Western Mail Perth -19 October 1907, page 16
AN EAST MURCHISON TRAGEDY
THE DEATH OF STEPHEN GRACE – MURDERED BY NATIVES
A telegram was received this afternoon from Constable Walker, who proceeded from Wiluna to bury the body of Stephen Grace, one of Kirkpatrick Bros party of prospectors who was speared through the chest by natives about 200 miles North of Wiluna. Constable Walker states that the body was unrecognisable owing to decomposition.
It now appears that William Phillips, another member of the party, was speared at the same, time as Grace. Phillips, however, remained with the party, and is not dead, as first reported. Grace appears to have left his mates and attempted to reach Wiluna, following the line of the rabbit-proof fence, where he was found by Mr Craig, an inspector of the fence, who reported the matter to the Wiluna police. Constable Walker states that Kirkpatrick forwarded a message of warning to other prospectors to look out for hostile natives in the neighbourhood of Lake Disappointment.
The Kirkpatrick’s and Phillips are now supposed to be in the neighbourhood of Ophthalmia Ranges, 300 miles north of Wiluna. The party consisted of the two brothers Kirkpatrick, W. Phillips, and Stephen Grace. They left Black Range about June last with Government camels to prospect in the neighbourhood of Lake Kabbean. It was anticipated that the party would be absent for six months.
The following statement has been received by Sub-inspector Mitchell from the Nannine police: “Inspector Craig reports that on October 2 he met Grace, in company with Robert George, a boundary rider, at the 500-mile peg. Grace stated that he was a member of Kirkpatrick Bros prospecting party. About the beginning of September they were about 70 miles east of the 638-mile peg.
In the afternoon four natives came to the camp and obtained some food. The natives then left, and at about 2 o’clock on the following morning they returned, accompanied by a number of others, who attacked the party with short stabbing spears. The party was awakened by their dogs and Grace and Phillips were wounded. Phillips, who was not seriously wounded, remained with the party, and Grace was conducted to the rabbit-proof fence and handed over to George. Grace asked to be taken to Nannine, and Mr. Craig started with him. On October 9 they camped at the 380-mile peg. Grace was tired and complained of pain in his side, and was constantly coughing. The only mark was a scar on the ribs. He refused to eat anything and said that his journey was ended. Mr. Craig then sent a message to Wiluna and said
Grace spoke at intervals until midnight he sat up and said, “Why, it is all gold!’ and died half an hour later.
Bernard Colreavy and Stephen Grace – Photo SLWA
Little more is known about Stephen Grace’s life but the eulogies of his contemporaries show him to be staunch of heart, a loyal mate and a man to be relied on in difficulties. A fund was set up to collect money for Stephen’s mother aged 88yrs and sister who were fully dependent on him. £330 was raised, £25 being sent to Mrs Grace in Daylesford Victoria on the 27th Feb 1908 with the balance paid to her at £6 per month. Grace was 50 yrs old.
Why is it ‘All Gold’ were the last words spoken by Stephen Grace, prospector, who was speared by Aboriginal natives in the Lake Nabberoo country and died 50 miles north of Lake Way.
All Gold
All Gold! The death mist gathered round his eyes,
Stilling at last the murd’rous spear wounds pain.
The long slow track, beneath the burning skies, he trod again.
Again, belike, he strained his eager gaze,
Where the grey rocks loomed on the sky-line bold,
And saw them, in the tinging sunsets rays.
All gold -all gold!
All gold! Ere breath had left the crippled clay,
Say, did the fluttering spirit burst its bars
To cleave a path across the Unknown Way,
Athwart the stars?
From where the spinifex and mulga meet
Did dying eyes, all prescient behold
Pearl-gated, jasper-walled, the Shining Street
Of gold – pure gold?
All gold! All gold! Nor ever tongue shall tell,
Nor ever mortal pen shall mark the place.
But chant no requiem, and toll no knell
For Stephen Grace.
What thought he bore the unknown hero’s part,
His be the name to honour and to hold:
Type of the loyal mate, the lion heart-
All gold – all gold.
By well-known Goldfields poet and newspaper editor, Andre Hayward. This verse was thought one of his finest, created at a time of the greatest cultural flowering of the early gold rush days of the 1890’s and destroyed by the insanity of WW1.
Stephen Aloysius Grace, along with Bernard Colreavy, formed the Amalgamated Leaseholders and Prospectors Association in 1904. He was born in Ararat Victoria in 1865 and had four brothers and a sister. In 1899 he travelled to Western Australia with two of his brothers, Michael and John. Before he came to WA Grace had an auctioneering business in Warracknabeal. Victoria, in 1900 where he was well-known throughout the district. On arrival in Kookynie WA, he set up an auctioneer, stock, share and finance agency. His brother John ran the Victoria Hotel at Niagara and his brother Michael ran a coaching service at Menzies. Both of Michael Grace’s sons, Stephen and Michael, were to die in France in WW1.
NOTE: The Geraldton Historical Society arranged to re-inter his body in the Wiluna Cemetery in 1976 and marked his grave with a plaque.
Publication: All Gold, The Death of Stephen Grace by Peter Bridge, Ian Murray, Gail Dreezens and Moya Sharp. This book can be purchased from Hesperian Press:
All Gold – The Death of Stephen Grace
The place where Stephen Grace died on the Rabbit Proof Fence – Photo Phil Bianchi
Moya Sharp
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What an interesting piece. This story shows how far we have come from the days of spears. Sad story but great poem. I’m glad they reinterred his body and placed a plaque.