William

DETAILS OF DEATH

A warrant was issued for a notorious Aboriginal in the Taroom District known as “Wild Toby” for the attempted murder of a property owner near Wandoan. On the 24 January 1883 Senior Constable Wright Constable Dwyer and Aboriginal Tracker left Taroom to arrest Toby. On the morning of the 26 January they found Toby in his camp with a female companion after the party rode into the camp Dwyer jumped from his horse to arrest Toby. Toby still seated grabbed his tomahawk from the ground and raised it above his head. Wright immediately fired two shots from his revolver both hitting Toby. One hit the right side of the jaw near the temple and the other the right breast. As Wright fired the second shot Toby brought the Tomahawk crashing down into Constable Dwyer’s skull mortally wounding him. Wright emptied his revolver into the body of Toby killing him. Dwyer died shortly after and was buried near where he was killed at Juandah Station Wandoan. (Constable Dwyer was also known as O’Dwyer).