In 1826, convict Thomas Austin was murdered in colonial NSW; his servant, John Hutton, was hanged for the crime after being caught with stolen money.

In 1827, the skeleton of Thomas Austin, a convict transported from England in 1826, was found near Keiraville, NSW, with a shattered skull indicating murder. Austin, assigned to James Spearing’s farm and reportedly lame, vanished in September 1826 while traveling. Seven months later, workers discovered his remains near the route he took. John Hutton, a fellow servant, was arrested after being overheard threatening to kill Austin for money and found with stolen sovereigns. Though Hutton blamed another worker, the magistrate dismissed the alibi. Convicted, Hutton was hanged and buried, leaving the case a lasting mystery from colonial New South Wales.