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Roebourne Bank Murders

Roebourne Bank Murders

The 1885 murders of William Anketell and Henry Burrup at the Union Bank Roebourne and the ensuing investigation and controversy.

  • Home
  • Summary of Events
  • Witness accounts of murder scene
    • by F.C. Broadhurst
    • by W.M. Thomas
  • Police File
  • Depositions
  • The murder trial
  • Newspaper Articles
    • The West Australian
    • The Fremantle Herald
    • The Argus
    • The Enquirer
    • The Eastern Districts Chronicle
  • Motive and musings
    • Prejudice and rumours
    • The Motive
    • The psychology behind the murders
    • My Musings
    • Who did it?
  • Roebourne in 1885
  • Roebourne maps and photos
    • Western Australia
    • 1885 Roebourne Town Map
    • Early Maps of Roebourne Townsite
    • Roebourne and Surrounding Country
    • Early photos of Roebourne
  • Biographies
    • Thomas Anketell
    • Henry Thomas Wood Burrup
    • Frederick Bevan
    • Charles Warburton
    • James Lithgow
    • The Pontt Brothers – William and Augustus
    • Caroline Platt
  • Memoir Extracts
  • Can you help with these names?
  • Bibliography
  • Acknowledgements

Police file – George Stevens – 28th July 1890

Police file – George Stevens – 28th July 1890

Private and Confidential

Bunbury

28th July 1890

Sir,

Sub Inspector Back has spoken to me about the Roebourne murder case and endeavouring to discover the perpetrators of the crime and has mentioned that you had written him telling me to communicate with you.

I am willing to undertake the detection of the crime upon the strict understanding that no one is to know I am doing so and that all communications addressed to me shall be strictly private.

It will cost money to discover as I will if I undertake the matter be put to a great deal of expense which I cannot explain on paper but you would understand better at a personal interview.

If the government will allow me £10 a week and pay my passage money and expenses I am willing to go to Roebourne and take the [?] steps.

The amount I am asking may seem a large one but from what I know, in order to pin the crime upon the guilty parties it will be necessary to [?] [?]rather all expensive measures but as I have said this can be better explained to you at a personal interview than on paper.

If you feel inclined to accept this offer I think it would be advisable for you to let me know this week so that I can come to Perth and see you by the steamer going through on Friday. I should after seeing you be ready to proceed to Roebourne by the steamer leaving Fremantle on the 16th August.

I should have to return to Bunbury after seeing you as there is certain information which I would there obtain [?].

Yours truly
Geo. J. Malcolm Stevens

P.S. Mr Back I think has spelt my name “Stephens” it ought to be “Stevens”.

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