6

John Jones being duly sworn states. I am a groom and Storekeeper
in the employment of Messrs Hardie & Weinholt Fassifern. I remember
the twenty fourth day of December last. As I was going on that day to the
South paddock I met Lieut Wheeler and the Native Police coming from
it. I bid Mr Wheeler good morning. That was all I said. All he said in
reply was good morning. About half an hour before that I heard several shots
fired in the direction Mr Wheeler came from. I cannot say particularly
how many were fired. I thought it was someof the blacks about the place
shooting turkeys or pigeons. When I went to the paddock I saw where some
blacks had been camped, but saw no blacks there. I saw a lot of dogs there.
I did not go near the camps. I did not go again to that paddock that day.
I went the next morning. It was about the same time ten o'clock in the morning. I then
saw the dead body of a blackfellow. He was a grey headed old man. He was
lying on his back. I saw some wounds on him. They might have been bullet
wounds or spear wounds. I could not say which. They were round wounds. They
did not appear to have bled much. One was on the chest. The other under the arm.
I do not remember which side it was on. The one that I said was on the chest was
in the hollow under the breast bone. I did not examine him particularly. I was on
horse back and the horse would not go very close to him. The body was not burnt at
that time. I think I mentioned it to the overseer. I have heard conversations about
a dead blackfellow between different persons on the station. I asked Mr Turbayne if he had
seen him. He replied he had. He said he was an old blackfellow. From what he said
I thought it was the same dead blackfellow I had seen. I had been with him into
the scrub that morning before I found the blackfellow. I also went with him into
the scrub after that time the same day but in the evening. I have never been there since.
I never saw any but the one black fellow. I took a blackboy with me to the
scrub to see if I could find any more, but he turned back and would not go
in. I think I should know the place again where I saw the body lying. I was present
when the black's dogs were shot. I shot some myself. Mr Hardie ordered me to
do so. Mr Hardie was present when I shot them. Mr Turbayne shot some
at the same time and a blackfellow - called "Shepherd Tommy" also shot some at
the same time. The dead dogs were collected toegher by some blackfellows and
were set on fire before we left.

[signed] John Jones

Taken and acknowledged this fourth day of January 1861 upon oath on the head Station Fassifern before me [signed] Henry Challinor J.P.