1 00:00:10,328 --> 00:00:13,248 (foreboding music) 2 00:00:13,250 --> 00:00:17,240 - Easter Sunday, 1902, in remote bushland 3 00:00:17,240 --> 00:00:20,060 in Queensland's Carnarvon Ranges, 4 00:00:20,060 --> 00:00:24,400 at a time when the bushranger period is all but over. 5 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:26,980 (bird squawking) 6 00:00:26,980 --> 00:00:30,000 A policeman and a civilian are murdered, 7 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,770 their bodies mutilated and burned 8 00:00:33,770 --> 00:00:37,160 in one of the the grisliest crimes in the state's history. 9 00:00:38,860 --> 00:00:41,870 Suspicion falls on the region's most notorious 10 00:00:41,870 --> 00:00:45,670 horse and cattle thieves, the three Kenniff brothers 11 00:00:45,670 --> 00:00:47,150 and their elderly father. 12 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,540 And it's the eldest brother, Patrick Kenniff, 13 00:00:52,543 --> 00:00:54,383 who is sent to the gallows, 14 00:00:54,380 --> 00:00:58,620 proclaiming to the end that he's an innocent man. 15 00:00:58,622 --> 00:01:01,292 (rope snapping) 16 00:01:05,710 --> 00:01:10,510 Our nation's history is etched with bushranger tales. 17 00:01:10,510 --> 00:01:12,620 But this story is personal. 18 00:01:13,510 --> 00:01:16,310 Munro is not my real surname, 19 00:01:17,210 --> 00:01:18,740 it's Kenniff. 20 00:01:18,740 --> 00:01:22,240 Patrick Kenniff was my great uncle, 21 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:26,770 and for years I've wanted to know if Patrick was innocent 22 00:01:26,770 --> 00:01:28,900 as he always claimed, 23 00:01:28,900 --> 00:01:31,700 or just a cold blooded killer 24 00:01:31,700 --> 00:01:35,170 who some say deserved to hang. 25 00:01:35,170 --> 00:01:38,740 So come with me and a team of experts 26 00:01:38,740 --> 00:01:43,740 as we try to unearth the truth behind my ancestors, 27 00:01:44,340 --> 00:01:46,790 the last Australian bushrangers. 28 00:01:54,094 --> 00:01:56,674 ♪ You say I am a murderer ♪ 29 00:01:56,668 --> 00:01:59,468 ♪ Yet kill me in my sleep ♪ 30 00:01:59,468 --> 00:02:02,348 ♪ Twas you who loosed the dogs of war ♪ 31 00:02:02,348 --> 00:02:05,208 ♪ Setting flame I'll keep ♪ 32 00:02:05,207 --> 00:02:07,747 ♪ Hide behind the policeman's badge ♪ 33 00:02:07,746 --> 00:02:11,556 ♪ And grip your judge's hand ♪ 34 00:02:11,556 --> 00:02:14,516 ♪ I'll hunt you down and cut you up ♪ 35 00:02:14,519 --> 00:02:18,159 ♪ We'll see who's judgment stands. ♪ 36 00:02:18,159 --> 00:02:20,829 (ominous music) 37 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,290 - My mum would always say to me 38 00:02:42,287 --> 00:02:45,027 "you're only from a family of murderers and bushrangers," 39 00:02:45,030 --> 00:02:49,000 and as a kid I had no idea what she was talking about. 40 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:51,480 Mum and Dad were estranged and I thought she was just 41 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,000 having another go at my father's family. 42 00:02:55,780 --> 00:02:58,280 And it wasn't till I was in my 30s 43 00:02:58,283 --> 00:03:01,363 that I realized it was true. 44 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:03,420 My father sat me down and told me 45 00:03:03,420 --> 00:03:05,950 the story of the Kenniffs. 46 00:03:05,950 --> 00:03:09,230 A story that had been a shameful secret 47 00:03:09,233 --> 00:03:13,083 in the family up until this point for 80 years. 48 00:03:14,590 --> 00:03:18,090 I had two great-uncles who were charged 49 00:03:18,090 --> 00:03:20,930 and convicted of killing a policeman, 50 00:03:20,930 --> 00:03:22,600 Constable George Doyle, 51 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,090 and a station manager, Albert Dahlke, in 1902. 52 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:31,090 The journalist in me thought 53 00:03:31,087 --> 00:03:33,177 "Wow, this is worth investigating, 54 00:03:33,177 --> 00:03:34,527 "this is worth looking at." 55 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:37,990 This has consumed me for 25 years. 56 00:03:39,690 --> 00:03:42,890 It's like discovering that you're not who you really are, 57 00:03:42,890 --> 00:03:44,920 it's like discovering that you've got this 58 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:47,050 whole different secret life. 59 00:03:49,740 --> 00:03:52,560 The story of my bushranger ancestors 60 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:54,950 takes place in the mountainous region 61 00:03:54,950 --> 00:03:56,950 of South Central Queensland, 62 00:03:56,950 --> 00:04:00,780 750 km North West of Brisbane. 63 00:04:02,558 --> 00:04:05,898 In 1902 it was a lawless frontier. 64 00:04:05,900 --> 00:04:08,700 Today it's an isolated national park. 65 00:04:16,230 --> 00:04:18,350 And these are the Carnarvon ranges, 66 00:04:18,350 --> 00:04:19,690 and they're breathtaking. 67 00:04:19,690 --> 00:04:22,080 They're bold and they're beautiful. 68 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:24,890 And you really have to come here to realize 69 00:04:24,890 --> 00:04:28,130 just how wild and isolated they are. 70 00:04:28,130 --> 00:04:30,640 It's also cattle country, always has been, 71 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,260 except no fences. 72 00:04:33,260 --> 00:04:36,100 And ever since the murders of Doyle and Dahlke, 73 00:04:36,100 --> 00:04:38,180 just down there, 74 00:04:38,180 --> 00:04:42,510 this whole region has always been called Kenniff country. 75 00:04:56,297 --> 00:04:59,207 The story of the Kenniffs was one of the most notorious 76 00:04:59,210 --> 00:05:01,280 in Queensland colonial history. 77 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:05,600 It dominated the newspapers of the time. 78 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:09,430 The public outraged with the tale of horror 79 00:05:09,430 --> 00:05:12,090 and so many unanswered questions. 80 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:22,230 This lonely area is called Lethbridge's Pocket, 81 00:05:22,230 --> 00:05:25,360 and it's where I'll join the "Lawless" team of experts. 82 00:05:28,630 --> 00:05:31,460 Archeologist Adam Ford has unearthed 83 00:05:31,460 --> 00:05:33,730 mysteries all round the world. 84 00:05:35,850 --> 00:05:39,500 Historian, Dr Kiera Lindsey, is a scholar 85 00:05:39,500 --> 00:05:42,190 of Australian colonial history, 86 00:05:42,190 --> 00:05:45,230 and Professor Roger Byard is one of the country's 87 00:05:45,230 --> 00:05:47,470 leading forensic pathologists. 88 00:05:48,340 --> 00:05:52,550 Together they've arrived here to find out what happened 89 00:05:52,550 --> 00:05:54,740 over 115 years ago. 90 00:05:55,970 --> 00:05:58,480 The Pocket was well known to the Kenniffs, 91 00:05:59,420 --> 00:06:02,510 it's tucked away amongst steep hills, 92 00:06:02,510 --> 00:06:06,830 the perfect place to hide stolen cattle and horses, 93 00:06:06,830 --> 00:06:10,750 and perhaps too, the perfect place to commit murder. 94 00:06:13,500 --> 00:06:14,900 - Eight o'clock in the morning, 95 00:06:14,900 --> 00:06:17,050 Easter Sunday 1902. 96 00:06:17,050 --> 00:06:18,740 We know that Queensland is part 97 00:06:18,740 --> 00:06:20,340 of a newly federated nation, 98 00:06:20,340 --> 00:06:22,540 and that nation is really keen to get rid 99 00:06:22,540 --> 00:06:24,190 of it's convict stain once and for all, 100 00:06:24,190 --> 00:06:26,940 and to become the most modern society. 101 00:06:26,940 --> 00:06:28,610 But out here in the wilderness, 102 00:06:28,610 --> 00:06:30,530 it's still a lawless frontier. 103 00:06:33,450 --> 00:06:36,780 - [Mike] The three brothers, Patrick, Jimmy and Tom, 104 00:06:36,780 --> 00:06:39,990 were known cattle rustlers and horse thieves, 105 00:06:39,990 --> 00:06:42,910 and they were led by their father, Old Man Kenniff. 106 00:06:44,700 --> 00:06:49,000 The area's huge cattle stations provided easy pickings, 107 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:52,300 and their thieving became more and more brazen. 108 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:57,210 Standing in their way was Albert Dahlke, 109 00:06:57,210 --> 00:06:58,140 the tough-minded manager 110 00:06:58,140 --> 00:07:02,080 of the region's largest station, Carnarvon, 111 00:07:02,940 --> 00:07:07,080 and Constable George Doyle, a respected policeman 112 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:10,900 with specific orders to stop the Kenniffs. 113 00:07:15,090 --> 00:07:17,620 The story is, the police were sent here 114 00:07:17,620 --> 00:07:20,730 to arrest the Kenniffs for horse theft. 115 00:07:22,830 --> 00:07:26,800 Aboriginal tracker Sam Johnson is following their tracks. 116 00:07:27,950 --> 00:07:30,150 Constable Doyle is in charge 117 00:07:30,150 --> 00:07:31,980 and carries the only weapon, 118 00:07:33,220 --> 00:07:35,940 and Dahlke, an unarmed civilian, 119 00:07:35,940 --> 00:07:37,220 is along for support. 120 00:07:40,620 --> 00:07:43,540 When the Kenniff brothers realize they've been spotted, 121 00:07:43,540 --> 00:07:46,660 Patrick and Tom take off in a different direction, 122 00:07:48,430 --> 00:07:50,190 Jimmy heads off alone. 123 00:07:52,130 --> 00:07:55,370 But the police party catches up with him 124 00:07:58,000 --> 00:07:59,450 and he's taken into custody. 