MURDER AND CANNIBALISM IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4432, 3 June 1875, Page 3

MURDER AND CANNIBALISM IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

Nungdamarra, an aboriginal belonging to the Murchison district, was charged at Perth, in April last, with having on the sth October, 18S5, feloniously, wilfully, and with malice aforethought, killed and murdered a little boy named Francis Edward - William Dunne, the son of a farmer residing at Champion Bay. At the October sessions, in 1873, two other natives who'" were concerned in the murder were tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. The prisoner had then evaded apprehension, but has subsequently been captured. The evidence now adduced was the same as given on the former trial. On the 6th October, 1865, the murdered child—a boy about four years old—was missed by his parents. Active search was made tor him far and near, but the search was, fruitless In April, 1866, a man named Frank Parker _ was engaged in clearing out a well, in the vicinity of Yanganooka, and discovered therein the left foot of a child, and also a small skull, jawbone, and teeth. Here, then, were evident traces of the poor boy’s death, but how he came by that death remained a mystery until August, 1873. In that month two natives, named Yarradee and Mullagelly, were confined in the Gerald- , ton look-up, suspected of havings been concerned in the murder of the missing boy, and one day Mullagelly was observed weeping. A native constable interrogated him as to the cause of his grief, whereupon he volunteered the following revolting statement, which was borne out by the evidence of a native named Billoo, who was concerned in the murder, aud on the former trial admitted Queen’s evidence, he having been a mere youth at the time the murder was committed. The prisoner and the other three natives were coming from Geraldine Mines, and met the little boy iu the bush picking gum. Being “sulky” and hungry, they killed him, and having carried the body away a distance of two or three miles, they lit a fire, roasted it, and ate portions of the flesh. Billoo ate two fingers, Mullagelly partook of the buttocks, Yarradee eat part of the legs, Nungdamarra (the prisoner now on his trial) eat the. child’s heart, and also portions of his legs and shoulder. They wrapped up the boy’s head and his hands and feet in his frock, and threw them down Megrew’s well, where they were discovered, some months afterwards, by Frank Parker, as above stated. Such, briefly told, are the revolting details of this horrible murder, which are amply borne out in evidence. The prisoner, in fact, in his own confession, admitted his complicity in the affair. The jury found him guilty, _aud he was sentenced to death. —Perth Inquirer.