Andrew SUTHERLAND

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. # ‘Q‘ 1099

For the purposes of this website ‘Q‘ represents those Police joining between 1 March 1862 ( commencement of NSWPF ) – 23 February 1915 ( Commencement of NSWPF current numbering system )

Rank: Constable – appointed 7 January 1863

Senior Sergeant – appointed ? ? ?

Final Rank: Senior Sergeant

Stations: ?, Cowra – Death ?

Service: From 7 January 1863 to 1 May 1872 = 9+ years Service

Awards: ?

Born: ? ? 1840, Wick, Scotland

Died on: 1 May 1872

Cause: Shot – Murdered

Event location: Binni Creek, Cowra, NSW

Age: 31

Funeral date:

Funeral location:

Buried at: Anglican section of the Young General cemetery

Memorial at: Cowra Police Station, 88 Brisbane St, Cowra, NSW

ANDREW IS mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance

On 1 May, 1872 the sergeant was returning to Cowra from Bathurst Court.

During his journey he was told that two men who were wanted for robbery, George Gray and William Bristow, were at Daniel Horan‘s hut at Binnie Creek, twelve miles from Cowra.

The sergeant rode over to investigate and as he neared the door of the dwelling the offenders suddenly emerged and shot him to death.

The Clarence and Richmond Examiner dated 7 May, 1872 provided a brief account of the tragedy, which tends to suggest that the offenders were known to the sergeant.

SERGEANT SUTHERLAND SHOT DEAD BY BUSHRANGERS –

CARCOAR ” Thursday – I regret to have to announce that Sergeant Sutherland, of the Cowra police force, was shot dead last evening, by bushrangers, at a place about five miles from Cowra.

It appears that two armed men called on a settler named Daniel Oram, whose house is distant about two miles from Cowra and demanded food, which he placed on the table for them.

Sergeant Sutherland, who was going home from the Bathurst Assizes, rode up to the door during the meal, and was dismounting, when one of the men stopped to the door, gun in hand, and said, “I have been looking for you, you wretch,” and then shot him through the heart, causing instant death.

The men then went off and Oram started to Cowra, and upon arriving there, informed the police, who are now in pursuit of the murderers.

The fate of the unfortunate but brave officer is universally regretted. He leaves a wife, and had only been married a few months.

The sergeant was born in 1839 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 5 January, 1863.

At the time of his death he was stationed at Cowra.

The Queenslander

Sat. 9 Aug 1873 p 10

ST. GEORGE.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) July 31.

We have also to record the arrest of a man named Frank Riley alias George Gray by Sergeant Cranney, on the charge of murdering Senior-sergeant Andrew Sutherland, of the New South Wales force, at Hordern’s hut, Beni Creek, on the 1st of May, 1872.

The prisoner had been staying in town for some few weeks, and left accompanied by another man with the avowed intention of going to the Surat races, but parted with his comrade about three miles from Weribone, his comrade going on into Surat, while he went out into the bush to camp.

Sergeant Cranney, in the meantime, appearing to have some clue to his identity, followed the pair, and finding that only one had reached Surat, returned on his tracks, and camped in the bush for two nights endeavouring to ascertain the whereabouts of the prisoner.

Becoming faint from fasting, he went to Weribone Station for food, and just dropped on to the man he was looking for, and who had also been there on the same errand. The officer arrested him at once, and prisoner was taken to Surat and remanded to Roma, and we believe by this time is on his way to Brisbane.

This is the second arrest of New South Wales offenders made by Sergeant Cranney during the past few months, the other being that of James Madgwick, whose capture and exploits were narrated in your columns a short time since. Sergeant Cranney was also the officer who arrested the notorious Patrick Collins.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/27277108

Outside Cowra Police Station. Front Inscription: In memory of Senior Sergeant Andrew SUTHERLAND who was fatally shot whilst on police duty at Binni Creek near Cowra on the 1st May 1872. — Outside Cowra Police Station

Sergeant Second Class Andrew Sutherland

Address: 88 Brisbane Street, Cowra Police Station, Cowra, 2794
State: NSW
Area: AUS

Please Note: GPS Co-ordinates are approximate.

Latitude:	–33.834062
Longitude:	+148.691187

View Google Map

Monument Type: Garden

Theme: People

Sub-Theme: Crime

Description:

A plaque commemorates Sergeant Andrew Sutherland who was fatally shot in the line of duty as a New South Wales Police officer.