125 00:08:02,170 --> 00:08:05,120 When Sam the tracker returns to the pack horse 126 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:08,420 to fetch handcuffs, that's when it happens. 127 00:08:09,426 --> 00:08:10,826 (gun firing) 128 00:08:10,830 --> 00:08:12,760 He hears the sound of gun shots. 129 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,620 Crucially he looks back but sees nothing. 130 00:08:18,630 --> 00:08:21,170 - This is actually where it gets really interesting, 131 00:08:21,170 --> 00:08:25,400 because nobody actually saw what happened next, 132 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:26,890 they only heard it. 133 00:08:26,890 --> 00:08:30,570 So Sam Johnson is not an eye witness, 134 00:08:30,570 --> 00:08:31,900 he's an ear witness. 135 00:08:33,350 --> 00:08:36,260 - [Mike] Sam later says the next thing he sees 136 00:08:36,260 --> 00:08:38,260 is Patrick and Jimmy Kenniff galloping 137 00:08:38,260 --> 00:08:41,230 flat out towards him, and he bolts for his life. 138 00:08:42,512 --> 00:08:45,182 (ominous music) 139 00:08:53,340 --> 00:08:58,340 Four days later a police search party arrives in the area, 140 00:08:58,450 --> 00:09:01,920 and comes across a horse which is identified 141 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,460 as belonging to Constable Doyle. 142 00:09:04,460 --> 00:09:09,460 The reins, breast plate and bridle are all police issue. 143 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:14,110 But curiously, two large pack bags 144 00:09:14,110 --> 00:09:15,810 have been thrown over the saddle. 145 00:09:18,980 --> 00:09:23,980 Inside are human bones, burned flesh and ash, 146 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:28,600 and some small personal items which confirm 147 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:33,080 these are the mortal remains of Doyle and Dahlke. 148 00:09:33,075 --> 00:09:34,655 (horse neighing) 149 00:09:34,664 --> 00:09:37,504 (expectant music) 150 00:09:47,686 --> 00:09:49,986 I've come to Brisbane to meet with two people 151 00:09:49,990 --> 00:09:52,670 who had a life-long interest in the story, 152 00:09:53,680 --> 00:09:56,900 Meryl Campbell and her sister Norma Jurss 153 00:09:56,900 --> 00:09:59,870 are the great nieces of the murdered policeman. 154 00:10:01,206 --> 00:10:03,016 So Constable Doyle was your great-uncle? 155 00:10:03,020 --> 00:10:04,710 - Great Uncle, yes. - That's right. 156 00:10:04,710 --> 00:10:06,730 - As the Kenniffs were my great-uncles. 157 00:10:06,730 --> 00:10:07,940 - That's right. 158 00:10:07,940 --> 00:10:11,030 - Constable Doyle was a thoroughly decent, 159 00:10:11,030 --> 00:10:14,210 professional, capable policeman. 160 00:10:14,210 --> 00:10:16,510 - Yeah, that's right, that's what we were 161 00:10:16,507 --> 00:10:18,097 always told - that's what we were told. 162 00:10:18,103 --> 00:10:20,353 - [Mike] Tell us the reaction from the family 163 00:10:20,350 --> 00:10:22,360 over those terrible murders. 164 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:24,330 Well, it devastated the family, 165 00:10:24,330 --> 00:10:27,170 it really devastated the parents. 166 00:10:27,170 --> 00:10:31,720 - His mother, she carried his watch chain 167 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:35,410 or watch, maybe both, in her apron 168 00:10:35,410 --> 00:10:36,890 until the day she died. 169 00:10:36,887 --> 00:10:37,867 - [Mike] Oh, really? 170 00:10:37,872 --> 00:10:38,892 - Yeah. 171 00:10:38,890 --> 00:10:41,620 - I feel the family didn't have closure, 172 00:10:41,620 --> 00:10:43,720 they couldn't go to a grave and mourn 173 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:47,150 and I'm not even aware that they were at the funeral, 174 00:10:47,150 --> 00:10:48,320 if you could call it a funeral, 175 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:51,100 when the remains were put in there. 176 00:10:51,100 --> 00:10:53,740 Our dad, he always said that the Kenniffs 177 00:10:53,740 --> 00:10:56,100 were murdering bastards, yeah. 178 00:10:56,100 --> 00:10:56,930 - [Mike] I think he was right. 179 00:10:56,933 --> 00:11:01,323 - Yeah, but we don't know whether the right one was hung. 180 00:11:02,417 --> 00:11:05,027 I don't know about Norma but I don't sort of feel 181 00:11:05,030 --> 00:11:06,660 bitterness or anything like that, 182 00:11:06,660 --> 00:11:11,110 but I would like to find out exactly who did it. 183 00:11:11,107 --> 00:11:12,417 - And that would help you? 184 00:11:12,419 --> 00:11:13,249 - [Meryl] Yes it would. 185 00:11:13,252 --> 00:11:14,442 - Mmm, mmm. 186 00:11:14,443 --> 00:11:17,363 (melancholy music) 187 00:11:19,500 --> 00:11:22,990 Almost two weeks after Doyle and Dahlke's murders, 188 00:11:22,990 --> 00:11:27,190 the police arrived here and found remnants of a huge fire. 189 00:11:28,100 --> 00:11:31,710 Also, bits of bone, cloth and blood. 190 00:11:33,100 --> 00:11:35,480 This was where Doyle and Dahlke's bodies 191 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:37,110 had been incinerated 192 00:11:37,110 --> 00:11:40,050 and the remains stuffed into pack bags. 193 00:11:40,940 --> 00:11:43,360 Now, the "Lawless" team are here 194 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:45,720 searching for new evidence. 195 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:47,740 - This is fantastic, I mean seriously, 196 00:11:47,740 --> 00:11:49,670 if I was going to get rid of some bodies 197 00:11:49,670 --> 00:11:51,520 this is the perfect place to do it. 198 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:53,950 It's wonderful, you've got these natural little crevices 199 00:11:53,950 --> 00:11:56,330 that would have been dry so it sort of forms an oven, 200 00:11:56,330 --> 00:11:57,180 you've got as much kindling as you want, 201 00:11:57,183 --> 00:11:58,313 I mean, look at it. 202 00:11:58,310 --> 00:11:59,140 We were thinking 203 00:11:59,143 --> 00:12:01,203 "How could they possibly get enough firewood?" 204 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:02,030 It's all round here. 205 00:12:02,033 --> 00:12:03,663 - You know I keep thinking about the fact 206 00:12:03,660 --> 00:12:05,420 that it's Easter Sunday, 207 00:12:05,420 --> 00:12:08,860 and while the rest of the nation is at church, 208 00:12:09,870 --> 00:12:13,200 there's people here involved in this horrendous 209 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:14,760 act of desecration. 210 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:16,060 You know before this moment, 211 00:12:16,060 --> 00:12:18,470 the Kenniffs were just cattle thieves. 212 00:12:18,470 --> 00:12:22,470 But it's what they do here that puts them in the papers, 213 00:12:22,470 --> 00:12:24,750 turns this into a huge case 214 00:12:24,750 --> 00:12:27,300 and eventually puts them in the history books. 215 00:12:27,300 --> 00:12:31,920 It's here that they become ghoulish psychopaths really. 216 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:35,230 - This phase of the story is so dark, 217 00:12:35,233 --> 00:12:38,963 it's so out of, seemingly their character, 218 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:40,550 that it's just a mystery to me. 219 00:12:40,549 --> 00:12:43,219 (ominous music) 220 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:51,170 - This is Lethbridge's Pocket now, 221 00:12:51,170 --> 00:12:54,260 and you can see the Lethbridge Creek running through here, 222 00:12:54,260 --> 00:12:56,400 and these are the hills that we can see. 223 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:59,760 Now this is a reproduction of a plan that was created 224 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:02,460 specifically for the Kenniff trial. 225 00:13:02,460 --> 00:13:06,280 It was drawn by a surveyor called George Blakeney. 226 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:09,620 Blakeney came out here in July 1902, 227 00:13:09,620 --> 00:13:12,020 and he marked on this map pretty much everything 228 00:13:12,020 --> 00:13:14,190 in relation to the event. 229 00:13:14,190 --> 00:13:16,680 And what I've done I've reproduced Blakeney's map 230 00:13:16,680 --> 00:13:18,710 and enlarged it so we can overlay it over 231 00:13:18,710 --> 00:13:22,180 this high-res digital photograph that we've created. 232 00:13:22,180 --> 00:13:25,970 No-one has investigated this area archeologically, 233 00:13:25,970 --> 00:13:29,320 so I think if we dig deep we've got a really good chance 234 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:31,190 of finding some clues about this place. 235 00:13:31,190 --> 00:13:32,430 - That's really exciting. 236 00:13:32,433 --> 00:13:35,353 (mysterious music) 237 00:13:39,550 --> 00:13:43,190 - So the stake in front of us here marks the spot 238 00:13:43,190 --> 00:13:46,100 where Dahlke and Doyle were last seen by Sam Johnson. 239 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:50,580 A tree grew here originally and this photo, 240 00:13:50,580 --> 00:13:51,650 now you'd better crouch down 'cause I think 241 00:13:51,650 --> 00:13:54,000 it was actually taken with a, like a box Brownie 242 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:55,810 so it's quite low, 243 00:13:55,810 --> 00:13:58,090 this photo shows the tree in this spot 244 00:13:58,090 --> 00:14:01,110 and you can see that the locals carved a cross 245 00:14:01,110 --> 00:14:03,470 into the side of it as a commemorative 246 00:14:03,470 --> 00:14:05,890 gesture for the event. 