List of people legally executed in South Australia explained

This is a list of people executed in South Australia. It lists people who were executed by British (and from 1901, Australian) authorities within the modern-day boundaries of South Australia. For people executed in other parts of Australia, see the sidebar.

1830s to 1850s

• Michael Magee – 2 May 1838 – The first public execution in South Australia. A runaway convict, hanged from a tree on Montefiore Hill for shooting at Sheriff Smart with intent to kill.^[1]
• Wang Nucha (Tommy Roundhead) – 31 May 1839 – Hanged in front of the government iron stores (very close to the site of Magee's hanging) for the murder of James Thompson on the Para River.^[2]
• Yerr-i-Cha (George) – 31 May 1839 – Hanged for the murder of William Duffield in the Gilles Plains area.^[2]
• George Hughes – 16 March 1840 – Hanged outside the Horse Police Barracks for theft and firing with murderous intent at the Para River.^[3]
• Henry Curran – 16 March 1840 – Hanged outside the Horse Police Barracks for theft and firing with murderous intent at the Para River.^[3]
• Mongarawata – 25 August 1840 – Hanged (by summary execution) by Major O'Halloran on the Coorong in retribution for the massacre of over fifteen passengers wrecked on the Maria.^[4]
• Pilgarie (Moorcan-gac) – 25 August 1840 – Hanged (by summary execution) by Major O'Halloran on the Coorong in retribution for the massacre of fifteen passengers wrecked on the Maria.^[4]
• Joseph Stagg – 18 November 1840 - Hanged for the murder of John Gofton near Torrens Island. The first public execution to be conducted outside Adelaide Gaol, with a crowd of roughly seven hundred in attendance.^[5]
• Nultia - 7 April 1843 Hanged upon a scaffold symbolically erected outside Biddle’s ransacked hut, 20 miles from Port Lincoln for the murder of Rolles Biddle.^[6]
• Ngarbi – 1 August 1843 – Hanged outside Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Elizabeth Stubbs at Port Lincoln.^[7]
• Wera Maldera ('Peter') – 28 March 1845 – Hanged outside Adelaide Gaol for the murder of George McGrath at McGrath's Flat, on the Coorong.^[2]
• Thomas Donnelly – 29 March 1847 – Hanged outside Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Kingberrie, an indigenous local, at Rivoli Bay.^[8]
• Keelgulla – 9 November 1849 – Hanged at the scene of the crime for the murder of Captain James Beevor at Mount Drummond (near Port Lincoln).^[2]
• Neulalta – 9 November 1849 – Hanged at the scene of the crime for the murder of Captain James Beevor at Mount Drummond (near Port Lincoln).^[2]
• Pullurunya – 9 November 1849 – Hanged at the scene of the crime for the murder of Captain James Beevor at Mount Drummond (near Port Lincoln).^[2]
• James Yates – 5 September 1850 – Hanged outside Adelaide Gaol for the murder of a shepherd named Jack Mansforth at Skillagolee Creek.^[9]
• William Wright – 12 March 1853 – Hanged outside Adelaide Gaol for the murder of a man known as Robert Head, committed at East Wellington.^[10]
• William Bell – 27 December 1854 – Hanged outside Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Theresa Wilhelmina Augusta Ulbrecht at Port Adelaide; this was the last public execution at Adelaide Gaol, with approximately three thousand onlookers.^[11]
• Weenpulta – 14 January 1856 – Hanged at Franklin Harbour for the murder of Peter Brown.^[12]
• Weellanna – 14 January 1856 – Hanged at Franklin Harbour for the murder of Peter Brown.^[12]
• Yardulunulkarna – 14 January 1856 – Hanged at Franklin Harbour for the murder of Peter Brown.^[12]
• Eelanna – 14 January 1856 – Hanged at Franklin Harbour for the murder of Peter Brown.^[12]