Sergeant Second Class Andrew Sutherland was shot whilst on duty at Binni Creek near Cowra on May 1, 1872. On May 1, 1872 he was returning to Cowra from Bathurst Court. En route he was told two offenders wanted for robbery, George Gray and William Bristow, were at Daniel Horan’s hut at Binni Creek, 12 miles from Cowra.

The Sergeant rode over to investigate and as he approached the door of the dwelling, two offenders emerged and shot and killed him. Gray and Bristow were subsequently arrested but both were later released without charge. No-one was ever convicted of the crime.

Actual Event Start Date: 01-May-1872

Actual Event End Date: 01-May-1872

Actual Monument Dedication Date: 01-March-2012

Front Inscription:

In memory of
Senior Sergeant Andrew SUTHERLAND

who was fatally shot whilst on police duty
at Binni Creek near Cowra
on the 1st May 1872.

http://monumentaustralia.org.au/australian_monument/display/97891?image=1

The Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser of 20 May, 1872 reported on the magisterial inquiry which was held at the Cowra courthouse before Mr G. Campbell J.P, “touching the death of Andrew Sutherland, who was shot dead by a ruffian at the residence of Daniel Horan a farmer living on Binni Creek…” One witness to the murder, Mrs Eliza Seery, gave the following evidence.

“I am the wife of James Seery, and reside at Binni Creek.

About 4 o’clock in the evening of Wednesday, the 1st inst., two men rode up to Horan’s hut on two dark looking horses.

Mrs Horan and I were in the hut at the time. They bid me good day, and asked if I had seen a bay horse, to which I replied “No”. One then said to the other, “We’ll get down and have a light”. The taller man was the spokesman.

He remarked that the weather was very dry.

The dogs began to bark. I went out to see what they were barking at, and observed Sergeant Sutherland riding towards the place.

The tall man asked me who was coming, and I answered, “Sergeant Sutherland”. The smaller man then walked outside, and Sutherland called him to the corner of the hut.

After talking to the sergeant for a short time, the man came towards the door, when I heard Sutherland ask him who was inside.

Sutherland then rode up to the door, and told the man who was inside to come out, or he would shoot the two of them.

The tall man, who was in the hut, said, “I won’t” and went towards the door.

The sergeant then got off his horse, when the tall man fired at him.

He said, “I’ll shoot”, before he shot at the sergeant.

Directly after the shot was fired, Sutherland, let his horse go, and ran towards a tree standing near the hut.

The man followed Sutherland and fired two shots, one after the other, as quick as he could.

The Sergeant, whose back was towards the man who shot at him, fell before he got to the tree. He fell directly after the last shot was fired.

There were only three shots fired.

The man was within a yard or two of Sutherland when the last two shots were discharged. This man brought Sutherland’s horse, and rode him away immediately after firing the last shot.

I did not see the smaller man of the two after the first shot was discharged.

I ran to the Sergeant when he fell, and asked if he was dead. He made no reply.

He was not quite dead, but never spoke.

Mrs Horan came directly after, and I told her to run for some water. She got some water, which she poured over the Sergeants mouth. He died while I was standing by him. He was lying partly on his side, and partly on his back.

Horan came up, and asked what was the matter. I told him the sergeant was shot dead.

Horan reported the murder to the police.”

The Brisbane Courier of 11 August, 1873 was to later report on the arrest of one of the offenders by Queensland Police Sergeant Cranney.

“We have also to record the arrest of a man named Frank Riley alias George Gray by Sergeant Cranney, on the charge of murdering Senior-sergeant Andrew Sutherland, of the New South Wales force, at Hordern’s [sic] hut, Beni [sic] Creek, on the 1st of May, 1872.

The prisoner had been staying in town for some few weeks, and left accompanied by another man with the avowed intention of going to the Surat races, but parted with his comrade about three miles from Weribone, his comrade going on into Surat, while he went out into the bush to camp.

Sergeant Cranney, in the meantime, appearing to have some clue to his identity, followed the pair, and finding that only one had reached Surat, returned on his tracks, and camped in the bush for two nights endeavouring to ascertain the whereabouts of the prisoner.

Becoming faint from fasting, he went to Weribone Station for food, and just dropped on to the man he was looking for, and who had also been there on the same errand.

The officer arrested him at once, and prisoner was taken to Surat and remanded to Roma, and we believe by this time is on his way to Brisbane.”

Andrew SUTHERLAND