247 00:14:05,890 --> 00:14:08,640 Now the tree obviously is long gone 248 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:12,090 but I'm pretty sure that we're in the right location 249 00:14:12,091 --> 00:14:13,671 and that's where we should start looking. 250 00:14:13,667 --> 00:14:16,697 - And this is really where Constable Doyle 251 00:14:16,700 --> 00:14:19,520 and Albert Dahlke were last seen alive? 252 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:20,350 - That's right 253 00:14:20,353 --> 00:14:21,193 - Allegedly. 254 00:14:21,186 --> 00:14:22,016 - Allegedly. 255 00:14:22,019 --> 00:14:22,979 Is that, why do you say allegedly? 256 00:14:22,980 --> 00:14:25,310 - Well, because we're relying on Sam Johnson's evidence. 257 00:14:25,310 --> 00:14:26,370 - And you're skeptical about his evidence? 258 00:14:26,370 --> 00:14:29,500 - Well, I think, yes I am, very skeptical about it, 259 00:14:29,500 --> 00:14:32,080 and he's the only person who's evidence we've got 260 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:33,500 for this whole trial. 261 00:14:33,504 --> 00:14:34,344 - Uh huh. 262 00:14:34,337 --> 00:14:35,527 - So for me as an archeologist, 263 00:14:35,530 --> 00:14:38,130 if we can find something that we can link 264 00:14:38,130 --> 00:14:42,830 to the players, to the guns, to whatever the story is, 265 00:14:42,830 --> 00:14:45,850 here, then that's gotta say something 266 00:14:45,850 --> 00:14:47,290 about Sam's testimony doesn't it? 267 00:14:47,290 --> 00:14:48,120 - [Mike] That's correct, true. 268 00:14:48,123 --> 00:14:51,273 - So potentially Adam, you just have to find the evidence. 269 00:14:51,270 --> 00:14:53,150 - Well, yeah. - Easy peasy. 270 00:14:53,150 --> 00:14:54,520 - What could-- - It's all up to you Adam. 271 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:57,380 - How difficult could it be to find a tiny piece 272 00:14:57,380 --> 00:15:01,240 of evidence in this landscape 114 years later? 273 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:02,140 - That's what you do. 274 00:15:02,140 --> 00:15:03,780 - Well, I'll do my best. 275 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,310 - [Mike] So can the "Lawless" team uncover 276 00:15:08,310 --> 00:15:10,100 any new evidence? 277 00:15:10,100 --> 00:15:13,060 Can they shed light on what really happened 278 00:15:13,060 --> 00:15:15,490 right here back in 1902? 279 00:15:19,095 --> 00:15:21,675 (upbeat music) 280 00:15:24,550 --> 00:15:27,750 It's now been over 100 years since my great uncles 281 00:15:27,750 --> 00:15:30,250 Paddy and Jimmy Kenniff were convicted 282 00:15:30,250 --> 00:15:33,480 of the brutal double murder here in the remote 283 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:35,910 Carnarvon Ranges in central Queensland. 284 00:15:39,310 --> 00:15:43,730 So I've come here first of all to discover what happened 285 00:15:43,730 --> 00:15:48,060 but also to try and work out why a pair of cattle rustlers 286 00:15:48,060 --> 00:15:51,330 and horse thieves suddenly become the perpetrators 287 00:15:51,325 --> 00:15:54,885 of one of the grisliest crimes in Queensland history. 288 00:15:58,660 --> 00:16:01,760 We've begun a forensic search of the crime scene 289 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:05,920 based on information from an old hand drawn map. 290 00:16:08,270 --> 00:16:10,280 - So we know that Constable Millard arrived here 291 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:13,940 with a search party about four days after the shootings. 292 00:16:13,940 --> 00:16:16,370 And he testifies that he dug into a tree 293 00:16:16,370 --> 00:16:18,860 with his pocket knife and searched the ground around 294 00:16:18,860 --> 00:16:21,430 for bullets but he found nothing. 295 00:16:21,430 --> 00:16:23,820 But he didn't have the technology that we've got. 296 00:16:26,130 --> 00:16:29,090 Bob over there is using a Minelab metal detector 297 00:16:29,090 --> 00:16:32,390 that's one of our most powerful archeological tools. 298 00:16:32,392 --> 00:16:35,012 It's not only able to detect and identify 299 00:16:35,010 --> 00:16:36,840 different types of metal, 300 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,320 but it also tells us how deeply they are buried. 301 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:46,060 So the upshot is, if there's a bullet in that landscape, 302 00:16:46,060 --> 00:16:47,510 I reckon we're gonna find it. 303 00:16:49,580 --> 00:16:51,890 - [Mike] At the far end of Lethbridge's Pocket, 304 00:16:51,890 --> 00:16:55,430 the old map makes an intriguing reference. 305 00:16:55,430 --> 00:16:59,150 Old Kenniff was Paddy and Jimmy's father. 306 00:16:59,150 --> 00:17:02,560 The camp is where the three brothers and their father 307 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:05,290 were all living at the time of the murders. 308 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,040 And they would have always camped by rivers? 309 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:11,220 - [Kiera] Well they needed the water for cleaning 310 00:17:11,220 --> 00:17:13,450 and for cooking, and Paddy and Jim 311 00:17:13,450 --> 00:17:15,880 are kind of coming in and out, you know? 312 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:16,900 - [Mike] Cattle duffing and horse stealing. 313 00:17:16,898 --> 00:17:18,988 - [Kiera] That's it. 314 00:17:18,993 --> 00:17:20,673 - [Mike] They came from Tipperary. 315 00:17:20,670 --> 00:17:22,110 - [Kiera] Well if you came from Tipperary 316 00:17:22,110 --> 00:17:25,090 in the 19th century you basically came from the worst 317 00:17:25,090 --> 00:17:26,890 place in the whole of Ireland. 318 00:17:26,890 --> 00:17:29,240 It was about as bad as it gets. 319 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,460 If you were Roman Catholic you were tight kinships, 320 00:17:32,460 --> 00:17:34,750 you hated the authorities and you loved 321 00:17:34,750 --> 00:17:36,580 getting away with breaking the law 322 00:17:36,580 --> 00:17:38,290 - Yeah, well look going through our family, 323 00:17:38,290 --> 00:17:40,670 the Kenniffs who became Munros would always say 324 00:17:40,667 --> 00:17:42,567 "whatever you do you never dob on anyone, 325 00:17:42,567 --> 00:17:44,017 "you never ever dob on anyone 326 00:17:44,017 --> 00:17:48,447 "and certainly, above all, you'd never wanna be a copper." 327 00:17:50,750 --> 00:17:54,970 In 1897 Old Man Kenniff and his sons 328 00:17:54,970 --> 00:17:58,670 had leased a small property called Ralph Block, 329 00:17:58,670 --> 00:18:02,720 and began stealing and rebranding cattle and horses 330 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:04,630 from their much larger neighbors. 331 00:18:07,530 --> 00:18:09,530 In less than three years, 332 00:18:09,530 --> 00:18:11,820 they'd grabbed more than a thousand head. 333 00:18:12,690 --> 00:18:16,400 The owners of Carnarvon Station brought in Albert Dahlke 334 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:17,560 to put a stop to it. 335 00:18:18,529 --> 00:18:23,009 Then in 1899 under pressure from the big land holders, 336 00:18:23,010 --> 00:18:25,680 the authorities canceled the Kenniff's lease 337 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:26,620 and evicted them. 338 00:18:27,540 --> 00:18:29,880 Then came first the police, with the police station, 339 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:31,870 the portable police station, 340 00:18:31,870 --> 00:18:34,950 right on the site of the Kenniff's house. 341 00:18:34,950 --> 00:18:37,410 - For the Irish, they would have just been seeing red, 342 00:18:37,410 --> 00:18:39,340 fuming, bubbling. 343 00:18:39,340 --> 00:18:40,720 So they're chucked off Ralph Block, 344 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:43,010 the police station's there, Dahlke's after them 345 00:18:43,010 --> 00:18:44,900 and they're living here for a couple of years. 346 00:18:44,900 --> 00:18:46,740 Sleeping on what, a bed of leaves 347 00:18:46,740 --> 00:18:49,890 and under a bit of a canvas tarpaulin or something-- 348 00:18:49,889 --> 00:18:50,719 - Yeah, a hard life. 349 00:18:50,722 --> 00:18:52,382 - It's pretty bloody basic. 350 00:18:52,380 --> 00:18:55,410 This stage, I reckon, the Kenniffs are down here 351 00:18:55,410 --> 00:18:57,830 living in these desperate conditions, 352 00:18:57,830 --> 00:18:59,950 with their family, off their block, 353 00:18:59,950 --> 00:19:01,460 their options are shrinking, 354 00:19:01,460 --> 00:19:03,530 the world is kind of closing in, 355 00:19:03,530 --> 00:19:06,130 and the law is right on their tails. 356 00:19:06,133 --> 00:19:08,803 (ominous music) 357 00:19:14,380 --> 00:19:16,860 - It's exciting being in this country, 358 00:19:16,860 --> 00:19:20,440 and the longer I'm here the more connected I feel 359 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:22,240 to the stories it can tell. 360 00:19:24,070 --> 00:19:26,420 When the secret of the Kenniffs was first revealed 361 00:19:26,420 --> 00:19:28,080 to me by my dying father, 362 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:31,590 he fired me up about how the whole family 363 00:19:31,590 --> 00:19:33,920 could just disappear off the face of the earth. 364 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,230 He told me about a hide-out where they could 365 00:19:36,230 --> 00:19:38,370 just vanish into thin air when being 366 00:19:38,370 --> 00:19:40,250 hunted down by police. 