Gatton Murders, 1898, Queensland, Australia
The Gatton Tragedy Occurred When Three Murphy Children Were Murdered
Sergeant Michael Murphy, of the mounted infantry was spending his Christmas holiday with his family at Gatton, about 95km west of Brisbane, Queensland. He and his two sisters never saw in the new decade.
The Murphy’s Movement Before the Murders
Michael Murphy’s parents and sisters lived on a property at Tenthill near Gatton. They spent an easy, carefree Christmas together, the family enjoying the presence of the 27 year old Michael.
On Boxing Day, Michael escorted his sisters, Ellen, 18, and Norah, 27, to a dance and race meeting at the nearby town of Mount Sylvia. They had a good day, and on their way home stopped at Gatton for dinner and some time with friends. About 9pm they climbed into their sulky for the ride back to their parent's property.
The Murphy Murders are Discovered
They never completed the journey. Early next morning a search found sulky tracks leading through the sliprail opening in a fence in Moran's paddock. About half a mile from the fence the searchers found the carnage. They were identified as the Murphys.
Michael had been bound, bashed and shot behind the ear. The horse had been shot and had its throat cut. The two women had been sexually molested, and their bodies mutilated.
Despite fierce country girl resistance, the women were bludgeoned to death. The death blows so severe that their heads were forced into the ground. Ellen's skull had shattered into seven pieces.
The scene was gruesome: huge amounts of horse and human blood scattered around, Michael and Ellen lying back-to-back, with Norah a short distance away. The women had their hands tied behind their backs with handkerchiefs. Michael's hands had been tied with a breeching strap. Police found large amounts of semen at the scene that pointed to an all-out orgy taking place.
The Gatton Murders Have Never Been Solved
Like some murders today, this tragedy has never been solved. Many Gatton locals and relatives of the Murphys believe police bungling of the investigation is to blame.
The first policeman on the scene, Sergeant William Arrell, made a fundamental mistake. After his initial inspection of the carnage he left a couple of locals to guard the site while he went to inform his superiors. During his absence a crowd of curious townsfolk converged on the scene, quickly trampling any clues.
The small close knit community was outraged at the crime. The townspeople put huge pressure on the Gatton police to find the murderer. Some even took up their own investigations. This resulted in the bodies being exhumed twice for further investigations. One theory was that since it was a moonlight night, the victim's eyeballs would have an imprint of the killer's reflection.
Main Suspects in the Gatton Murders
There were two main suspects. Thomas Day was a young man who worked at the local butcher and vanished just after the murder.
The other was a swaggie who drifted into the town: Richard Burgess. There had been a report of a man standing near the sliprails leading into the paddock where the bodies were found. Locals who spoke with this man on the night said that Richard Burgess' voice sounded similar. He had recently been released from jail for a sexual offence and had other criminal records. He quickly became the prime suspect, was arrested, but had a solid alibi. The police could not establish a case against Richard Burgess and had to let him go.
Even with a 1,000 Pound reward, the police couldn't solve the murders, so in the 1960s they closed the case. It was reopened briefly in 1973 when a Frenchman dying in Adelaide claimed he was Thomas Day, the man who had worked at the butcher and vanished after the murders. He seemed to know a lot about the events of the night, but a calculation of his age put him at 12 when the murders took place.
The Gatton Murders have Generated Tourist Interest
As with many infamous murders, the case has generated curiosity through the years. Many Gatton locals have their theories of the murders. Some claim they know who the murder or murderers were, but aren't saying. There is talk of conspiracies and cover-ups.
The local Gatton tourist authority has produced a small pamphlet to inform locals and tourists about the gruesome murders. The murder site and the family grave at the local cemetery are popular with visitors.
As time marches on, it is now more than one hundred years since the murders, and the Gatton Tragedy remains unsolved.
Another mystery of early Queensland is the Ghosts of Lady Elliot Island.
Other pioneering stories of early Queensland history are the original beachcomber, Edmund Banfield; and the young man Deveney cutting off his arm in an attempt to save his life in 1912.
Plaque on Murphy's Grave at Gatton Cemetery
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Memorial to the Gatton Murders in Gatton Cemetery
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