SHOOTING OF A SETTLER

Taranaki Daily News, 16 July 1929, Page 9

SHOOTING OF A SETTLER

I CHARGE AGAINST ABORIGINAL. CENTRAL AUSTRALIA TRAGEDY. Advice has been received by the Department of Home Affairs in Australia of the arrest of an alleged murderer, Willaberta Jack, at West Bonny Well, by Constable Murray, who was recently deputed to assist the party that set out from Adelaide to retrieve the bodies of the crew of the Kookaburra, The arrest follows a long search for the murderer of Harry Henty, a pastoralist, of Frew River, who was shot last December. When the Government resident at Alice Springs advised on December 15 that Henty had been murdered, Mounted Constable Johnson was sent to the scene of the murder and an inquest was held by a justice of the peace. At the inquest evidence was given by Jack Spratt, a half-caste, who was with Henty at the time of his death.

Spratt stated that he and Henty stopped at Jack’s camp at Hatche’s Creek at midday on December 12. Henty inquired from Jack whether ho had seen any sign of his (Henty’s) native boys. After some conversation Jack -went into his hut and returned to the door with a boomerang and challenged Henty to fight. Henty dismounted and secured his rifle and started toward the hut. Jack immediately shut the door, and as Henty approached fired a shot which entered Henty’s head.

The coroner found that Henty had been shot dead by Willaberta Jack.