This week on Classic Crime Jack unearthed a story involving his two favourite subjects - Murder & Ghosts.
The story takes place in a railway camp in Western Queensland and was centered around a Chinese worked named Tim Tee who was angered by a shop owner named Mr Hing. Tee was trying to woo the shop-keepers daughter and Hing wouldn't have anything to do with it. Tee decided to settle the matter by shooting Hing at close range with a shotgun. Hing was found by a Constable O'Sullivan, who, having heard the gunfire searched the camp. Hing was still alive.
O'Sullivan found the recently fired weapon in Tee's possession and put two and two together. He took Tee and Hing on the midnight express to Roma, where the closest magistrate was to settle the matter.
During train ride O'Sullivan sat opposite Tee (who was handcuffed) and Hing lay on a stretched between the two men. O'Sullivan noticed that Hing seemed to be writhing with pain beneath the blanket that covered him so he lifted the blanket to reveal a grisly sight. Tim Tee had worked his foot under the blanket and was kicking Mr Hing in his gunshot wound - trying to cause him more pain.
O'Sullivan grabbed Tee and forced him to the corner of the carriage, placing him in leg-irons. Hing died of his wounds during the train journey. At the moment that he passed away every lantern in the train went out, sparking panic amongst the other travelers - they thought a Chinese Spirit was on the train. The strange occurrence even spooked Tee into confessing to the murder.
Once in Roma, however, Tim Tee retracted this confession. It made no difference - he was found guilty, taken to Boggo Road Gaol and hung on the gallows. As he stood before the crowd he was asked if he had any last words - he stated he was innocent of the crime and that he would return from the grave to kill all of those who had been witness in his trial.
You can visit the grave of Tim Tee in Dutton Park Cemetery. Ghost Tours takes in this site and tells his macabre story on the DUTTON PARK CEMETERY Ghost Tour. To book CLICK HERE