1860s to 1890s

• Manyetta – 5 October 1860 – Hanged at Streaky Bay for the murder of John Jones, a shepherd at 'Mount Joy' station near Mount Wedge.^[2]
• Pilti Miltinda (Bobby) – 7 June 1861 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Mary Ann Rainberd (or Reinbert) and her two children near Kapunda.^[13]
• Tankaworty (Alick or Jimmy) – 7 June 1861 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Mary Ann Rainberd and her two children near Kapunda.^[13]
• Warretya (Kop Robert) – 7 June 1861 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Mary Ann Rainberd and her two children near Kapunda.^[13]
• Warretya (Gogeye Jimmy) – 7 June 1861 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Mary Ann Rainberd and her two children near Kapunda.^[13]
• Nilgerie – 7 September 1861 – Hanged near the scene of the crime at Fowler's Bay for the murder of Theodore Gustavus Berggoist.^[14]
• Tilcherie – 7 September 1861 – Hanged near the scene of the crime at Fowler's Bay for the murder of Theodore Gustavus Berggoist.^[14]
• Mangiltie ('Jemmy') – 14 September 1861 – Hanged at Chiriroo (near Venus Bay) for the murder of Margaret Ann Impett at Mount Wedge.^{[14] [15]}
• Karabidne ('Willy') – 14 September 1861 – Hanged at Chiriroo (near Venus Bay) for the murder of Margaret Ann Impett at Mount Wedge.^{[14] [15]}
• John Seaver – 11 March 1862 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Police Inspector Richard Pettinger at a ball at Government House, Adelaide.^[16]
• Meengulta (alias Maynulte, alias Uringi) – September 1862 – Hanged at Venus Bay for the murder of a hutkeeper, William Walker, at Kongarie (near Mount Wedge).^{[17] [2]}
• Malachi Martin – 24 December 1862 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Jane Macmanamin at Salt Creek.^[18]
• Carl Jung – 10 November 1871 – Hanged at Mount Gambier for the murder of Assistant Bailiff Thomas Garraway at Deep Gully, near Mount Gambier.^[19]
• Elizabeth Woolcock – 30 December 1873 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Thomas Woolcock at North Yelta (the only woman executed in South Australia).^[20]
• William Ridgeway – 1 January 1874 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Frederick Burt at 'Coonatto' station.^[21]
• William Page – 27 October 1875 – Hanged at Mount Gambier for the murder of Mary Julia Buchan.^[22]
• Charles Streitman - 24 July 1877 - Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Robert Woodhead at Wallaroo.^[23]
• Hugh Fagan (alias James Lynch) - 15 April 1878 - Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Patrick Bannon at Saltire.^[24]
• Jonathan Prest - 16 July 1878 - Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of his wife Mary Prest near Port Adelaide.^[25]
• Robert Johnson (alias William Nugent) – 18 November 1881 – Hanged at Mount Gambier for the murder of Trooper Harry Pearce.^[26]
• William Burns – 18 January 1883 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Henry Loton on the high seas, off the Cape Verde Islands. "While waiting his doom, he formed an attachment to a young sparrow, which he tamed perfectly. He was greatly affected by the sight of the bird flitting about the scaffold while the preparations for his execution were in progress".^[27]
• Mah Poo (alias Charlie Bow) – 10 November 1883 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Tommy Ah Fook in Hindley Street.^[28]
• William Brown (alias Allen, alias Lane)– 24 August 1894 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of George Morowsky at Waukaringa.^[29]
• George Lynch – 6 November 1895 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Donald Ross at Balaklava.^[30]
• Joshua Beard – 10 July 1897 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Walter Hall at Streaky Bay.^[31]

