Old Geelong Gaol (part 3): George Roberts – Murderer

Old Geelong Gaol (part 3): George Roberts – Murderer

Geelong Gaol cell block - photo: Allen Tiller 2013

George Roberts was a 28-year-old man, who had arrived in Melbourne just six months prior to his conviction. He had found work at Native Creek on the cattle and stock station of Dr Hope.

 George Kelly was a shepherd who lived in a small hut on the Hope property about two miles from the homestead. Prior to living in the hut, he worked and lived alongside Robert’s doing different jobs around the homestead. Since the time that Roberts was employed, he had begun to notice objects go missing, clothing, a small box with some gold in it, and a bag.
 On the 4^th of August, Kelly gave Roberts a cheque and asked him to buy some goods for him from town. Roberts left the goods outside the hut as Kelly was off working. When Kelly next saw Roberts, he asked him for the balance of the cheque, which Roberts said he had not received.
 On Sunday the 6^th of August, Kelly left a half kettle of tea on his stove as he went out to church. When he returned, he found someone had been in his hut and thought it must’ve been Roberts who had agreed to bring him the balance of the cheque.
 Kelly noticed his half-full kettle had been emptied and refilled with clean water. He drank a gill of water (1 gill= ½ cup) from the kettle and immediately his throat began to burn. Kelly, throat burning, and now in incredible pain, looked inside the kettle where he could see some white powder resting in the bottom. He left the hut and ran towards the homestead but collapsed in agony about halfway there.
 A passing bullock-driver noticed Kelly laying on the ground and went to assist him. A doctor was called, and Kelly was taken to the homestead. On the way there, Roberts appeared and offered Kelly an emetic. Kelly asked what he had put in the kettle, to which Roberts replied “nothing”.  Roberts offered Kelly a glass of water, poured from the same kettle that he drank poison from, Kelly flatly refused to drink it. Roberts insisted he had washed the kettle out, but Kelly said he would never drink from it again.
 

An inquest was held which revealed evidence of arsenic being found in a box under Robert's bed. The box was one stolen from Kelly months before that contained his gold and a small bag. A nine-year witness was called to give evidence, in which he stated he had watched Roberts pour a white powder into Kelly’s kettle and stir it with a knife.
 It took a jury just ten minutes to decide Roberts was guilty of poisoning with intent to murder. George Roberts was sentenced to death by hanging.

George Roberts took sacraments on the morning of his execution. Of his affairs after his death, or contacting his family, he made no decisions.  Roberts walked firmly to the gallows. There he spoke to the hangman and the Gaol Governor, confessing his crimes.
 The bolt was pulled at 8am, and he fell to his death alongside John Gunn who had also been found guilty of murder and convicted to hang.

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2019

Other Sources:

'CROWDED OUT.', Geelong Advertiser and Intelligencer, (10 November 1854), p. 4.

'DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.', The Argus, (28 August 1854), p. 5.

Executed – Victoria, Geni.com, (2019), https://www.geni.com/projects/Executed-Victoria/49212

'GEELONG CIRCUIT COURT.', Geelong Advertiser and Intelligencer, (30 October 1854), p. 7.

'GEELONG CIRCUIT COURT.', The Argus, (30 October 1854), p. 5.

'GEELONG CRIMINAL COURT.', The Sydney Morning Herald, (7 November 1854), p. 3.

'THE NEW CONVICT BILL.', Mount Alexander Mail, (3 November 1854), p. 3.

'GEELONG SUMMARY FOR ENGLAND.', The Argus, (23 November 1854), p. 6.