BUSH MYSTERY SOLVED

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1934, Page 7

BUSH MYSTERY SOLVED

MURDER OF PROSPECTORS NORTH TERRITORY SEARCHED CONSTABLE ARRESTS EIGHT THOUSAND MILES COVERED By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Darwin, Jan. 15. With eight prisoners and five witnesses, Constable Langdon has returned to Darwin after having solved the mystery of the disappearance of the prospectors, Adolf Koch and Stephen Arinski. The men were murdered by Fitzmaurice River blacks. During a four months’ search for the murderers Constable Langdon covered 1000 miles on horseback and foot. Koch and Arinski were speared to death by a tribe of 20. They were horribly mutilated and thrown to the crocodiles. One of the arrested blacks is “Tiger,” brother of Memaluk, an aboriginal who escaped from Fanny Bay gaol on September 22.

On one occasion Constable Langdon surprised four suspects at Darwin and learned that Memaluk had been with them only the previous day. At another time Constable Langdon had two entire tribes in handcuffs. On arrival at Darwin the prisoners were charged with murder.

Memaluk, an aboriginal stalwart more than six feet high, was on remand on a charge of murdering a Japanese, and was alleged to be the ringleader for the murder of three Japanese in 1930 when he escaped from gaol.

On October 17 word was received that Memaluk had been seen within ten miles of Darwin. Constable Dons and police boys came upon Memaluk asleep. A terrific struggle ensued before Memaluk was thrown over a cliff. By this time one police boy was exhausted and another police boy had been knocked unconscious. Memaluk had been wounded by bullet fire.

On October 24 attempts to capture him were postponed. Nothing had since been heard of Memaluk, and it was feared that if he regained his tribe he might foment further trouble.

The London Morning Post said that Rider Haggard had never invented a more vivid narrative of a barbaric duel to the death than this plain tale from the Australian bush of a desperado at bay and police boys. It was as worthy of celebration in a ballad as the Battle of Chevy Chase. The police service had good reason to be proud of such a champion.