Murdered by the Backs, Hume River

The Sydney Herald

19 October 1840

Two men both in the employ of Messrs Henry and Charles Walton, were murdered by the blacks on the Hume River last week Mr Walton sent his overseer, accompanied by his son, on Saturday last to the station, for the purpose of taking the weeks rations, (they had been accustomed to meet the men on the way to receive it. )

This not being the case, they proceeded on to the station, where, before their arrival, they found the sheep in the folds, and the dogs about the place tied up; upon going into the hut, they found one man lying at the door dead, having a cut from a tomahawk on his head, and the brother lying at the side of his berth in the same way, cut about the head.

Mr Walton, accompanied by two gentlemen, and a black follow, proceeded to the place and found them as described. The only conclusion they could come to was that they had been murdered by Blacks.

The black fellow they took with them stated that the wounds in the head had been inflicted by Blacks, also there were marks outside of the house where the Blacks had stuck the spear into the ground.

So that there remains no doubt as to the murderers.