Taylor, James, c. 1888, Photograph, B 503
[General description] Aboriginal men from the Lake Killalpaninna Region, West of Koppera-manna Mission Station who were acquitted of the charge of murder at Port Augusta, November 1888. The trial was reported in the Port Augusta Dispatch. [On back of photograph] 'With Sub Inspector Besley's Compliments to His Honour S.J.Way / Acting Governor / Adelaide / 3-4-89'. (A later attachment is a note on letterhead of the Chief Justice's Chambers, Adelaide) 'The natives in the accompanying photograph were members of five different tribes living near Lake Killalpaninna, west of Koppera-manna Mission Station in 1888. The eleven who are standing, and the one seated at each end, with another named Woolpappina, (14 in all) were charged at the Port Augusta Criminal Court on 22nd November 1888 with having murdered a native named Nadlajeppera. The 'murder' was really an act of tribal justice executed upon Nadlajeppera because he was believed to have caused the death of Woolpappina's son by pointing a bone at him. The prisoners were all aquitted with the exception of Woolpappina, who not only admitted that he had speared the deceased, but claimed the honour of having been the first to spear him. Though sentence of death had to be pronounced on Woolpappina the punishent was afterwards commuted to a short term of imprisonment by the Governor in Council. The names of the prisoners were: Woolpappina (not in the photograph), Wallaby, Stjena, Nollapannina, Terrilena, Zourakachinna, Pillipunkana, Kunyanarrina, Warkoo-war-Koona, Willa-willana, Jerke-lina, Kantonunga, Poode-wampana and Nappawirrana. The four seated figures in the centre of the picture were witnesses in the case. Only three of them were called. The names of these were August Mowellena, Emanuel Patramorana and Joshua Packatana. The trial is reported in the Port Augusta Dispatch of about the 23rd November, 1888. 10th Oct. 1916.'