inland to visit his grave surfaced when I was in Cairns in 2008, but I was informed that Walshtown’s existence petered out in the early 1880s. There is no record of a burial in the nearby Georgetown cemetery records so presumably Henry Williams and the other miner killed were interred in an unmarked grave.
The murders were reported in a number of newspapers at the time including two issues of the Queenslander, a Brisbane newspaper, dated 23 August, 1873 and also on August 30, 1873. Another account was later given by the Georgetown correspondent of the Cleveland Bay Express on 27 September, quoted as follows in the order of dates given:
“A horrible and unprovoked outrage was committed by the Blacks, close to Sharp and Williams’s Crushing Machine on Sunday last. Harry Williams, part proprietor of the machine and Sam Blake, blacksmith, were treacherously killed. James Rolls and John Kenley were badly wounded with spears in various parts of the body. A horse was also severely injured. All the miners were unarmed. A great turnout of the miners took place on Monday and Tuesday. The Blacks were encountered but owing to their great force and inaccessible position the whites were obliged to turn back. The native police are expected tomorrow. Hundreds of wild blacks are hovering about, in defiance of the whites. A great necessity exists for a strong native police station.”
“Murder of Henry Williams and Samuel Blake by the Blacks. Telegram from Georgetown received by the Hon. The Colonial Secretary signed by Mr Charters, Police Magistrate and Messrs Sellheim and N. ------ (obliterated) J.J.P. Henry Williams, one of the proprietors of the Caledonian crushing machine and another man named Samuel Blake, a blacksmith, were murdered by the Blacks yesterday morning in sight of the machine; two men were also dangerously wounded. If no more efficient police protection is afforded for this district, the goldfields will greatly suffer, as after this great outrage the lives of inhabitants in my part of this field are
46