367 00:19:40,250 --> 00:19:43,540 Well, I am standing right on top of it, 368 00:19:43,537 --> 00:19:45,417 and you can't see a thing. 369 00:19:48,730 --> 00:19:50,880 These days it's a restricted area, 370 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:53,610 out of bounds and closed to the public 371 00:19:53,610 --> 00:19:55,660 because of the danger of cave-ins. 372 00:19:57,310 --> 00:19:59,540 There it is, Kenniff cave. 373 00:20:03,940 --> 00:20:07,330 Not only a hide-out but a cave that leads 374 00:20:07,330 --> 00:20:11,790 to an underground system with multiple escape routes. 375 00:20:11,790 --> 00:20:14,690 When I was a young reporter, when my father told me, 376 00:20:14,690 --> 00:20:16,140 they were the hole in the wall gang, 377 00:20:16,140 --> 00:20:19,110 they were the gang that could escape from the police 378 00:20:19,110 --> 00:20:21,520 any time they liked because they had this almost 379 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:23,660 magical spot where they could disappear 380 00:20:24,510 --> 00:20:26,680 and no-one would ever find them. 381 00:20:26,679 --> 00:20:29,349 (ominous music) 382 00:20:35,079 --> 00:20:38,579 (metal detector bleeping) 383 00:20:40,948 --> 00:20:45,138 - [Bob] Yep, something down under here mate. 384 00:20:45,139 --> 00:20:48,849 (metal detector bleeping) 385 00:20:48,848 --> 00:20:50,938 - I think that might be it there mate. 386 00:20:50,940 --> 00:20:52,750 - Fence wire, the curse isn't it? 387 00:20:52,750 --> 00:20:54,450 - [Bob] Yeah it is. 388 00:20:54,450 --> 00:20:56,100 - [Adam] False alarm, never mind. 389 00:20:57,728 --> 00:21:00,728 - (inspiring music) 390 00:21:03,587 --> 00:21:06,037 - [Mike] Back in 1902, my great-uncles, 391 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:07,530 Paddy and Jimmy Kenniff, 392 00:21:07,530 --> 00:21:11,320 were condemned to death on the word of a single witness, 393 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:13,680 the police tracker Sam Johnson. 394 00:21:15,021 --> 00:21:18,121 - I think we need to test some aspects of his story. 395 00:21:18,120 --> 00:21:21,740 For instance his testimony about the gun shots, 396 00:21:21,740 --> 00:21:24,260 and specifically their loudness. 397 00:21:24,260 --> 00:21:27,240 'Cause he states that he's traveling back 398 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:30,040 to the handcuffs and he hears the first shot about here, 399 00:21:31,290 --> 00:21:33,580 and then when he's at the pack horses getting the handcuffs 400 00:21:33,580 --> 00:21:36,460 he hears four more, bang bang bang bang. 401 00:21:36,460 --> 00:21:40,470 And he swears blind that those shots, five in all, 402 00:21:40,465 --> 00:21:43,105 didn't come from Doyle's police issue 403 00:21:43,110 --> 00:21:46,980 service Webley revolver, that .442 revolver, 404 00:21:46,980 --> 00:21:49,000 but they came from the Kenniff's guns instead. 405 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:53,300 - You're not sure, even on the loudness of the shots? 406 00:21:53,300 --> 00:21:55,330 - I think this is something we can really test. 407 00:21:55,330 --> 00:21:57,710 We know the distance, 'cause the distance between 408 00:21:57,710 --> 00:22:00,040 where the shots were fired here at the murder scene 409 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:04,590 and where Sam Johnson claims he was is about 200 yards. 410 00:22:04,585 --> 00:22:07,065 What we'll do is, we'll set the distance 411 00:22:07,070 --> 00:22:10,330 and we'll use police ballistic analysis 412 00:22:10,330 --> 00:22:13,420 to measure the actual loudness of different weapons, 413 00:22:13,420 --> 00:22:15,500 of the Colt .45 for instance, 414 00:22:15,500 --> 00:22:19,850 or the Webley .442, and see if there is any difference. 415 00:22:19,847 --> 00:22:22,347 (guns firing) 416 00:22:25,140 --> 00:22:27,390 - [Mike] We're testing the different weapons 417 00:22:27,390 --> 00:22:31,730 with members of the Victoria Police Forensic Science team. 418 00:22:31,730 --> 00:22:34,980 Roger is working with their ballistics unit. 419 00:22:35,950 --> 00:22:38,830 We'll fire the three guns we believe 420 00:22:38,830 --> 00:22:40,640 were at the murder scene. 421 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,890 The Kenniff's Winchester .44 rifle, 422 00:22:43,890 --> 00:22:48,060 Constable Doyle's Webley .442 revolver, 423 00:22:48,062 --> 00:22:50,752 and the Kenniff's Colt .45. 424 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:55,520 And we're firing live ammunition under strict supervision. 425 00:22:57,030 --> 00:22:58,230 - Mike, can you hear me? 426 00:22:59,290 --> 00:23:02,740 - Yeah, Roger, we're up here with Paul and his device, 427 00:23:02,740 --> 00:23:03,770 all ready when you are. 428 00:23:03,770 --> 00:23:04,600 - So what we're gonna do is, 429 00:23:04,603 --> 00:23:06,563 we've got the three weapons here, 430 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:08,400 we're gonna fire three shots from each one 431 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:10,870 to see if you can pick a difference in the sound. 432 00:23:12,130 --> 00:23:15,140 (gun firing) 433 00:23:15,143 --> 00:23:17,243 (gun firing) 434 00:23:17,236 --> 00:23:18,776 (gun firing) 435 00:23:18,780 --> 00:23:21,350 - So those three shots, what do they tell you at this stage? 436 00:23:21,350 --> 00:23:23,230 - There's good consistency between the levels 437 00:23:23,230 --> 00:23:24,570 of the three tests. 438 00:23:24,570 --> 00:23:26,650 - Okay Mike, the next one's Constable Doyle's Webley, 439 00:23:26,650 --> 00:23:27,480 the .442. 440 00:23:29,390 --> 00:23:32,140 - [Mike] The gun Sam Johnson said was not 441 00:23:32,140 --> 00:23:33,580 as loud as the others. 442 00:23:34,465 --> 00:23:36,105 (gun firing) 443 00:23:36,106 --> 00:23:38,406 (gun firing) 444 00:23:38,406 --> 00:23:39,496 (gun firing) 445 00:23:39,499 --> 00:23:41,159 Yeah that sounded a little bit softer 446 00:23:41,163 --> 00:23:43,513 than the Winchester to my naked ear 447 00:23:43,507 --> 00:23:46,637 but really they sound very similar. 448 00:23:46,638 --> 00:23:48,578 (gun firing) 449 00:23:48,579 --> 00:23:50,429 (gun firing) 450 00:23:50,427 --> 00:23:52,487 (gun firing) 451 00:23:52,487 --> 00:23:54,287 - That's it Mike, that was the Colt's, 452 00:23:54,290 --> 00:23:56,390 I'm coming up to see what the results are. 453 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:00,380 Well, it was pretty loud down there 454 00:24:00,380 --> 00:24:02,000 so what've you got here? 455 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:03,840 - [Paul] The Winchester was the loudest, 456 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:06,180 averaging about 89dB, 457 00:24:06,180 --> 00:24:08,930 the Webley was then the second loudest 458 00:24:08,930 --> 00:24:11,730 being around about 86, 459 00:24:11,730 --> 00:24:16,730 and the quietest was the Colt averaging around about 82dB. 460 00:24:16,770 --> 00:24:17,870 - The Winchester and the Webley 461 00:24:17,870 --> 00:24:18,990 are pretty similar aren't they? 462 00:24:18,993 --> 00:24:20,303 - They are, they're quite similar. 463 00:24:20,300 --> 00:24:21,240 - Yeah, yeah. 464 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,360 - Which means that when Sam Johnson gave evidence 465 00:24:25,360 --> 00:24:28,370 saying that the Kenniff gun or guns were the loudest 466 00:24:28,365 --> 00:24:33,365 he was either mistaken or didn't hear correctly or-- 467 00:24:33,570 --> 00:24:34,400 - Was lying. 468 00:24:34,403 --> 00:24:35,243 - Or was lying. 469 00:24:35,236 --> 00:24:36,066 - Yeah. 470 00:24:36,069 --> 00:24:38,479 - Because the Webley, the police issue Webley, 471 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:40,910 is certainly the second loudest weapon. 472 00:24:40,910 --> 00:24:43,270 - And, really just behind the Winchester 473 00:24:43,270 --> 00:24:45,330 so I don't think you could really 474 00:24:45,330 --> 00:24:46,440 differentiate between them. 475 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:50,200 - There's not only doubt but certainly no reasonable doubt. 476 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:52,270 - You know in a modern court of law, 477 00:24:52,270 --> 00:24:54,730 this just could not be accepted as evidence, 478 00:24:56,130 --> 00:24:57,850 the sad thing really is that back in 1902 479 00:24:57,853 --> 00:25:01,003 that not only was it accepted, and admitted, 480 00:25:00,997 --> 00:25:03,247 but it helped send a man to the gallows. 481 00:25:03,248 --> 00:25:05,918 (intense music) 482 00:25:09,370 --> 00:25:11,110 - [Mike] I've come to meet with barrister 483 00:25:11,110 --> 00:25:13,310 Anthony Morris QC. 484 00:25:13,310 --> 00:25:17,330 His fascination with this case spans two decades, 485 00:25:17,330 --> 00:25:22,150 and he's published a detailed study of the Kenniff's trial. 486 00:25:22,150 --> 00:25:25,720 - I believe that Sam was giving sincere evidence, 487 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:27,600 but I think he was mistaken. 488 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:32,010 And, you can understand, he was in a very awkward position. 489 00:25:32,010 --> 00:25:35,330 Remember Mike, this is probably the first case 490 00:25:35,330 --> 00:25:38,300 in the history of English law where an indigenous 491 00:25:38,300 --> 00:25:43,300 man's evidence has sent two white men to the death penalty. 