and badly injured three native women and a child ; and, to make good his escape, stole a police horse, which he rode a considerable distance and turned adrift.
After this he stole a boat, and when his escape was complete he burnt it. This shows that he is a desperado. Sainsbury says his experience with the trackers is that they are able, whether by day or night, to point to any place they have ever been, and they are invariably correct. There is considerable anxiety among the selectors at Brungle owing to a report that the blacks were seen there on Tuesday last at 10 p.m.
Herbert Owen says that he was playing the piano when he turned to the window and saw two black faces. Both were young men. Being alarmed he rushed into the kitchen, where his mother and family were, for the purpose of getting a gun, but when he returned the blacks could not be seen. His sister saw them about 3 the same afternoon in one of the paddocks. His father was away from home, but all night long he heard footsteps outside the house. Owen states that they stopped all night, and about 4 in the morning he heard them try to get into the kitchen.
After this it was said the blacks were again seen at or near Arthur Smith's station, Bongongo, by two young men who were looking for sheep, and it is stated that Constables Walsh and Ferguson arrived shortly after, and followed in the direction the blacks were supposed to have taken. A report was received to-day that a party of police found the blacks' tracks near Tumut.
The numbers of the notes stolen from the Pole at Dora Dora, which the blacks are supposed to have in their possession, are as follows:-Bank of New South Wales, three £1 notes, A over 4827950, 883216, 996093 ; one £5 on the A.J.S. Bank, S 2160G- ; three £1 notes on tho A.J.S. Bank, Noa. T 798977, S 798978, T 798979.
TUMUT, TUESDAY. - Senior-constable Dixon, with a search party, picked up black fugitives' tracks on the Blowering to Tumut road, near Jones's Bridge, yesterday morning. Harry, the black tracker, and Constable Dixon, are quite positive that the footprints are identical with those seen in the neighbourhood of the murder. The tracks went close to the road contractor's tent. They followed-the trucks three miles on the Tumut Plains road towards the junction bridge, but lost the tracks near the Little River. This morning Constable M'Goldrick and a party of police trackers left for the aborigines' camp at Brunglo, which was well guarded. They reached it via Lacmalac. Senior-constable Dixon and party, with the black tracker Harry, returned to run down the bank of the Little River to ascertain where the blacks crossed. Constable Dixon states that on Sunday night, for the first time, the blacks travelled by night since he has been on their tracks. About 30 points of rain fell, which led them to move on.
The history of Constable Dixon's search is as follows:- After scouring the country around Jingellic, where the Police were divided into three parties, taking, different routes, Dixon and party returned to Dora Dora on tho 10th instant. They got on the tracks and followed them due north to Carabost. Here the blacks discarded boots, and then travelled barefooted. Dixon says that the blacks have gone almost by a line due north all the time. He found one camp where they had spread blankets. The Police parties formed a junction again at Humula, and again took three routes, one traversing the Tarcutta side, one going north through Ellerslie station, and another north-east, arriving at Tumut on Sunday night.
Their subsequent movements were as stated. - Harry says he knows Jack to be the most desperate of fugitives, and Harry has scars on him which were given him by Jack in a fight years ago. The blacks who are natives of Fraser Island, are making direct for Queensland. From the scene of the outrage it is thought that they have come on the Little River unknowingly, and will run down the Tumut River to its junction with the Murrumbidgee.
Sergeant Sainsbury is in charge of the Gundagai party. - It is believed that the Dora Dora, murderers are in this neighbourhood. A lad, the son of a settler at the Little Tumut River, while coming to the public school this morning, saw a blackfellow wearing an old blue coat, and carrying a bag on his back, going fast through the stubble on the bank of the river. He disappeared in a corn-paddock close to where the Police lost the tracks yesterday. No further news has been received from the search party.
ALBURY, TUESDAY. - Captain Battye, Superintendent of police, leaves this afternoon for Gundagai, in order to give closer personal supervision to the work of directing the search for tho blackfellows. - (Ref- The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954)(about) Previous issue Wednesday 20 May 1891).