Jemmy Squaretoes 19

The title of the book is wrong: the correct title is SOUTH Africa A planned tour by AW Wells 1939. On p248 is George Russel's description of the public hanging of "a Hottentot woman named Flatta and three natives" for the murder of Jemmy Squaretoes in Durban in the 1850's.

http://books.google.co.za/books?id=LDfXTZsQvwsC&pg=PA378&lpg=PA378&dq=%22jemmy+Squaretoes%22&source=bl&ots=jMfctKMSb5&sig=K9uCmu1iSPj_h8F04mnFnrXafuw&hl=en&ei=NGukS6yUO4H0-QbptaXgBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CAkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22jemmy%20Squaretoes%22&f=false

The intention of Byrne's scheme was to settle immigrants in rural areas, e.g. Richmond and the Byrne valley near Pietermaritzburg. John Clark was entitled to an allocation of eighty acres of land in the Richmond District, but did not claim those rights: eventually, in 1863, he transferred the property to a David Taylor.8 Instead, John settled in Durban, and by 1852 he was established as a carpenter, wheelwright and wagonmaker at premises at "5 Block E Pine Terrace" - now known as Pine Street.9 His brother in law, Thomas Cooper, carried on the business of a joiner, cabinetmaker, and carpenter at the same address. A note found in the Killie Campbell Museum states, that "Mr. John Clark it was who put up the first gallows for the hanging of Jimmy (sic) Squaretoes".10 The note is obviously not entirely accurate, since Squaretoes was the victim, not the perpetrator, of the murder. However since the hanging of Jemmy Squaretoes' five murderers was indeed the first in Durban, and the gallows used were therefore the first to be constructed in the town, the note is probably correct in all other respects. A description of the circumstances surrounding the murder, and of the hanging, appears in George Russell's "A History of Durban", but no mention is made of the identity of the constructor of the gallows.11 The editions of "The Natal Mercury" which reported the trial and the hanging make no mention of the carpenter's identity either! In view of the number of Clark offspring, albeit the offspring of his brother William, who subsequently became involved in the legal profession in Durban, the early involvement of a Clark in the administration of justice might perhaps be regarded as something of an omen!

http://www.theclarksofclarkroad.com/papers_book9.html


THE FIRST SOUTH AFRICAN DETECTIVES - HATTERSLEY, Alan F... Durban's First Policeman; The Jemmy Squaretoes Muder; The First Detective Department, etc. Index. Hardcover First Edition 1960 Cape Town Howard Timmins.