Natives and Frank Hawson's Murder

Mr. Matthew Smith was the resident magistrate at the time of the murder of Frank Hawson in October, 1840, Mr. Barnard was the clerk of the peace. Dr. Harvey was a man of many parts, being the collection of customs, postmaster and Port officer, and Eyre also called him the "colonial surgeon."

Dr. Harvey little thought when he made arrangements on Sunday, October 4, to hire his small boat the Emu to E. J. Eyre that in addition to carrying the explorer's letters, it would have one of his own, containing the harrowing tale of disaster, bravery and fortitude. 

It will be remembered that E. J. Eyre had arrived at Port Lincoln on October 2. He tells us that he camped about 1½ miles from the scene of the tragedy, and that the natives immediately disappeared from the vicinity of the settlement and were not heard of again for a long time. 

He said in his published book, that the boy made depositions before a magistrate to the same effect as he narrated to the doctor, and in consequence Eyre, the friend and upholder of the natives, said, "Supposing this account to be true, and that the natives had not received any previous provocation either from him or from other Settlers in the neighbourhood, this would appear to be one of the most wanton, cold-blooded, and treacherous murders upon record, and a murder seemingly unprovoked as it was without object." 

Eyre gives a lengthy dissertation on the relations between, the whites and the blacks, and tries to fathom the reason for the murder. He sums up the position by writing : —"We may pause, therefore, ere we hastily condemn or unjustly punish, in case where the circumstances connected with their occurrence, can only be brought before us in a partial and imperfect manner."

PROTECTION OF ABORIGINES 

Mr. Matthew Moorhouse (Protector of Aborigines) in his half yearly report, which was published in a British parliamentary paper relative to South Australia, relates that when his Excellency Governor Gawler visited Port Lincoln (May, 1840) he "witnessed timidity and want of confidence in the movements of the aborigines, and to establish the confidence of the latter his Excellency offered the office of deputy Protector of the Aborigines to the Rev. Mr. Schurmann, hoping that by Mr. Schurmann's knowledge of the language he might soon be enabled to communicate and explain, that the Europeans did not intend to be on hostile terms with them." 

Mr. Schurmann had been in Adelaide for two years, then went to Port Lincoln as a missionary and later on (December 2) he received his appointment as deputy protector. 

Mr. Moorhouse in his report gives particulars of the murder of Frank, after which he proceeds to say, "There had been indiscretion on the part of the deceased Mr. Hawson. On a former visit of the natives he had fired to frighten them away, the second time they came he had the gun in sight, but as they received no injury the first time, its second appearance was not accompanied with fear. Lest there should be a repetition of such loose firing upon the aborigines, his Excellency the Governor issued a proclamation warning the settlers against adopting such means, as the law would be rigorously enforced towards these who might be detected." 

The proclamation, dated October 17, 1840, was published in the Government Gazette, October 22. 1840. It read : — " Whereas an aggravated outrage has recently been committed by the natives in the neighbourhood of Port Lincoln, in the murder of a boy about ten years of age. Whereas similar atrocities on their part may from time to time occur : and Whereas inconsiderate persons may thereby be provoked to use violent retaliatory measures against the aborigines. Now therefore I George Gawler . . . do give notice and warning that the Colonial Government is ready to use all proper precautions for the protection of the Colonists against the Aborigines, and to apprehend, identify, and bring to punishment all offenders of this class : and Further, that any persons who may use violent retaliatory measures against the natives except in the most urgently necessary actual defence of life and property, will render themselves liable to be dealt with according to the extreme rigour of the Law." 

EVEN-HANDED JUSTICE 

This shows that the Governor, representing the British Government and the newly-formed colony, was prepared to exhibit even-handed justice to the natives as well as to the whites. We get some further insight into the tragedy from accounts written by other authors, and it is well to see what they have to say in addition to the official account. 

Mr. Nathaniel Hailes, who arrived at Port Lincoln in March 1842, states, "The facts connected with this incident prove that up to that date the conduct of the natives must have been inoffensive indeed." The fact that the boy was left alone for the whole day and until late at night shows that the natives were not regarded with fear. The natives had been accustomed to call at this station, and on this occasion "they invited little Frank Hawson to join them in capturing kangaroos, the hut being at that, time surrounded by them. He of course declined." 

In Hailes's opinion, "had he accepted there can be little doubt that his life would have been saved, although the provisions or a portion of them would have been purloined." It will be remembered Hailes was very friendly with the natives.

 James C. Hawker, who arrived in Port Lincoln six months later than Hailes, having accompanied the volunteer party in search for C. C. Dutton, adds his quota by saying that Frank recognised some of the native party who attacked him, but he was unable to give the names of those who threw the spears that pierced his body, so no conviction ensued. 

George French Angas in his book " Savage Life and Scenes in Australia, and New Zealand," and who was at Port Lincoln in 1845, gives a very graphic account of the murder, and he adds these additional details : " Near Kirton Point, behind a ruined house, once occupied by his family that stands alone in the scrub overlooking the sea, is his solitary grave enclosed by a wooden paling (fence) and overgrown with a few geraniums and other cultivated flowers. He met his death at a lovely and romantic spot, about seven miles from the settlement. The now unoccupied hut is situated on the edge of a long and winding valley, and from the west-ward runs a small stream, which terminates near the hut in a shoot of water." 

Angus repeats that Frank was invited to go kangaroo hunting, and adds that the natives wanted the gun which stood at the boy's side. Both of these requests were refused. He also adds that Frank endured "he most excruciating pain, almost without a murmur for six days, the heroic boy expired on the night of Saturday the 10th October." This account of the end is somewhat different from that of Dr. Harvey, from which we learnt that on the 7th the patient was in a semi-comatose state, and even then mortification had set in. 

I understand that Mr. Hawson, by the time G. F. Angas visited Port Lincoln, had built a house at Little Swamp and was living there. Mr. Angas was entertained at that house on his return trip from Lake Wangary. 

NO EVIDENCE AGAINST SUSPECTS 

Angas also tells us that Governor Grey (1845) was welcomed to Port Lincoln by the white settlers, and that several hundred natives assembled in expectation of receiving a gift of flour, and so on. Among the natives congregated on this occasion were one or two connected with the murders of some of the settlers a few years' before. Although they were well-known accomplices in those crimes, no evidence could be brought to convict them. These natives had fought shy of the settlement. One of the men, Milliltie, was marked out as having thrown one of the spears that killed young Hawson. He was a remarkably wild-looking fellow. Angas began to sketch him, when the native suddenly bolted, imagining that the painter was exercising some witchcraft over him, by which his evil deeds might be discovered. 

J. W. Bull wrote many years afterwards that Frank gave descriptions and names of some of his assailants, but for want of further evidence none of them was brought to justice by process of law. I have been unable to find any report of the result of Mr. Matthew Smith's search for the murderers. There is no record in the Archives of any report having been made either by him or by the police. 

We do get a little insight of the pursuit, from a casual reference by Major O'Halloran, when he and his party, in 1842. were endeavoring to arrest some members of the Barrata tribe for the murders of Brown, Biddle and their servant. On approaching the confines of the Coffin's Bay district he said, "I do not consider myself justified in entering on the country of the Coffin's Bay tribe, which is immediately to the south of us, which tribe has done the settlers no harm excepting in the case of the murder of young Hawson about two years ago. I am not sure that the tribe has not suffered at the hands of the white settlers." 

Of the finding of the grave in recent years and the erection of a monument, I hope to deal in a future article, "Monuments on Eyre Peninsula." 

The next article in this series will tell the story of the murder of Brown and Biddle in 1842.