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[top left in embossed stamp] COMMISSIONER OF POLICE QUEENSLAND 14082 / 19 AUG 1907 43/07
Cairns District
Ebagoolah Station 5th July 1907
[written in red] Re threatened prosecution of 1/c Const D.T. ORegan by Mrs Sarah Ann Doherty
Sir
I beg to report that Sarah Ann Doherty a married woman residing with her husband at Ebagoolah has through her solicitor Percy W. Le Vaux of Cairns demanded an apology from me for certain defamatory statements alleged to have been made by me regarding one of her daughters (which is a false accusation).
About four years ago Constable Martin now of Cooktown told me of certain rumers [sic] regarding one of Mrs Dohertys daughters named Sarah Ann who was at that time living with her married sister & sisters husband Arthur Patrick Burns then a Police Constable stationed in Brisbane. The rumer [sic] was to the effect that Miss Sarah Ann Doherty had
Inspector Police Cairns
[written in left margin] Senior Sergeant Wyer For report from Constable Martin on his arrival here tomorrow morning
[signed] H. Malone
Inspector 2/c
2.8.07
[written under that Constable Martin for report.
[signed] J Wyer ***
3.8.07
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had a child in Brisbane and that Burns her brother in law was the father. I cautioned Const Martin not to mention it to the public as I did not believe it. I subsequently ascertained this rumer [sic] was public property. I never having at any time mentione [sic] the matter to any person.
Sometime later on Miss Sarah Ann Doherty came to Ebagoolah by her mothers instructions. Soon after her arrival Mrs Doherty endeavoured to borrow money from me for the purpose of going to Brisbane to bring Mrs Burns to Ebagoolah as Mrs Burns husband was in an asylum. I refused her the money & she subsequently borrowed it from Const Martin and a miner named John Walter Frost. Mrs Doherty went to Brisbane & returned very soon with Mrs Burns & her five children, Mrs Burns travelling under the name of Mrs McCarthy.
Early this year I heard that Mrs Doherty had accused Mrs John Boyd of Maluna Station with having spread a report after her return from Brisbane last year that Sarah Ann Doherty had had a child in Brisbane to her brother in law Burns & Mrs Doherty stated that Mrs E.J.F. Smith of Ebagoolah had told her so.
Quite recently Mrs Doherty accused Edward Crow of Ebagoolah & Mrs Angus Robertson of Wolfram
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camp near Mareeba but late of Ebagoolah that these people had also circulated the yarn about her daughter.
On the 27 June last I was informed by Const Kirkwood that he had been called by Mrs Doherty on the night of the 26th June last to witness an accusation made by Mrs Doherty to Const Martin to the effect that Const Martin was the man who spread the report, he having told me and I had told her Mrs Doherty. This being a deliberate falsehood on the part of Mrs Doherty as she never at any time mentioned the matter to me nor I to her or anyone else. I thereupon wrote Mrs Doherty a letter copy of which I attach.
On the 1st instant prior to my leaving for Coen Charles Ross informed me that Arthur Patrick Burns, Mrs Dohertys son in law had told Mrs Doherty that I was the first person to make the statement regarding the girl & that James Fitzgerald was present when I said so & that Mrs Margaret Thompson, licensee of the Hamilton Hotel was concealed behide [sic] a door listning [sic].
I interviewed Fitzgerald at Coen on the second instant in the presence of Const OGrady. Fitzgerald stated he never at any time heard me speak disrespectful [sic] of any of Mrs Dohertys daughters and Burns.
But some time ago he was sitting in front of the Hamilton Hotel at night. Mrs Thompson was in the parlour when
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Burns came up to him and said I have had a row with the trap [sic] down the street he accused me of having had two wives in Brisbane & that little girl of mine is supposed to be Sallys and I am the father of it.
The whole conceran [sic] commenced by Burns telling Mrs Thompson twelve months go when she returned from a trip to OK Mines & Chillagoe Mrs Thompson told Mrs Doherty. I never at any time conversed with Burns except on matters of business. The whole concern is a conspiracy. Mrs Thompson & Mrs Doherty are sisters and Burns is Mrs Dohertys son-in-law, and Mrs Thompson has publicaly [sic] announced in the street that she would spend five hundred pounds and walk out of Ebagoolah barefooted or she would have me dismissed or transfered [sic]. I herewith attach solicitor Le Vaux letter which I have not and do not intend to acknowledge.
[signed] D.T. ORegan
1/c Const Reg No 372