492 00:25:43,420 --> 00:25:45,220 That's pretty serious stuff. 493 00:25:45,220 --> 00:25:48,800 The testimony he gave was of these horses 494 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:50,920 galloping towards him. 495 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:53,810 Poor old Sam Johnson had a broken down old nag 496 00:25:53,810 --> 00:25:55,080 from the police yard, 497 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:57,780 and yet according to his version he managed 498 00:25:57,780 --> 00:26:00,700 to escape from these first rate horsemen 499 00:26:00,700 --> 00:26:03,110 and beat them all the way back to Mitchell 500 00:26:03,110 --> 00:26:04,320 and it just doesn't make sense. 501 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:06,510 It would make a lot more sense that he heard 502 00:26:06,510 --> 00:26:10,710 some shots fired, turn tailed and scarpered 503 00:26:10,710 --> 00:26:13,070 as soon as he could get out of there. 504 00:26:13,070 --> 00:26:14,410 That doesn't mean Sam was lying, 505 00:26:14,410 --> 00:26:17,570 it just means that he'd convinced himself of something 506 00:26:17,570 --> 00:26:21,140 that we know cannot be true. 507 00:26:21,136 --> 00:26:25,416 (metal detector bleeping) 508 00:26:25,417 --> 00:26:26,437 - [Bob] Well there's a target there. 509 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:27,450 - [Adam] Yeah. 510 00:26:27,450 --> 00:26:29,200 - [Bob] All right, let's dig it up and have a look. 511 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,000 - [Adam] Mike, can you come over here a bit, 512 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:32,130 I've got something. 513 00:26:32,130 --> 00:26:34,020 - [Bob] In here mate, put it here. 514 00:26:34,020 --> 00:26:36,260 - I think we're on the money here Bob. 515 00:26:36,255 --> 00:26:37,635 - What've you got? 516 00:26:37,641 --> 00:26:39,871 - [Adam] I've got something I thought you might wanna see. 517 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:43,120 Look what we've just found. 518 00:26:43,120 --> 00:26:44,750 - [Mike] So it's a cartridge. 519 00:26:44,750 --> 00:26:46,980 - [Adam] And do you see the size of it? 520 00:26:46,977 --> 00:26:47,807 - [Mike] .44? 521 00:26:48,710 --> 00:26:50,840 - You know, look I've just found it so I can't be sure 522 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:53,900 at this stage but if you look at the distance 523 00:26:53,900 --> 00:26:56,850 from that peg where we know the incident occurred, 524 00:26:56,850 --> 00:27:01,850 this cartridge fits the caliber, it fits the weaponry 525 00:27:02,100 --> 00:27:03,730 that we know that was here. 526 00:27:03,730 --> 00:27:04,780 It's old. 527 00:27:04,780 --> 00:27:07,410 I think that we've got, for the first time, 528 00:27:07,410 --> 00:27:09,680 physical evidence of this event. 529 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:13,160 - This could be either from Doyle's Webley, 530 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:15,290 is it a pistol, or a Winchester? 531 00:27:15,290 --> 00:27:16,430 - It's more likely to be a pistol 532 00:27:16,430 --> 00:27:17,930 so it could be from Doyle's Webley. 533 00:27:17,930 --> 00:27:19,230 - This could mean that Constable Doyle 534 00:27:19,230 --> 00:27:20,670 actually fired off a shot. 535 00:27:20,670 --> 00:27:23,020 - It could be, or the gun was taken from him. 536 00:27:23,020 --> 00:27:25,800 - I know we're only speculating but you know-- 537 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:26,640 - But look at the age as well-- 538 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:27,730 - [Mike] Too many coincidences. 539 00:27:27,730 --> 00:27:28,900 - I think we're on the money. 540 00:27:28,900 --> 00:27:31,370 - And maybe the last person to have held this 541 00:27:31,370 --> 00:27:33,530 was either Constable Doyle or one of the Kenniffs. 542 00:27:33,533 --> 00:27:34,653 - [Adam] - Yeah. 543 00:27:34,650 --> 00:27:36,610 - Unbelievable, I never thought we'd find 544 00:27:36,610 --> 00:27:37,590 something like this. 545 00:27:37,590 --> 00:27:38,430 I'm blown away. 546 00:27:40,850 --> 00:27:42,950 Where do we go from here, what do we do with this? 547 00:27:42,950 --> 00:27:44,510 - Initially we've got to do the archeology, 548 00:27:44,510 --> 00:27:46,340 we've gotta bag it, we've gotta tag it, 549 00:27:46,340 --> 00:27:49,100 and get it to someone who knows a lot more than I do. 550 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:53,650 We've really got to try and find out whether we can 551 00:27:53,650 --> 00:27:56,780 link that cartridge to Constable Doyle's weapon. 552 00:27:56,780 --> 00:28:00,000 If we can do that, then it's a completely different event. 553 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:03,800 - [Mike] This story is becoming more mysterious 554 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:05,340 than I'd ever imagined. 555 00:28:05,337 --> 00:28:06,497 (gun firing) 556 00:28:06,500 --> 00:28:10,120 So can we get any closer to finding out 557 00:28:10,120 --> 00:28:11,730 who fired the fatal shots? 558 00:28:12,740 --> 00:28:13,850 (gun firing) 559 00:28:13,847 --> 00:28:16,507 (ominous music) 560 00:28:24,458 --> 00:28:26,458 Over 100 years ago my great-uncles 561 00:28:26,460 --> 00:28:28,410 Paddy and Jimmy Kenniff were convicted 562 00:28:28,410 --> 00:28:30,760 of a brutal double murder, 563 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:33,160 and some of the grisly remains of the bodies 564 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:37,160 were found right here at a place today known 565 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:39,380 as the incineration site. 566 00:28:39,380 --> 00:28:41,260 They claimed they didn't do it, 567 00:28:42,230 --> 00:28:44,870 and while I've always believed a Kenniff 568 00:28:44,870 --> 00:28:46,520 must've been the murderer, 569 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:50,660 I've always wondered whether Paddy was the real killer. 570 00:28:50,660 --> 00:28:53,660 But as we've traveled through this investigation, 571 00:28:53,660 --> 00:28:55,870 quite frankly I'm having doubts, 572 00:28:55,870 --> 00:28:59,190 because more and more things just don't add up. 573 00:29:07,380 --> 00:29:10,130 I've come to meet someone with a powerful connection 574 00:29:10,130 --> 00:29:12,170 to this whole story. 575 00:29:12,170 --> 00:29:15,670 Bill Lawton is an elder of the local Bidjara people, 576 00:29:15,670 --> 00:29:19,420 who's grandfather often rode with the Kenniffs. 577 00:29:19,420 --> 00:29:21,460 Bill has been holding onto a secret 578 00:29:21,460 --> 00:29:25,580 he wants to share with me for the very first time. 579 00:29:25,580 --> 00:29:28,520 A secret that his father told him. 580 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:32,240 - So he often told me that they hung the wrong bloke, 581 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:33,460 he's often said that. 582 00:29:33,460 --> 00:29:36,030 - And who did he think did the murders? 583 00:29:36,030 --> 00:29:39,480 - The elder fellow and Thomas. 584 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:40,480 - Tom and the old man? 585 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:41,410 - Tom and the old man. 586 00:29:41,407 --> 00:29:42,297 - Tom and the old man too. - Yeah. 587 00:29:42,300 --> 00:29:43,920 Paddy had nothing to do with it. 588 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:44,760 Dad said that. 589 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:46,450 - He said that? - Yeah. 590 00:29:46,450 --> 00:29:49,260 Paddy was innocent in every direction. 591 00:29:49,260 --> 00:29:50,520 - Wasn't even at the shooting? 592 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:53,920 - No, he was framed. 593 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:58,570 - So you're saying that old man Jimmy Kenniff 594 00:29:58,570 --> 00:30:03,560 let his eldest son go to the gallows and hang 595 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:05,730 for something that he-- 596 00:30:05,730 --> 00:30:06,770 - Yeah 597 00:30:06,770 --> 00:30:08,520 - and another of his sons did. 598 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:09,750 - Now you're getting the picture. 599 00:30:09,750 --> 00:30:10,770 - Now I'm getting the picture. 600 00:30:10,770 --> 00:30:11,600 - Now. 601 00:30:11,603 --> 00:30:13,143 - Am I what, am I what? 602 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:19,160 - The truth needs to be told doesn't it, eh? 603 00:30:19,157 --> 00:30:24,157 And if my dad knew the truth why not bring it out? 604 00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:26,020 - I mean that puts a whole different slant 605 00:30:26,020 --> 00:30:28,210 on the entire trial and ending. 