Thomas John Griffin: Rockhampton’s notorious ‘murderer and despicable scoundrel’

Parading as an officer and a gentleman this decorated serviceman became infamous in Queensland as a “breaker of women’s hearts, a murderer and despicable scoundrel”, and it was all in the name of lining his pockets.

An undated aerial view showing the area around North Street (gaol/jail, Rockhampton State High School, Showgrounds). From the Central Queensland Collection Rockhampton Regional Council Libraries. Photo Contributed

Thomas John Griffin’s greed and gambling had led him to becoming, on June 1, 1868, the first execution at Rockhampton Gaol.

The 36-year-old Irishman’s story has all the elements of a bestseller – raw ambition, marriage for money, official corruption, murder, theft, execution, grave robbery and ghosts.

Born in 1832, the son of a police inspector, young Griffin was described as wild and flighty.

At 17, he joined the Royal Irish Constabulary and a few years later became an officer in the cavalry during the Crimean war, where he won medals for distinguished service.

In early 1857, Griffin sailed for Melbourne after accepting the offer of free travel to Australia for police volunteers who served in Crimea. On the voyage, he met Mrs Crosby, a widow who had children almost his age, and lots of money. Griffin swept her off her feet and despite the great disparity in age, they married soon after arriving in Melbourne.

It didn’t take him long to squander most of her cash and it cost her half of what she had left to be rid of him. He set off to Tasmania and faked his own death in newspaper notices.

Griffin next turns up as a clerk in a constabulary office in Sydney. When gold was found at Canoona north of Rockhampton the year before Queensland became a separate state, he was appointed an acting sergeant and sent north.

Thomas John Griffin 1 JUN 1868, Rockhampton Gaol Murder, MacKenzie River Irish, Church of England, age 36

He was chief constable when Governor Bowen visited Rockhampton, and turned on such a show of pomp and ceremony that he won the Governor’s favour which no doubt helped his next appointment as Acting Clerk of Petty Sessions in Brisbane.

As a first-class officer in the fledgling Queensland Civil Service, he was earning a substantial £500 a year by the time he was 30, and in 1863, was appointed Police Magistrate at Clermont and Gold Commissioner for Rockhampton district. During his four years in Clermont, Griffin became known as a compulsive gambler who had accrued substantial debts.

In 1867, a public meeting resolved he should be removed as police magistrate because of the inefficient and unsatisfactory discharge of his duties; he had lost public confidence because he was despotic and arbitrary.

Griffin was cleared but transferred to Rockhampton as assistant gold commissioner. He arrived on October 19, 1867 and only weeks later was arrested for the murder of two policemen on the banks of the Mackenzie River near where Blackwater’s Bedford Weir now stands.

Young troopers John Power and William Cahill were escorting the vast sum of £4000 in bank notes from Rockhampton to Clermont when their superior joined them for part of the journey, ostensibly for their own protection.

They were found shot dead on November 6, 1867. The money was gone and Griffin was back in Rockhampton. A group of Chinese miners gave evidence that he had paid them money he owed in £1 notes the following day.

GAZETTE SHOT: left to right, Sergeant James Julian, Constable Patrick William Cahill, Constable John Francis Power and Gold Commissioner Thomas John Griffin. The two Native Mounted Police standing at the back are not named. c1867 Photo Contributed

He also foolishly let slip too much information about the crime and despite protestations of innocence – “it is not likely a person in my position would do such an act” – Griffin stood trial in March 1868.

Charles Lilley, later Queensland Chief Justice Sir Charles, appeared for the prosecution while for the defence, it was Samuel Griffith’s first case. He would become Sir Samuel, Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia.

Justice Alfred Lutwyche said he had never heard circumstantial evidence of guilt more conclusive. Convicting Griffin of “a crime unparalleled in the annals of Australian history” he passed the death sentence.

On June 1, Griffin was led to the gallows, still refusing to make any confession.

Two days later, Griffin’s jailor alerted the sheriff that he knew where the hoard was hidden.

Griffin had given him a sketch of where to find the money in exchange for helping him escape. Unsuccessful in finding it himself, the turnkey gave it up and the sheriff’s team found the loot in a half-burnt stump.

The turnkey said the prisoner had called out, “It’s no bloody good, I did it; the next thing is how to get out of it.”

A week later, it was found that Griffin’s grave had been disturbed and his head removed where the dislocation and fracture had taken place when he was hanged. The grave robbers were believed to be men of science.

But that was not quite the end of it. In 1928, it was claimed that the “breaker of women’s hearts, murderer of gold escort policemen and despicable scoundrel” had returned to his rambling home in Clermont.

Residents swore they heard footsteps wandering listlessly about the corridors at night; a rear door never remained locked; and horses wouldn’t pass the house in a straight line.

Griffin had met his maker but his ghost still haunted the north.