The Gatton Murders
Illawarra Mercury
Saturday August 7, 2004
The particularly horrific murder of three members of a respected Irish-Catholic family occurred on the night of Boxing Day, 1898, in the small rural town of Gatton, in south-east Queensland. One of the Murphy sons, Michael, was shot, mutilated and bludgeoned. His two sisters, Norah and Ellen, were raped and murdered. Queensland was shocked at the savagery of the crime. Eleven days later Alfred Hill, 15, was murdered about 65km away. Despite a huge police hunt, the killers were not found. A Royal Commission inquired into police bungling during the investigations. The crimes were never solved. Bennett is an amateur sleuth who has reconstructed the crime, relying on a wide range of archival material. The result is a thriller that is very hard to put down. We are left with a very strong clue on the murderer's identity but not "beyond reasonable doubt". Be your own judge.
© 2004 Illawarra Mercury