606 00:30:28,211 --> 00:30:29,041 - Yeah. 607 00:30:31,344 --> 00:30:33,354 Yeah well, as Paddy said, 608 00:30:33,347 --> 00:30:35,557 "you're hanging an innocent man aren't ya?" 609 00:30:36,490 --> 00:30:39,170 - I can understand Paddy protecting his father, 610 00:30:39,171 --> 00:30:40,841 I can understand Paddy protecting his-- 611 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:42,930 - Younger brother, not his father 612 00:30:42,930 --> 00:30:44,870 because his father, you know, 613 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:48,410 in any way he'd think 614 00:30:48,410 --> 00:30:49,700 that he'd done him wrong wouldn't he? 615 00:30:49,700 --> 00:30:52,610 - But I think a lot of sons would probably, you know, 616 00:30:52,610 --> 00:30:56,410 in that blind Irish loyalty, 617 00:30:56,410 --> 00:30:59,080 probably go to the gallows protecting certainly 618 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:01,160 his younger brother and probably his father. 619 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:03,870 What I can't understand is the father 620 00:31:03,870 --> 00:31:05,490 standing by... 621 00:31:05,490 --> 00:31:06,320 - And let this happen. 622 00:31:06,323 --> 00:31:08,673 - And let it happen. That's right, absolutely. 623 00:31:08,670 --> 00:31:10,500 You can't understand it and can't condone it. 624 00:31:10,500 --> 00:31:11,330 - That's right. 625 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:20,040 (melancholy music). 626 00:31:22,140 --> 00:31:24,370 - [Mike] It's been an astonishing day. 627 00:31:24,370 --> 00:31:28,560 I never expected we'd run into so many twists and turns. 628 00:31:30,538 --> 00:31:32,638 - The other thing that's been playing on my mind 629 00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:35,730 the whole time is the brutality, 630 00:31:35,730 --> 00:31:38,880 the method they took to dispose of the bodies. 631 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:41,280 Just look around you, just look at this landscape, 632 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:42,450 there's any number of places 633 00:31:42,450 --> 00:31:44,610 where you could get rid of bodies. 634 00:31:44,610 --> 00:31:47,470 - Yeah that's always been the big question mark, 635 00:31:47,470 --> 00:31:52,470 that jump from cattle rustling to horse thieving 636 00:31:52,740 --> 00:31:56,940 to murdering and cutting up and burning bodies. 637 00:31:58,120 --> 00:32:01,310 - Personally I've never come across anything like this. 638 00:32:01,311 --> 00:32:04,191 - A) I don't know why or who would have done it, 639 00:32:04,190 --> 00:32:07,040 and secondly how the hell you'd do it in the first place? 640 00:32:09,110 --> 00:32:11,860 (powerful music) 641 00:32:23,100 --> 00:32:26,110 - The horrific claim that the Kenniff's mutilated 642 00:32:26,110 --> 00:32:29,430 the bodies of Doyle and Dahlke before burning them 643 00:32:29,430 --> 00:32:31,810 has haunted this story from the start. 644 00:32:33,917 --> 00:32:37,227 But it is something we can now investigate. 645 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:39,920 So what are we doing here? 646 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:42,430 - What I've got here is I've got two pig carcasses, 647 00:32:42,430 --> 00:32:43,800 we got them from an abbatoir 648 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:46,390 and we wanna use them as substitutes for human bodies 649 00:32:46,390 --> 00:32:48,620 and that's what we're doing in medical science, 650 00:32:48,620 --> 00:32:50,580 we use pigs to give us answers. 651 00:32:50,580 --> 00:32:53,130 And I'm going to cut it into small pieces, 652 00:32:53,130 --> 00:32:54,260 I'm dismembering it, 653 00:32:54,257 --> 00:32:55,707 and we're gonna put it on the fire 654 00:32:55,710 --> 00:32:57,750 and see how quickly that burns. 655 00:32:57,750 --> 00:32:59,460 And then we've got a whole pig over here 656 00:32:59,460 --> 00:33:01,530 that we've wrapped in material like the clothing 657 00:33:01,530 --> 00:33:04,120 that they were wearing to see how much more slowly 658 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:06,340 that will burn. 659 00:33:06,340 --> 00:33:09,020 - [Mike] Roger is comparing the two carcasses 660 00:33:09,020 --> 00:33:11,610 to see if it's more likely that the bodies 661 00:33:11,610 --> 00:33:16,130 of the men were burned whole or if they were cut up 662 00:33:16,130 --> 00:33:17,580 and burned in pieces. 663 00:33:19,790 --> 00:33:21,240 - It's difficult to imagine people doing this 664 00:33:21,241 --> 00:33:23,471 to animals let alone humans. 665 00:33:24,910 --> 00:33:26,310 They knew these men as well. 666 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:32,960 It's very very ghoulish, and it's out of character 667 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:37,370 and it's just a horrible thing to do. 668 00:33:37,370 --> 00:33:40,040 (ominous music) 669 00:34:01,050 --> 00:34:03,500 - This stuff about the fires is absolutely 670 00:34:03,500 --> 00:34:05,850 gruesome and chilling. 671 00:34:05,851 --> 00:34:09,511 All sorts of rumors are in circulation at this time. 672 00:34:10,370 --> 00:34:12,260 Even the Gympie Times has got a story 673 00:34:12,260 --> 00:34:13,840 about Old Man Kenniff, 674 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:17,160 who apparently had been boasting that he had also 675 00:34:17,160 --> 00:34:22,060 poured lead or shot down the Aboriginal person's throat. 676 00:34:22,060 --> 00:34:25,620 And then burned the body after he'd murdered him. 677 00:34:25,620 --> 00:34:28,610 But this definitely the most incriminating. 678 00:34:28,610 --> 00:34:32,140 This is George Parker, aka 'The Snob'. 679 00:34:32,140 --> 00:34:36,090 He was in jail with both Jimmy and Pat 680 00:34:36,090 --> 00:34:38,310 in St Helena in 1896. 681 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:43,850 'The Snob' boasted that he had killed his mate 682 00:34:43,850 --> 00:34:45,380 and then burned him, 683 00:34:45,380 --> 00:34:49,120 and because they couldn't identify the corpse 684 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:51,860 he was acquitted of this murder. 685 00:34:51,860 --> 00:34:54,760 And it seems that the newspapers are suggesting 686 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:56,880 that the Kenniffs picked up this technique 687 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:59,030 and used it in this case. 688 00:34:59,030 --> 00:35:01,780 (powerful music) 689 00:35:05,870 --> 00:35:08,540 (fire crackles) 690 00:35:08,540 --> 00:35:12,320 - So Rachel, as a fire investigator with Victoria Police, 691 00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:14,020 what do you make of this experiment? 692 00:35:14,020 --> 00:35:17,500 - Well basically the experiment is a way of demonstrating 693 00:35:17,500 --> 00:35:19,290 that bodies will be consumed by fire 694 00:35:19,290 --> 00:35:20,520 and can be consumed by fire. 695 00:35:20,520 --> 00:35:23,990 You know bodies will burn at 800 to 1000 degrees, 696 00:35:23,990 --> 00:35:26,840 and you can have a body burn within an hour or so 697 00:35:26,840 --> 00:35:28,030 at those sort of temperatures. 698 00:35:28,030 --> 00:35:29,290 - And what do you think the temperature 699 00:35:29,290 --> 00:35:30,850 would be in that fire? 700 00:35:30,850 --> 00:35:33,570 - Just a normal camp fire can get up to 600 degrees, 701 00:35:33,570 --> 00:35:35,820 a bonfire can get over 1000 degrees, 702 00:35:35,820 --> 00:35:38,790 this because it's like the Lethbridge Pocket fire, 703 00:35:38,790 --> 00:35:41,470 because it's on a cement rock base 704 00:35:41,470 --> 00:35:43,490 is radiating a tremendous amount of heat, 705 00:35:43,490 --> 00:35:45,430 and it's so hot that when you go near it 706 00:35:45,430 --> 00:35:46,750 you actually get a heat rash, 707 00:35:46,748 --> 00:35:47,758 you know, you can't stand by it, 708 00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:50,320 so I would say it's over 1000 degrees. 709 00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:52,970 - [Mike] So Roger, can we compare the two pigs? 710 00:35:52,970 --> 00:35:54,870 - Yeah, if you look at this it's actually answered 711 00:35:54,870 --> 00:35:56,890 the question that we asked this morning. 712 00:35:56,890 --> 00:35:59,050 We've got the carcass over here and we've got 713 00:35:59,050 --> 00:36:02,460 the dismembered pigs here, or bits of pig here. 714 00:36:02,460 --> 00:36:04,220 What we have here is a shoulder blade 715 00:36:04,220 --> 00:36:07,200 and the humerus or upper arm bone. 716 00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:08,350 The important point I think, 717 00:36:08,350 --> 00:36:10,320 is that there's no flesh at all. 718 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:11,970 - And that's after almost five hours. 719 00:36:11,970 --> 00:36:13,150 - That's right, yeah. 720 00:36:13,150 --> 00:36:16,310 Whereas we go over here to the actual carcass, 721 00:36:16,310 --> 00:36:18,690 pretty much intact on that side, pretty well cooked 722 00:36:18,690 --> 00:36:21,230 and you've got the bones that are breaking down here. 723 00:36:21,230 --> 00:36:23,260 I think what this tells us is that the bodies 724 00:36:23,260 --> 00:36:25,550 were put on the fire whole, like this, 725 00:36:25,551 --> 00:36:27,161 they couldn't have been put on like that 726 00:36:27,160 --> 00:36:29,530 because they would have disintegrated and disappeared. 727 00:36:29,532 --> 00:36:31,652 (ominous music) 728 00:36:31,651 --> 00:36:34,741 (rock thuds) 729 00:36:34,740 --> 00:36:37,400 They looked as if they had been burned whole 730 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:40,850 taken off the fire and then broken up with the rock 731 00:36:40,850 --> 00:36:42,450 that they found at the scene. 