Henderson, Andrew

Constable of Crowlands

About 6.00 am on Friday August 3, 1854, Constable Henderson left the police barracks at Crowlands to round up the police horses, which were grazing on the opposite bank of the Wimmera river. The horse he rode was known to have a tendency to stumble.   About 9 am a local man found his riderless mount wandering near the town. The horse was soaking wet and a stirrup leather was gone. Local police searched for Henderson until nightfall, without success. Early the next morning his body was found in the river, about half a mile from the township. He had a number of severe contusions about the head, which had apparently been inflicted by his horse when it fell whilst fording the river.

Hogan, William

Constable

Between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. on the evening of 26th February, 1854, Constable Hogan and Constable Will Stafford were performing duty at the Sandridge Jetty, on the lookout for smugglers. It was a dark and stormy night, and Hogan accidentally fell into the waters of Hobsons Bay and was drowned.

Lindsay, Robert

Constable of Sandhurst

Anderson, David

Constable

On the 7th of July 1856, Anderson was found drowned in a creek about 1 1/4 miles from Wangaratta. He was apparently on duty at the time, but the exact circumstances of his death are unknown.

Bates, Stephen

Constable

On Saturday, 2nd August 1856, Constable Bates was on a routine patrol when he attempted to cross the Loddon River, 5.5 miles from the Serpentine Creek Police Station. Because he could not swim he led his horse into the water and clung to it as it swam across, but when it reached the middle of the river it sank, dragging Bates down with it. The horse subsequently struggled to shore but the Constable, deprived of the animal's assistance, was drowned.

Brunton, Robert

Constable

At 7 a.m. on Wednesday, 2nd January 1856, Constable Brunton left Porcupine to go to Sandhurst to have his horse shod. At 11 p.m. that evening his steed returned unaccompanied to its stable, and the alarm was raised. A search later located Brunton's body lying on the Sandhurst Road, his death having been caused by a fall from his horse.

Fallon, Edward

Constable

In the early hours of Tuesday, 21st October 1856, Constable Fallon was on patrol duty in the Mildura area when he was drowned whilst crossing a creek near the junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers.

McNally, John

Sergeant

At about 7 p.m. on Thursday 16th October, 1856, Sergeant McNally and Constable John Moore, having received information that a wanted man named William Turner (alias Gypsy Smith) was at a miner's tent about two miles away, rode in search of the suspect. Turner was well known to the police and was suspected of committing armed robberies in the area. They subsequently located Turner at the tent, and he made a desperate struggle to escape. Just as they had subdued him he called on an associate named William Twigham (alias Cockney Bill) to come and help him. Twigham came out of the tent carrying a double barrelled shot gun, and fired at the policeman, killing McNally and wounding Moore. The two offenders then made good their escape. However they did not remain at liberty for long, for on 23rd October, 1856 they were arrested at the Adelaide lead diggings near Amherst. Charged with the Sergeant's murder both men appeared before Castlemaine Circuit Court. Twigham was convicted and sentenced to death, and hanged at Melbourne on 11th March, 1857. Turner was more fortunate. Because of legal difficulties the charge of murder did not proceed against him, and he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter and was sentenced to fifteen years hard labour.

Thompson, Edward P.

Cadet Mounted Constable

On the 14^th September, 1853 the bushrangers Henry Bradley and Patrick O’Connor commandeered a vessel in Van Dieman’s Land and forced the Captain to take them to Victoria. On landing they went on a rampage of robbery and murder. The police were soon in hot pursuit and at dusk on the evening of Monday, 26^th September 1853, they finally cornered the men at Mr. Kane’s Station near Kilmore.

After a short gun battle, during which Cadet Thompson was shot through the lung, the offenders escaped on horse back. The troopers were unable to follow as their horses had broken away, and it was some time before the pursuit could be re-commenced. Cadet Thompson never recovered from his wound, and his condition steadily deteriorated. He died on 4^th December, 1856 after a long and painful illness

Barnett, Edward

Senior Constable

Senior Constable Barnett was murdered soon after 1.00 am on Monday, 1st February 1858, at the White Hills Goldfield near Carisbrook. He had been attempting to arrest William Brook, who had just shot and killed a restaurateur named Charles Lopez during a bungled attempted robbery. Brook, who had been severely wounded in a struggle with Lopez, fired at Barnett whilst attempting to escape, and one of his bullets struck the policeman in the heart fatally wounding him. The murderer's efforts were in vain, however, for he was soon arrested, and died later that same day from stab wounds inflicted by Lopez. The deaths of Lopez and Barnett enraged a local community already incensed by the actions of the 'undesirable elements' who had been attracted to the rush and who preyed on the diggers. Later that day a crowd of some 1500 miners assembled, and the 'undesirables' became a target for their vengeance. The meeting soon developed into a riot during which numerous buildings were destroyed and people assaulted before peace was re-established.

Cabot, Philip

Constable

Cabot was a crew member on H.M.C.S.S. Victoria, which was then under police control for administrative purposes. Whilst the vessel was at King Island on 30th September 1858, he was reported as having been "drowned in the execution of his duty". The exact circumstances of his death are unknown.

Logan, Robert

Constable

At about 5 p.m. on the evening of Monday, 30th August 1858, Constable Logan left Harcourt Police Station to patrol the road leading to the Porcupine Police Station. At about 6 p.m. that day Harcourt police were notified that Logan had been killed as a result of a fall from his horse, which had bolted whilst on the Sandhurst Road near Porcupine Creek.

Dodds, George

Sergeant, 289

On the evening of Wednesday, 17th February, 1858 a Constable arrested John Rutledge at the Star of the West Hotel, Belfast, for being drunk and disorderly. He resisted, and struck the policeman, who called on Sergeant Dodds for assistance. The two officers then subdued him and started to lead him back to the Watch House. As they walked along Sackville Street the prisoner took a bowie knife from his pocket and stabbed Dodds in the abdomen. Rutledge was charged with wounding the Sergeant, and was tried at the Belfast General Sessions on the 12th May, 1858. He was found not guilty on the grounds of insanity, and was committed to the Yarra Bend Lunatic Asylum. Sergeant Dodds never recovered from the injury, and his condition steadily declined. He died on the 18th August, 1859 almost 12 months after his assailant had been pronounced 'no longer insane' and released from custody.

Moylette, Henry Patrick

Constable, 930

On the 12th November 1859, Senior Constable Moylette was returning from the Brittania Goldfield to the Emerald Police Station when he became lost in the bush. Despite an intensive search he was never located, although his troop horse and items of equipment were found where he had abandoned them in the bush.

Rendell, Walter

Constable, 1104

Between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the 26th April 1859, Detective Rendell went to the lighter "Pauline", which was moored in the Yarra River, and search it for stolen property. A quantity of stolen goods was located, and the lighter's master, Morey Tucker, was taken into custody. He and the Detective left the vessel together, and as they crossed the gang plank to the wharf Rendell fell into the water and was drowned. Tucker used this opportunity to flee the scene, and was arrested in Richmond the following day. The circumstances surrounding Rendell's death were at first thought to be highly suspicious, as the Detective was a strong swimmer and there was bruising on the body apparently inflicted just before his death. However there were no witnesses to the event, and a later inquest returned a verdict of "accidental death".