UNSOLVED MURDER -

On the morning of January 13th 1885 the badly beaten bodies of Thomas Anketell (Manager) and Henry Burrup (Clerk) were found at the recently constructed Union Bank in Roebourne. (This was a different building to the one that exists today and was in a different location.)

The murder weapons were probably a hatchet and pick axe and it seems likely that more than one person was involved.

How was it that two men, sleeping in separate areas of the bank, could be murdered in a way that no noise or comotion was heard by others in town who lived not far away?

Witnesses reported that Ankatell had been at the local hotel the night before and had been drinking and gambling before he returned to the bank with Roderick McRae before deciding to retire to the back verandah some time around mid-night.

Ankatell chose to sleep on the verandah to escape the heat inside the building.

Burrup had arrived back at the bank around 1am after visiting friends and he retired to his room.

The bodies were discovered about 6:40am and the police and medical officer were send for.

Both men had extensive head injuries and Burrup had a pillow over his head.

Although it was estimated that the time of death was some 4 to 6 hours earlier, forensic methods of the time make this a rather unreliable figure.

The lack of comotion may mean that both men were killed instantly by the first blow and this was to conclusion at the time. Oddly though, Ankatell had been savagely hit at least seven times and this suggests that the murderer was in some sort of rage at the time.

Burrup also suffered extensive head injuries suggesting that blows were still inflicted after death had occured.

So was the motive a bank robbery, or was it something else entirely?

The sloppy investigation and lack of attention to these murders by the authorities led to claims that there had been an official cover up.

After complaints about the lack of action by Burrup’s father, a reward of 500 pounds and a free pardon for any accomplice not actually involved in the murder were offered but with no result.

Frederick Bevan, Charles Warburton, and San Qui were eventually tried for the murder of Thomas Anketell and were found not guilty. For reasons best known the the prosecutors, nobody was charged with the murder of Henry Burrup.

There certainly must have been a lot of suspicion about who was responsible, for it was said that the murderer died some time later in Singapore. It was in fact Roderick McRae who died from the effects of syphillis in Singapore hospital. Despite the fact that he had been suspected of the murders, were McRae's family connections and wealth enough to get the police to look the other way?

Another possibility was raised by prospector F.W.P. Cammelleri after a German by the name of Frank Hornig, visited his camp on the Halls Creek goldfield one night. The subject of the murders in Roebourne came up and Hornig was very dismissive of police efforts and Cammelleri became suspicious. Soon after Hornig left, a party came through looking for the German as he was wanted for the murder of two men on the goldfield.

Hornig was eventually captured and executed for the killings but no concrete proof of his involvement in the killing of Burrup and Anketell emerged.

So who was responsible for these shocking murders and a small north west town? Although we will never know for sure, there is a lot of evidence that points to Roderick McRae, including inconsistencies in his own statements. McRae was never formally or aggressively questioned about these inconsistencies and this does rather smack of a cover up by the authorities.

Ankatell remains almost forgotten while Henry Burrup was remembered in the naming of the Burrup Peninsula.

For a more detailed account of the murders and the circumstances surrounding them and the subsequent trial visit Frances Yeo's excellent website

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