732 00:36:42,450 --> 00:36:45,390 Prosecution were painting these men as ghouls, 733 00:36:45,390 --> 00:36:48,620 who cut up the bodies, the lifeless bodies 734 00:36:48,620 --> 00:36:50,210 of these men that they'd murdered, 735 00:36:50,210 --> 00:36:51,890 and of course the reason they're doing that 736 00:36:51,890 --> 00:36:53,530 is because they want to say to the jury 737 00:36:53,527 --> 00:36:55,487 "if they're capable of cutting up bodies 738 00:36:55,494 --> 00:36:57,064 "they're capable of anything." 739 00:36:57,064 --> 00:36:58,064 - Well, they were certainly desperate 740 00:36:58,060 --> 00:36:59,390 and obviously capable of this. 741 00:36:59,390 --> 00:37:00,960 One of them, or two of them were, 742 00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:03,300 we're not quite sure exactly who, 743 00:37:03,300 --> 00:37:05,120 but a Kenniff or two Kenniffs 744 00:37:05,120 --> 00:37:07,220 were certainly capable of this. 745 00:37:07,224 --> 00:37:10,154 (creepy music) 746 00:37:10,154 --> 00:37:12,994 (fire whooshing). 747 00:37:17,824 --> 00:37:20,414 (upbeat music) 748 00:37:23,494 --> 00:37:26,124 - It's been several weeks since we discovered 749 00:37:26,120 --> 00:37:30,200 the cartridge at the kill site in the Carnarvon Ranges. 750 00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:31,530 Ballistics experts here 751 00:37:31,530 --> 00:37:35,840 at the Victoria Police Forensic Center have examined, 752 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:37,920 and the results are in. 753 00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:39,100 Hey, Alan, how are you? 754 00:37:39,100 --> 00:37:41,270 - [Adam] So Alan I sent you this cartridge 755 00:37:41,270 --> 00:37:43,150 in a kind of a bit of a filthy state, 756 00:37:43,150 --> 00:37:44,480 what have you been able to do with it? 757 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:46,210 - Since it's been cleaned it provides 758 00:37:46,214 --> 00:37:49,044 the extra information and includes 759 00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:50,540 the brand and the caliber. 760 00:37:50,540 --> 00:37:53,900 So the WRA code represents 761 00:37:53,900 --> 00:37:55,720 the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, 762 00:37:55,717 --> 00:37:59,467 and with the caliber the .44 and the WCF 763 00:37:59,470 --> 00:38:02,480 is of course Winchester Center Fire. 764 00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:04,430 - [Mike] The headstamp markings, 765 00:38:04,430 --> 00:38:06,570 the condition of the cartridge 766 00:38:06,570 --> 00:38:09,290 and the depth at which it was found 767 00:38:09,290 --> 00:38:12,610 all place it at the time of the shootings. 768 00:38:12,610 --> 00:38:15,380 - Could that have come from Doyle's Webley? 769 00:38:15,380 --> 00:38:16,210 - No. 770 00:38:16,213 --> 00:38:17,083 - [Adam] Oh. 771 00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:20,950 - No, Webley revolver fires a shorter cartridge. 772 00:38:20,953 --> 00:38:21,793 - [Adam] - Yep. 773 00:38:21,786 --> 00:38:25,766 - [Alan] and the Colt fires the longer .44 Winchester 774 00:38:25,770 --> 00:38:26,870 Center Fire cartridge. 775 00:38:26,870 --> 00:38:28,640 - [Adam] Oh, well that's pretty clear. 776 00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:31,520 So this is from the Webley .442. 777 00:38:31,517 --> 00:38:32,507 - [Alan] It is. 778 00:38:32,510 --> 00:38:35,500 - [Adam] and this the type of cartridge that we've got here. 779 00:38:35,495 --> 00:38:36,325 - [Alan] It is, yes. 780 00:38:36,328 --> 00:38:37,888 - [Adam] Well there's no way it's gonna fit. 781 00:38:40,500 --> 00:38:44,240 - [Mike] So if this cartridge was involved in the murders, 782 00:38:44,240 --> 00:38:47,730 it could only have come from a Kenniff gun. 783 00:38:48,630 --> 00:38:51,410 - So we know they had Winchester repeating rifles, 784 00:38:51,410 --> 00:38:53,900 would it have fitted into their rifle? 785 00:38:53,900 --> 00:38:54,730 - It would. 786 00:38:55,720 --> 00:38:57,520 - [Adam] So we always knew that the Kenniffs 787 00:38:57,520 --> 00:39:01,200 had Colt revolvers but we didn't know what type, did we? 788 00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:03,950 - No, the .44 or the .45, we weren't sure. 789 00:39:03,950 --> 00:39:06,090 - And we kind of assumed because they're the most 790 00:39:06,090 --> 00:39:09,240 famous that it was a Colt .45, 791 00:39:09,236 --> 00:39:11,066 (gun firing) 792 00:39:11,070 --> 00:39:12,800 but they also made the Colt .44, 793 00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:15,970 would that cartridge have fitted into the Colt .44, 794 00:39:15,967 --> 00:39:17,357 the revolver? 795 00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:18,460 - It does yes. 796 00:39:18,460 --> 00:39:19,840 - Well that makes more sense doesn't it? 797 00:39:19,840 --> 00:39:20,840 - Well yeah. - They'd only have to 798 00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:23,160 carry one type of ammunition 'cause it would fit 799 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:24,710 both the guns the Kenniffs had. 800 00:39:26,093 --> 00:39:28,743 (gun firing) 801 00:39:28,740 --> 00:39:30,040 - So what you guys are saying, 802 00:39:30,040 --> 00:39:32,210 this could be one of the cartridges 803 00:39:32,210 --> 00:39:34,560 that may have killed Constable Doyle 804 00:39:34,560 --> 00:39:36,040 or Albert Dahlke, 805 00:39:36,040 --> 00:39:40,240 fired by one of the Kenniffs. 806 00:39:40,240 --> 00:39:43,030 It's laid there for 115 years. 807 00:39:45,380 --> 00:39:47,600 - [Adam] In the middle of nowhere in a paddock, 808 00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:48,670 and we've found it-- 809 00:39:48,666 --> 00:39:50,296 - [Mike] Unbelievable. 810 00:39:50,300 --> 00:39:51,920 Just fantastic. 811 00:39:51,920 --> 00:39:52,790 - See this is brilliant, 812 00:39:52,790 --> 00:39:54,320 this is what I love about archeology, 813 00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:56,040 there's this find that's no bigger 814 00:39:56,040 --> 00:39:57,400 than the end of your finger 815 00:39:57,400 --> 00:39:58,800 that we've found in the middle of nowhere 816 00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:03,800 and yet it provides a direct link to this terrible event 817 00:40:04,630 --> 00:40:06,410 which results in the death of these two guys 818 00:40:06,410 --> 00:40:09,590 including a police officer in the line of duty. 819 00:40:11,870 --> 00:40:14,610 - This is unbelievable, this is an amazing find, 820 00:40:14,610 --> 00:40:15,670 just incredible. 821 00:40:16,580 --> 00:40:17,580 Gives me goosebumps. 822 00:40:19,120 --> 00:40:22,700 I had no doubt that one of my bush ranging ancestors 823 00:40:22,700 --> 00:40:26,850 fired the fatal shots that killed Doyle and Dahlke. 824 00:40:26,850 --> 00:40:29,200 But which one of my relatives? 825 00:40:29,200 --> 00:40:33,640 And I really want to know if the right man was hanged. 826 00:40:33,635 --> 00:40:36,465 (inspiring music) 827 00:40:56,880 --> 00:41:00,500 The trial of my great-uncles, Patrick and Jimmy Kenniff, 828 00:41:00,500 --> 00:41:02,480 was a Queensland sensation. 829 00:41:03,830 --> 00:41:07,200 Arguments raged right up until the last minute 830 00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:09,230 of the six day trial, 831 00:41:09,230 --> 00:41:12,180 and opinions were and still are today 832 00:41:12,180 --> 00:41:14,730 just as divided as to their guilt. 833 00:41:21,410 --> 00:41:25,670 - This copy here of The Truth from November 9th 1902 834 00:41:25,670 --> 00:41:28,180 is the only pictorial record we've got 835 00:41:28,180 --> 00:41:29,220 of the whole trial, 836 00:41:29,220 --> 00:41:31,130 and it's an absolute corker. 837 00:41:31,130 --> 00:41:34,410 You've got images of all the main characters 838 00:41:34,410 --> 00:41:35,930 in the theatrical drama. 839 00:41:35,930 --> 00:41:38,780 You've got the Kenniff boys looking very criminalized 840 00:41:38,780 --> 00:41:42,180 with their swarthy unshaved faces. 841 00:41:42,180 --> 00:41:44,710 It's all here, you've got Sam Johnson, 842 00:41:44,710 --> 00:41:48,800 Tom Kenniff, and Old Man Kenniff as well. 843 00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:50,900 And it really makes it clear in the newspapers 844 00:41:50,900 --> 00:41:53,850 that there are lots of people gathering around, 845 00:41:53,850 --> 00:41:56,930 waiting outside the court to find out what happened. 846 00:41:58,150 --> 00:42:00,970 There were public protests, there were mass petitions, 847 00:42:00,970 --> 00:42:03,410 there were all sorts of events. 848 00:42:03,410 --> 00:42:06,670 And whether it was due to this public pressure or not, 849 00:42:06,670 --> 00:42:09,550 Jimmy Kenniff's death sentence was commuted 850 00:42:09,550 --> 00:42:11,420 to life imprisonment. 851 00:42:15,070 --> 00:42:19,590 However the appeals made on Patrick's behalf all failed. 852 00:42:22,465 --> 00:42:25,125 (rope snapping) 853 00:42:27,633 --> 00:42:30,303 (ominous music) 854 00:42:38,633 --> 00:42:41,213 - When I first started this journey 855 00:42:41,210 --> 00:42:44,780 there were two major questions I wanted to try and answer. 856 00:42:44,780 --> 00:42:47,480 Did my great-uncles murder a policeman 857 00:42:47,480 --> 00:42:48,930 and a station manager, 858 00:42:48,930 --> 00:42:52,260 and did Paddy deserve to hang? 859 00:42:52,260 --> 00:42:54,960 Well now, it's time to ask the "Lawless" team 860 00:42:54,960 --> 00:42:55,900 for some answers. 