1829: John Holmes Hanged for Arson at Campbelltown
John Holmes was convicted of maliciously setting fire to a barn belonging to James Benn at Campbell Town on 29 May 1829, with intent to injure and defraud the owner. Read more →
1865: David Young Hanged at Castlemaine for the Murder of Margaret Graham
David Young was executed at Castlemaine Gaol on 21 August 1865 for the murder of Margaret Graham at Daylesford. Read more →
1876: Donegal Jim Hanged at Ballarat for the Assault of Elizabeth Reece at Burrumbeet
James Ashe, known as “Donegal Jim,” was hanged at Ballarat Gaol on 21 August 1876 for the violent assault of Elizabeth Reece at Burrumbeet on 4 April that year. After months of searching, Detective Mahony spotted Ashe sitting on a doorstep in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, and recognised him from a description in the Police Gazette. Read more →
1884: James Hawthorn Hanged at Melbourne Gaol for Shooting His Brother Dead
On the night of 21 March 1884, William Hawthorn, a market gardener near Brighton, was shot while sleeping in his house. Read more →
1891: William Colston Hanged at Melbourne Gaol for the Narbethong Double Murder
William Colston, a carpenter, was arrested at Yarra Glen after being recognised outside a hotel by a former acquaintance, A.V. Read more →
1911: The Mona Lisa Stolen from the Louvre by a Museum Employee
In the early hours of 21 August 1911, Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian handyman who had worked at the Louvre, hid inside the museum overnight, lifted Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa from the wall, concealed it under his coat, and walked out. Read more →
1931: A Death Pact Rooted in Spiritualism Kills a Family of Seven in Carlisle
In the suburb of Carlisle, near Perth, Roderick Davies and family ended their days, leaving behind six farewell letters that described the killings as a spiritual calling. Read more →
