by Linda Venn
Click here for a list of key characters in this story
Edmonds’ evidence in his defence, Tuesday 5th January 1932.
Charles Henry Edmonds entered the witness box on Tuesday morning, stating that he was “a drover, 34 years of age, residing at Ollera Gorge on the Ingham line for the past 15 months, prior to which he had resided in Townsville for about 10 years.” (Telegraph, Brisbane, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 9.) Edmonds had an occupation lease there of 22 square miles, with a right to 12 miles of Tealby’s country till the end of the year, on which he ran cattle and kept his droving plant. (Cairns Post, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 3; Townsville Daily Bulletin, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p.7.)
Edmonds “produced a plan of the locality showing the different roads from Moongabulla to Mt. Spec, also marking the scene of the hold-up, which occurred on Timbergetters’ road, which is usually used by employees on the main roads.” Brisbane Courier, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 14.) Edmonds explained that “the road from Moongabulla used by the escort was a timber getters’ road and really a bush track.” (Telegraph, Brisbane, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 9.) Edmonds was therefore familiar with the scene of the hold-up, explaining that it was “two and a half miles from his hut, which was a mile and a half from Tealby’s, the latter place being about one mile and a quarter from the scene.” (Telegraph, Brisbane, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 9; Townsville Daily Bulletin, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p.7.) The relative locations of these places were all marked on his plan.
Edmonds then detailed his movements on the day before the hold-up. As previously heard, Edmonds had driven his car to the Main Roads office with Davies. Edmonds had previously lent Davies “a couple of gallons of benzine”, which Davies planned to replace by getting fuel from Main Roads, but that system was no longer in place and no fuel was forthcoming. (Cairns Post, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 3) Davies then made a phone call to McDonald and went to McDonald’s place a mile away. Edmonds couldn’t drive Davies there, being low on fuel. While waiting for Davies to return, Edmonds was asked into the office by Herbertson who asked him to deliver a couple of letters going to Melrose and Fenwick’s manager. There they had a general conversation, with others present including Stewart and Hammett. Edmonds was happy that “what Mr. Herbertson had said of the conversation was substantially correct.” (Telegraph, Brisbane, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 9.) While waiting for Davies, Edmonds helped unload a truck. He and Davies left the Main Roads office on Davies’ return.
Edmonds then detailed his movements on the day of the hold-up. About 8 a.m. on 9th December, Edmonds had ridden with Searle in the direction of Tealby’s to where Tear was camped, about half a mile away. Tear had permission to camp on Edmonds’ place, but was not currently his employee. Tear had already left. Searle continued down the road, but Edmonds crossed Ollera Creek. Later that morning, “he rode the boundary fence…in the opposite direction to the scene of the hold-up. He noticed a mob of wild horses grazing with his horses, and he sorted them out, after which he returned to his camp about 10:14 a.m. He had a drink of tea, and had a conversation with a man named Gill, after which he left the camp, for Mutarnee. It was in the vicinity of 10:30 when he spoke to Gill.” (Townsville Daily Bulletin, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 7) The Telegraph reported that Edmonds stated he had “returned to camp between 10 and 10:15, having a drink of tea and a conversation with a man named Gill.” (Telegraph, Brisbane, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 9.) Edmonds had asked Gill to ask Tear (a former employee) to wait for him., checking his watch as he left his camp. It was 10:30.
Edmonds “looked for some of his cattle on the way then went to Tealby’s to get a horse.” (Telegraph, Brisbane, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 9.) Edmonds rode down the track to Tealby’s “to get a horse for a man who was coming down on the train….He rode a chestnut mare to Tealby’s and left her in the paddock.” (Townsville Daily Bulletin, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 7) The Cairns Post confirmed that this chestnut mare was the one outside in the Court House yard. (Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 3) Edmonds spoke to Jim Murray at Tealby’s then they both left for Mutarnee. Passing the scene of the crime, Edmonds had noticed a number of tracks “and remarked to Murray that someone had been having trouble with a car.” (Townsville Daily Bulletin, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 7) The Telegraph noted Edmonds as saying that “somebody apparently had a puncture.” (Telegraph, Brisbane, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 9.) The Daily Standard reported that Edmonds “had remarked on the tracks: that apparently someone had had trouble, perhaps a puncture. Murray made the same observation.” (Daily Standard, Brisbane, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 2.) “They apparently were both of the same mind.” (Cairns Post, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 3)
Edmonds and Murray rode on to Mutarnee through “a heavy storm”, but Edmonds’ friend never arrived on the train. (Townsville Daily Bulletin, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 7) Edmonds then proceeded to the Mutarnee Post Office, “where he first heard of the hold-up from the post-mistress.” (Townsville Daily Bulletin, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 7) The Telegraph identified the post-mistress as a “Miss Cavill”. (Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 9.) This is likely to have been one of the daughters of ‘Pop’ and Grace Cavill of the ‘Cavilcade’ guesthouse, now belonging to Wilf Karnoll. From the Post Office, Edmonds rode to Davies’ place, leading the spare horse which he left at Davies. Miss Davies rode the spare horse back to Edmonds’ hut late in the afternoon, when there was more heavy rain, so he drove Miss Davies home. In the afternoon, Edmonds had seen “a man named Murray and another named Ashley, who told him they were looking for bushrangers.” (Townsville Daily Bulletin, Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 7) Ashley is called ‘Ashman’ in the Telegraph. (Wednesday 6th January 1932, p. 9.)