861 00:42:57,094 --> 00:42:58,444 So what have you got for me? 862 00:42:59,352 --> 00:43:00,692 Well, I think with a crime like this 863 00:43:00,690 --> 00:43:01,560 you've gotta look at three things, 864 00:43:01,560 --> 00:43:03,060 you've gotta look at the means, 865 00:43:03,060 --> 00:43:05,040 the motive and the opportunity. 866 00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:07,670 So for means, what about the weapons? 867 00:43:07,670 --> 00:43:09,400 - Well yeah the evidence on the ground 868 00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:10,750 does seem to match the story 869 00:43:10,750 --> 00:43:14,010 because we found a cartridge that's identical 870 00:43:14,010 --> 00:43:16,040 to the weapons that we know the Kenniffs had. 871 00:43:16,040 --> 00:43:17,110 - A Winchester .44. 872 00:43:17,110 --> 00:43:17,940 - That's right. 873 00:43:17,943 --> 00:43:19,583 - And there was certainly motive, 874 00:43:19,580 --> 00:43:21,170 and there was certainly no love lost between the police 875 00:43:21,170 --> 00:43:24,050 because they'd actually knocked down the Kenniff house 876 00:43:24,050 --> 00:43:26,170 and built a police station on top of it. 877 00:43:26,170 --> 00:43:27,720 - And they had the opportunity, 878 00:43:27,720 --> 00:43:30,070 so we know that the Kenniff brothers must have been there 879 00:43:30,070 --> 00:43:32,580 because Doyle and Dahlke run them down, 880 00:43:32,580 --> 00:43:35,110 and they had Jimmy under arrest. 881 00:43:35,106 --> 00:43:37,856 (menacing music) 882 00:43:44,070 --> 00:43:46,310 - [Mike] We know when Sam Johnson went to get 883 00:43:46,310 --> 00:43:49,310 the handcuffs he heard gun shots, 884 00:43:49,310 --> 00:43:51,020 but he didn't see anything. 885 00:43:52,070 --> 00:43:56,060 So we'll never know who actually fired the fatal shots 886 00:43:56,060 --> 00:43:57,660 that killed Doyle and Dahlke. 887 00:43:59,410 --> 00:44:00,850 It could have been Patrick, 888 00:44:02,420 --> 00:44:03,870 it could have been Jimmy, 889 00:44:05,420 --> 00:44:07,980 or as Indigenous elder Bill Lawton said, 890 00:44:07,980 --> 00:44:11,110 it could have been their younger brother Tom Kenniff, 891 00:44:14,030 --> 00:44:17,810 with Old Man Kenniff as the puppet master 892 00:44:17,810 --> 00:44:19,090 pulling the strings. 893 00:44:22,500 --> 00:44:24,380 - Well we know Sam escaped, 894 00:44:24,380 --> 00:44:26,240 he probably high-tailed it as soon as he heard 895 00:44:26,240 --> 00:44:27,940 the first shots fired. 896 00:44:27,940 --> 00:44:30,050 - And we also know that the Kenniffs probably burned 897 00:44:30,050 --> 00:44:32,090 the bodies whole and then for some reason 898 00:44:32,090 --> 00:44:33,840 stuffed them into saddle bags for the police 899 00:44:33,840 --> 00:44:34,940 to find them later on. 900 00:44:34,940 --> 00:44:37,380 - And look just on that note, let's not forget that both 901 00:44:37,380 --> 00:44:39,080 these men who were killed 902 00:44:39,080 --> 00:44:41,760 were both law-abiding decent citizens. 903 00:44:41,760 --> 00:44:45,370 And one of the Kenniffs, one of my relatives, 904 00:44:45,370 --> 00:44:46,200 killed them. 905 00:44:54,830 --> 00:44:57,420 I've always wondered if Paddy was the one who really did it, 906 00:44:57,420 --> 00:45:00,780 my family for 80 years have always believed 907 00:45:00,780 --> 00:45:01,840 that he didn't do it. 908 00:45:01,840 --> 00:45:03,740 He went to the gallows saying he didn't do it, 909 00:45:03,740 --> 00:45:04,860 but he would, wouldn't he? 910 00:45:04,860 --> 00:45:06,500 - Did Paddy deserve to hang? 911 00:45:06,500 --> 00:45:09,070 I mean his conviction was based on the testimony 912 00:45:09,070 --> 00:45:11,580 of Sam Johnson and that just today 913 00:45:11,580 --> 00:45:12,500 wouldn't hold up in court. 914 00:45:12,500 --> 00:45:13,330 - Not at all? 915 00:45:13,333 --> 00:45:14,453 - No, no it wouldn't. 916 00:45:14,450 --> 00:45:16,130 - And that was definitely the popular 917 00:45:16,130 --> 00:45:17,610 perception at the time. 918 00:45:17,610 --> 00:45:19,670 People had a very strong sense that the trial 919 00:45:19,670 --> 00:45:21,220 had been unjust, 920 00:45:21,220 --> 00:45:24,060 so you know, it is so very interesting 921 00:45:24,060 --> 00:45:27,640 that that strong public feeling against this execution, 922 00:45:27,640 --> 00:45:29,900 ultimately within a couple of decades, 923 00:45:29,900 --> 00:45:31,990 Queensland becomes the first territory 924 00:45:31,990 --> 00:45:34,880 in the whole of the British world 925 00:45:34,880 --> 00:45:36,350 to abolish the death sentence. 926 00:45:36,353 --> 00:45:38,983 This is a powerful statement for a society 927 00:45:38,980 --> 00:45:41,690 that was known as a wild frontier society, 928 00:45:41,690 --> 00:45:44,230 it becomes in many ways the most civil 929 00:45:44,230 --> 00:45:46,240 of civil societies just from this moment. 930 00:45:46,240 --> 00:45:49,570 And your ancestor played a role in that. 931 00:45:49,570 --> 00:45:50,400 - What a legacy. 932 00:45:53,880 --> 00:45:55,850 After learning everything I have, 933 00:45:55,850 --> 00:45:57,450 I've come back to Brisbane 934 00:45:57,450 --> 00:46:00,080 to make a couple of important stops. 935 00:46:00,080 --> 00:46:04,290 The first, is to the descendants of Constable George Doyle. 936 00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:08,660 We will never know who really fired the shots. 937 00:46:08,660 --> 00:46:11,230 From my point of view, I think that Paddy Kenniff 938 00:46:11,230 --> 00:46:12,580 probably didn't do it, 939 00:46:12,580 --> 00:46:17,260 and probably Paddy went to the gallows an innocent man. 940 00:46:18,950 --> 00:46:22,130 So, that's what I've come to tell you. 941 00:46:25,267 --> 00:46:29,307 - I'm not really 100% surprised, 942 00:46:29,307 --> 00:46:34,077 because of what dad used to say, 943 00:46:34,080 --> 00:46:38,700 that it was rumored that the father was involved in it, 944 00:46:38,697 --> 00:46:40,347 but there was no proof of it. 945 00:46:40,353 --> 00:46:41,653 - No proof. 946 00:46:41,650 --> 00:46:45,210 And look on behalf of my wayward family 947 00:46:45,210 --> 00:46:47,530 can I say to the decent and thoroughly 948 00:46:47,530 --> 00:46:49,940 law-abiding Doyle family, 949 00:46:49,940 --> 00:46:52,020 I'm very very sorry. 950 00:46:53,603 --> 00:46:56,523 (melancholy music) 951 00:47:00,290 --> 00:47:04,780 Although it's been over 115 years since the murders, 952 00:47:04,780 --> 00:47:07,610 it's only two generations since my grandfather 953 00:47:07,610 --> 00:47:11,090 changed his name from Kenniff to Munro. 954 00:47:11,090 --> 00:47:14,070 But it's no longer a shameful secret, 955 00:47:14,070 --> 00:47:17,230 in fact, it's something well worth sharing 956 00:47:17,230 --> 00:47:19,300 with my son and grandson. 957 00:47:20,990 --> 00:47:23,360 This is the grave site of Patrick Kenniff, 958 00:47:23,360 --> 00:47:26,470 and it's in an area in South Brisbane cemetery 959 00:47:26,470 --> 00:47:29,800 in this corner here called the Devil's Plot. 960 00:47:29,800 --> 00:47:32,690 And that's because there are over 20 men and women 961 00:47:32,690 --> 00:47:34,660 buried in this small corner here 962 00:47:34,660 --> 00:47:36,480 all of whom were executed. 963 00:47:37,420 --> 00:47:42,030 But for some unexplained reason the only marked grave 964 00:47:42,030 --> 00:47:43,380 is that of Patrick Kenniff. 965 00:47:45,780 --> 00:47:49,190 Some think it might be because the authorities 966 00:47:49,190 --> 00:47:50,840 always knew that he was innocent. 967 00:47:53,580 --> 00:47:56,610 Kenniff was never their correct name, 968 00:47:56,610 --> 00:47:58,440 it was always 'Ken-eef' 969 00:47:58,440 --> 00:48:03,220 when they arrived from Tipperary in the 1860s. 970 00:48:03,220 --> 00:48:05,900 But of course with their Irish accent 971 00:48:05,900 --> 00:48:07,900 the police when they were charging them, 972 00:48:08,920 --> 00:48:12,370 'Ken-eef' in the Irish twang became Kenniff, 973 00:48:13,710 --> 00:48:17,400 and became Kenniff for generations after that. 974 00:48:20,943 --> 00:48:23,763 But once I found out about the Kenniff folklore 975 00:48:23,760 --> 00:48:24,720 in their history, 976 00:48:25,560 --> 00:48:27,340 - Can you see the butterfly? 977 00:48:27,343 --> 00:48:28,183 Oh look at the ant! 978 00:48:28,176 --> 00:48:31,956 - My wife Lea and I decided to name our son Sean, 979 00:48:31,960 --> 00:48:34,240 Sean Kenniff Munro, 980 00:48:35,690 --> 00:48:40,690 who then in turn when he grew up decided with his wife 981 00:48:41,510 --> 00:48:46,060 to name their son Freddie Kenniff Munro. 982 00:48:46,063 --> 00:48:46,903 - Look dad! 983 00:48:46,896 --> 00:48:47,726 - What is it? 984 00:48:48,970 --> 00:48:52,180 - I guess it's our family's way of confronting 985 00:48:52,180 --> 00:48:55,860 all those years of shame and name changes 986 00:48:55,860 --> 00:49:00,670 by facing it and being able to move on. 987 00:49:04,295 --> 00:49:07,045 (haunting music) 988 00:49:10,913 --> 00:49:13,273 ♪ You say I am a murderer ♪ 989 00:49:13,273 --> 00:49:16,283 ♪ Yet kill me in my sleep ♪ 990 00:49:16,283 --> 00:49:18,883 ♪ Hide behind a policeman's badge ♪ 991 00:49:18,884 --> 00:49:22,154 ♪ And grip your judge's hand ♪ 992 00:49:22,153 --> 00:49:24,903 ♪ I'll hunt you down and cut you up ♪ 993 00:49:24,895 --> 00:49:29,055 ♪ We'll see who's judgment stands ♪