1900s to 1960s

• Lollie Kaser Singh – 17 January 1900 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Sunda Singh at Denial Bay.^[32]
• Thomas Horton – 12 May 1904 - Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of his wife Florence in Rundle Street.^[33]
• Albert Bonfield – 5 January 1905 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Caroline Hinds at Kensington Gardens.^[34]
• Notalle Habibulla – 16 November 1906 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of his wife Edith in Bristol Street, Adelaide.^[35]
• James Albert (Joe) Coleman – 2 July 1908 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Constable Albert Ring at Glenelg.^[36]
• John Robins – 16 March 1910 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Robert Ownsworth in Moonta-street, Adelaide.^[37]
• Hadji Khan – 5 April 1910 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Said Mahommed at Frome Creek.^[38]
• Carlos Augusto Bonello – 5 May 1910 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Emma Norma Plush at Siegersdorf (near Nuriootpa).^[39]
• Percival William Budd – 24 April 1919 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Harold Jacques at Crystal Brook.^[40]
• Alexander Newland Lee – 15 July 1920 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of his wife and three children at Rhynie; Lee was the nephew of Martha Needle.^[41]
• William Henry Francis – 22 November 1927 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of his wife Myra at Rosaville, Mount Gambier.^[42]
• William Ephraim Haines – 16 December 1927 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Devina Schmidt at Bridgewater.^[43]
• Frederick Carr – 12 November 1929 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of his wife Maude at Birkenhead.^[44]
• Thomas Blyth – 9 January 1930 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of his wife Sarah at Unley.^[45]
• Harold James Box – 26 April 1944 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Albert Edmund (Lance) Brown at Gawler Place, Adelaide.^[46]
• Charles Patrick O'Leary – 14 November 1946 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Walter 'Spoggy' Ballard at Nangwarry, near Penola.^[47]
• Alfred Coates Griffin – 22 March 1950 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Elsie Wheeler at a Hutt Street boarding house.^[48]
• John Balaban – 26 August 1953 – Confessed to murdering five people, including his wife, her son and mother; hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Zora Kusic at Torrensville.^[49]
• William Henry Feast – 23 March 1956 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Eunice Gwynne at Wingfield.^[50]
• Raymond John Bailey – 24 June 1958 – Convicted for the Sundown Murders; hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Thyra Bowman.^[51]
• Glen Sabre Valance – 24 November 1964 – Hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Richard Stang at 'Kooroon' Station. Last person to be executed in South Australia.^[52]

Further reading

• Heaton, J.H. Australian Dictionary of Dates and Men of the Time, S.W. Silver & Son, London, 1879. Part 2, pages 90–94.

Notes and References

1. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/31749933 The Execution of Magee
2. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/208987259 The Death Penalty in South Australia
3. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/195859709 Execution
4. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/71619994 Major O'Halloran's Instructions and Execution of two Natives at Encounter Bay
5. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/71620387 Execution of Joseph Stagg for the Wilful Murder of John Gofton
6. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71616678 Local News
7. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/158917308 Local Intelligence
8. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/71607738 Local News
9. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/207118725 Execution of James Yates
10. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/158093236 Execution of William Wright for Murder
11. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/207020642 The Execution of Bell
12. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/49752632 Execution of the Blacks at Franklin Harbour
13. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/50021723 The Aborigines
14. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/877767 The Execution of the Condemned Natives at Fowler's Bay
15. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/90031849 The Murder of Mrs. Impett
16. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/158185826 The Execution of John Seaver, for Murder
17. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/90255889 We understand the Sheriff...
18. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/90255978 Execution of Malachi Martin
19. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/77045673 Execution of Carl Jung, the Murderer
20. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/93307903 Execution of Elizabeth Woolcock
21. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/70471708 Execution of Ridgeway
22. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/159483605 Execution and Confession of William Page
23. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197702593 Execution of Charles Streitman
24. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/90870169 The Execution of Hugh Fagan
25. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/160112113 The Execution of Jonathan Prest
26. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/77156204 The Execution of Johnson
27. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/43463287 The Douglas Murder: Execution of William Burns
28. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/198384792 Execution of Mah Poo
29. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219211370 Lovely Gully Murder: Execution of the Murderer
30. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/209050835 Execution of Lynch
31. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/207899239 Execution of Joshua Beard
32. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/87792788 The Denial Bay Murder
33. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/56590632 Execution of Horton
34. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/162424923 The Kensington Murder
35. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/163079498 Habibulla Executed
36. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5157692 Execution of Coleman
37. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/209901826 Moonta-street Murder
38. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/88393336 Execution of Hadji Khan
39. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5236213 The Nuriootpa Murder
40. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5646332 The Execution of Budd
41. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/62925183 Lee Hanged
42. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/54934005 South-East Murder: Execution of Francis
43. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/96058237 The Penalty Paid: William Haines Hanged
44. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/87468860 Frederick Carr Hanged
45. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/29002345 Blyth Hanged
46. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/48794112 Execution of Box
47. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/35766820 Murderer Meets Death Calmly
48. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/130337176 Griffin Hanged
49. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/134207614 Balaban Hanged
50. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/72538020 Swamp Killer Gets Death
51. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136301002 Bailey Hanged for Murder of Mrs. Bowman
52. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/107511312 Murderer Hanged in Gaol