REPORTED MISSING

Feilding Star, Volume 10, Issue 4044, 29 September 1933, Page 7

REPORTED MISSING

I’ltOS L’ECTOHS AT DARWIN STORY OF MURDER BY BLACKS Bolt, Darwin The police are of the opinion that two missing prospectors, Randolph Koch and Stephen Arunskv, have been murdered bv blacks. The men have been missing for months and anxiety has been felt for some time regarding their safety. Searching inquiries were carried out and as a consequence many conflicting- stories werex related.

Messages from the blacks at Timber Creek say that the- men were speared to death while taking shelter from a rainstorm in a. cave, while other reports stated that the men had been murdered as soon as they landed on tbe shore. Some men told the searchers that they had seen river tribesmen wearing tile clothes bdl'onging- to the prospectors a.nid carrying their firearms. When tlie river steamer Maroubra called at Timber Croak the blacks. instead of funning- to tbe shore to meet the vessel, ran into the bush and liit smoke signals which it was said were warnings that tbe police were abroad. It is contended by tiepolice that bad the prospectors been alive they would have signalled the Maroiibra.