GOLDFIELDS LOVE AND MURDER -

The picture below was taken at the old Kanowna Cemetery. It shows the grave of a man, Jinarto Yano who was murdered on December 10, 1902.

A woman named Osarno was also murdered. Osarno was one of nearly 60 Japanese prostitutes working in Kalgoorlie.

She formed an attachment with a laundryman named Chomatsu Yabu, who later claimed that they had sent marriage papers back to Japan, and were the parents of a child who had died (this child is also buried at Kanowna). It appears that the relationship soured and Osarno went to Kanowna to live with another man, Jinarto Yano.

Chomatsu knew where she had gone and when she didn’t respond to requests to return to Kalgoorlie, he travelled to Kanowna, shot her and Yano through the head and then fled.

He attempted to shoot the policeman who apprehended him in Kalgoorlie that night, but Constable Brown shot and injured Chomatsu.

Chomatsu Yabu was found guilty of wilful murder and sentenced to death. This was later commuted to 20 years imprisonment.

Story submitted by : Submitted by : Brad Donaldson

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