MURDERS AT BREELONG.

Western Star, 5 August 1938, Page 2

MURDERS AT BREELONG.

AUSTRALIA’S WORST CRIME. July 19 marked the thirty-eighth anniversary of perhaps the worst atrocity in the history of Australian crime—the Breelong murders (writes Jean Carling iu the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’). Breelong is a small settlement a fe,w miles from Gilgaudra. The Mawbeys were the chief settlers there. On their property camped the Governors, -a widely-known aboriginal tribe, who worked for various landowners. At this time they were working for the Mawbeys. On the night of the murders, Mr Mawbey was camping with his sons a few miles from the hompstead. In the natives’ camp were Jimmy and Joe Governor, Jackie Underwood, Mrs Governor, an aged black fellow , and a baby boy. Jimmy and Joe first ascertained that the Mawbey menfolk were absent. Then they went to the Mawbey home. As soon as the door was opened in. response to their knock, they ' began killing. Tomahawks were used, and the victims’ heads were cleaved open. In the home of Mrs Mawbey were two daughters, a governess, three boys, the eldest aged 14, and a niece, Elsie Clarke. The oldest boy, the governess, and one of, the daughters were killed at once. The other three women were shockingly mutilated, and only the niece, • Elsie Clark, recovered. Later she became j Mrs Lee, whose death last year recallled I the tragedy. I The nearest doctor was at Dubbo, 40 j miles away, and the only means of con--1 veyance was by horses. Help meantime was brought from Gilgandra, My ! father, the late A. F. Garling, known as the “father of Gilgandra,” the sergeant of police, Mr Lewis, and Mrs Lewis were soon cd. the scene. My lather, though not a qualified doctor, gained considerable fame for his skill at a time when qualified assistance was often unobtainable. His knowledge was sought, .to help the victims. My mother was called to their aid also. With Mrs Lewis, she laid out the bodies,. helped the survivor, and put the home of death in order. COURAGEOUS WOMEN. The courage and initiative of these women deserve high praise. The night was bitterly cold and everyone was panic-stricken. My mother was driven out by one of the local residents, through miles of . rough country in a horse and sulky, at midnight. For all she knew, the blacks, with murder in their hearts, might attack them at any moment.

There began that night a man-hunt famous in Australian history. Everyone able to do so assisted in the search for the fleeing blacks, as well as the police, who never left the chase Tintil the capture, three months later, of the criminals. The blacks committed a Eeries of murders and robberies during the time that the : chase took the pursuers over desolate country and nigged mountains for hundreds of miles. The Governors and Underwood murdered Michael O’Brien and his child in the Liverpool Ranges, near' Wollar; Alex M’Kay and his wife, and Kevin Fitzpatrick. Jackie Underwood, being older and less agile, was soon captured. The natives of thig tribe, would sooner risk capture than separate, except in extreme urgency, and Jimmy and Joe kept together until nearly the end. The ruses adopted , by the natives to trick the pursuers made their tracks extremely difficult to follow. They would climb trees, and slide on to adjoining trees, progressing like this for miles. They would wrap their feet in bark or rags, leaving no footprints. Skilled Queensland black trackers and bloodliounos were employed, aiid a reward of £I,OOO was offered for the capture, dead* or alive, of the aborigines. It was not until October 21 that Jimmy and Joe separated. Jimmy was captured and Joe attempted to go home. On October 30, > John Wilkinson found Joe asleep on his property and 6hot him. The ancient law of outlawry had been levived, permitting citizens to shoot the murderers on sight. Jimmy and Jackie Underwood were hanged. Mrs Governor was a white woman, intelligent, and good-looking. It was said that she had been stolen ns a baby and brought up with the blaeksi. The Governors were grotesque, having fullblooded aboriginal features and red hair. The most widely-held opinion was that the Mawbeys taunted Mrs Governor with having married an aboriginal. Other theories were that there were quarrels over, the inferior work done by the blacks, and that they ran amok. The old Breelong homestead stands to-day, with- the bloodstains still discemiblew.