Jackey, a native black lad, is killed

Leniency towards Aboriginal people in the West Maitland court: violence between Aboriginal people. 17 year old Jackey, a native black lad, is killed by Aborigines. Jackey has been for years in the service of Mr Fitsimmons of Castlereagh River and comes “down country” on his master’s dray to buy food and “drink”. He is found dead after joining four Aboriginal people behind the Queens Arms Inn in West Maitland. Murphy, Tommy Potts, Martin and King John of the Maitland tribe, and Jemmy and Richard Wiseman of the Sugarloaf tribe are apprehended. The jury returns a verdict of wilful murder against some other Aboriginals unknown. (Maitland Mercury, 22 December 1851, compliments of Ian Webb, Maitland Historical Society).