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Dignum and Comerford

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dignum and Comerford were Joseph Dignum and George Comerford (died 1837), Australian convicts, bushrangers, and murderers. They were arguably the first bushrangers in the Melbourne region.[1]

Comerford was a convict who escaped in 1837 and teamed up with eight other men in the bush around the Port Phillip region. He and two of the men, Joseph Dignum and a shoemaker, murdered the other six. Dignumn then murdered the shoemaker.[2] The men were later recaptured.[3]

In Augus 1837 the men were sent from Sydney to Port Philip.[4]

On 30 December 1837 Comerford took members of the police back to where the massacre took place and managed to escape, fatally shooting a policemen escorting him.[5][6]

Comerford was captured again, pled guilty to the murder and was executed in May 1837.[7][8]

References

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  1. ^ "Dignum and Comerford". Finding Merriman.
  2. ^ "No Title". The Sydney Monitor. Vol. XII, no. 1063. New South Wales, Australia. 21 July 1837. p. 2 (EVENING). Retrieved 29 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "No title". The Australian. Vol. IV, no. 419. New South Wales, Australia. 18 July 1837. p. 2. Retrieved 29 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "THE PORT PHILLIP MURDERERS". The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser. Vol. XXXV, no. 1382. New South Wales, Australia. 15 August 1837. p. 2. Retrieved 29 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "NEWS OF THE DAY". The Sydney Monitor. Vol. XIII, no. 1145. New South Wales, Australia. 29 January 1838. p. 2 (EVENING). Retrieved 29 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "ACCIDENTS, OFFENCES, &c". The Sydney Herald. Vol. VIII, no. 651. New South Wales, Australia. 22 January 1838. p. 2. Retrieved 29 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "EXECUTION OF COMERFORD THE MURDERER". The Sydney Herald. Vol. VIII, no. 688. New South Wales, Australia. 31 May 1838. p. 2. Retrieved 29 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "LAW". The Australian. Vol. V, no. 509. New South Wales, Australia. 29 May 1838. p. 2. Retrieved 29 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.