In 1848 there was a fatal affray at Mr. Marsh’s sheep station Maryland just ten miles from Stanthorpe, Queensland, between two men in his employment, one of whom met his death. I told a version of this story live on radio 4WK.

Matthew Marsh selected the Maryland run of 80,000 acres in 1844. He was the first European to travel through the district between Dalveen and Warwick when he was looking to settle on the Condamine River years before Warwick was even thought of. He would become a member of the New South Wales legislative council in Sydney, and in England a member of the House of Commons.

The two employees in the affray were shearers John Doyle and William Hardcastle. It was Doyle who met his death.

They had a row the night before and fought one round, then Doyle who was the bigger man, he challenged Hardcastle to fight him for £5 the following morning. That was the equivalent to a couple of months’ pay back then. Hardcastle reluctantly agreed.

A year or so later Hardcastle was destined to meet his own fate. He was arrested for stealing from the till when leaning over the bar at Brisbane’s first pub the Victoria Hotel. But while he was in the gaol awaiting trial, he was blinded with an inflammation of the eye and so was discharged on his own recognizance. Fate caught up and Hardcastle was dead three months later.

Meanwhile at the £5 fight, James Short was the appointed second for Doyle, and William Kirby for Hardcastle.

The two seconds could have known one another, because years later a James Short was employed by Kirby Brothers in Rockhampton, where he died a lonely death in a boarding house.

Meanwhile, William Kirby would be a passenger on a steamboat returning from Ipswich to Brisbane when he drank with a one-armed man who inexplicably went swimming and drowned. Kirby himself would be killed just a few years later on his way to a shearing job at Goondiwindi when his horse galloped him into a low branch, killing him instantly.

Following the £5 fight, Doyle was found dead, and authorities were left with no alternative but to arrest Hardcastle, Short, and Kirby. The magistrate at Warwick was George Leslie, one of the Leslie brothers who were the first to settle the Darling Downs. Leslie committed all three to stand trial for wilful murder. Back then the mail was delivered to Brisbane only one once a fortnight, and so the three accused had to bide their time in Brisbane gaol waiting for the paperwork to catch up.

Finally in Sydney’s Central Criminal Court, the charges were updated to manslaughter and the trial got underway.

Evidence was given that the fight took place at six o’clock in the morning. Neither of the men fell the first round, Hardcastle fell the second round, both fell together the third round and were picked up by their seconds. Doyle’s second Short stepped in and ended the fight.

Doyle was carried to his hut. He died about three or four o’clock the next morning, and incredibly there was not a mark on him.

It was testified that Doyle the night before had said, “God strike me dead if I do not beat you in five minutes.”

The fight went for ten minutes.

The jury gave a verdict of not guilty and so the prisoners were discharged. God had struck Doyle dead as he had wished.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO A VERSION OF THIS STORY TOLD ON RADIO 4WK.

Photo credits:
Two men boxing in 1848 Australia – Microsoft Designer AI.
Matthew Henry Marsh first owner Maryland Run Stanthorpe QLD, and Salisbury Court NSW – State Library of Queensland.
George Farquhar Leslie 1850s – Australian National University.