The Mt Magnet Murder –

Western Mail 1 November 1951, page 18

WESTRALIANA
Murchisonite recalls a grim story
The Mt Magnet Murder

A murder that was committed at Mt Magnet in 1898 was never solved, despite the very closest inquiries by detectives, and police generally on the Murchison at the time. The tragedy was known as ‘The Magnet Murder’ and goes down in West Australian criminal history as one of the State’s greatest unsolved mysteries.

The dismembered remains of a man’s body (some parts missing) were found in two separate mine shafts of a lease known as ‘The Pearl’, situated on the road a couple of miles north-west of the town of Mt Magnet and on the track to what is still known as ‘The Five Mile’. The lease was owned by the late John Pringle, one of the best men the Murchison goldfields ever saw. The remains, when discovered, were exceedingly well preserved as the shafts contained salt water.

The Remains:

The remains, when brought to the surface by the police from the first shaft, were found to consist of limbs only, the legs being disjointed at the knees and the arms at the elbows, the neatness of the operation seemingly indicating that the murderer had some knowledge of anatomy. The police then examined a shaft about 10 chains away whence a strong odour was emanating. It was found necessary to erect a windlass and rig a rope before the descent could be made.

At the bottom of this shaft was found a body with head attached, but the abdomen was missing, and the features were quite unrecognisable through decay. The ribs had been carefully severed, apparently with some surgical skill, and the spine had also been severed below the ribs and pelvis, and the stomach removed. The hessian in which the body had been wrapped had been the door of a tent, and the stains indicated that the dismemberment had probably been performed upon it. It had been placed in a bran bag, which was found to be branded W over L. The skull had been crushed in by a violent blow over the left temple, from which several cracks radiated. The whiskers of the deceased are black, streaked with grey. Apparently he was above the middle age. The hands of the victim do not seem to be those of a hard worker, as they are well-shaped, and the nails carefully trimmed. A vigorous search in the adjacent shafts for the missing portions of the body has been maintained, but, as yet, without success!

The Abandoned Mine by Pro Hart

Just previous to this gruesome discovery a peculiar incident occurred. Details of this were given to a resident by Wilton and Theo Hack, formerly of Naracoorte, in South Australia, and George Dent, all of whom were camped at The Five Mile. A few years later these three men were to be the prospectors of the Black Range Gold Mine (one of the richest finds in the State’s gold mining industry, and which was subsequently purchased by the late Hans Irvine, of vineyard fame, for a Victorian syndicate). The lease, throughout its life, was better known as Hacks’.

From their home town in South Australia the Hack Bros received a letter from a man named Smith, who informed them that he had disposed of his farming property there and intended coming West to them to enter into gold mining. On his arrival at Mt. Magnet Smith went to the Five Mile and camped with Hack Bros and Dent. After prospecting in the vicinity for a few weeks he failed to “get onto” anything and decided to move on to Cue. Smith had in his possession £200 which he intended banking at Cue, and if he failed to locate payable gold there he intended to return to Mt. Magnet.

The three prospectors accompanied Smith to town on the Friday night, and as the train was running late, they decided to return to camp and leave Smith at the railway station. Many weeks passed without any word being received from Smith. The Hacks became very anxious, and inquiries failed to bring any news of the missing man. One of the brothers went to Cue and made personal investigations, but no person there had seen or heard of Smith. Upon the discovery of the dismembered remains in the mine shafts they became suspicious and requested the police to allow them to view the body. They were positive that the remains were those of Smith, claiming that they recognised his peculiar teeth.

Now for an extremely strange thing

A Frenchwoman and a Frenchman conducted a ‘house’ in the town. While at breakfast at the late Mr. C. J. Drew’s Diamond Jubilee Hotel one morning, several of the boarders were discussing the murder. When one of them gave it as his opinion that the murder had been committed at the house mentioned and that the portions of the body had been carted out and dumped down the shafts, a man jumped up from one of the other tables and brandished a knife. As he approached the man who had expressed this opinion, Mr. Drew shouted. “Look out, he’s got a knife.”

This Frenchman, some years later, was hanged for the murder of a man in his wine cellar in Guilford near Perth WA, the woman was deported.  Was he Smith’s murderer as well ????

Coolgardie Miner 17 April 1899, page 5

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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