From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Robert Palin
Robert Palin
Robert Thomas Palin (c.1835–6 July 1861) was a convict to Palin’s house, where they found some wet boots whose
transported to Western Australia. His execution in 1861 tread matched the prints. They also recovered a number
was the only time in the convict era of Western Australia of the valuables that had been stolen.
that Ordinance 17 Victoria Number 7 was used to secure Palin claimed to have been set up by William Cock-
the capital punishment of a convict for a crime not nor- rane, another ticket-of-leave man whom Palin said had
mally punishable by death. a grudge against him. However, he was not believed and
Born around 1835, nothing is known of Robert Palin’s the jury found him guilty of robbery with violence, the
early life except his criminal record. In 1851, he was sen- violence being the "battery on the person of Mrs. Hard-
tenced to ten years’ imprisonment for housebreaking; in ing by seizing her by the arm while she was in bed." Chief
1853, he was tried but acquitted of murder; and in March Justice Archibald Burt passed a sentence of death and
1856, he was convicted of "burglary from the person" and Palin was hanged three days later on 6 July 1861.
sentenced to penal servitude for life. At the time of his
sentencing, he was described as a shoemaker by trade.
Palin was transported to Western Australia on the
References
Nile, arriving in January 1860. His behaviour was good • Erickson, Rica (1983). "The Unwanted". In Erickson,
both during and after the voyage. In April 1860, he was Rica (ed.). The Brand on His Coat: Biographies of some
appointed a probationary constable and received his Western Australian Convicts. Nedlands, Western
ticket of leave in January 1861. At that time he had a Australia: University of Western Australia Press.
house in Fremantle from which he worked as a shoemak- pp. 157–223. ISBN 0-85564-223-8.
er and took in lodgers. Persondata
On 29 May 1861, Palin was charged with having bro- Name Palin, Robert Thomas
ken into the home of Samuel and Susan Harding. Susan
Harding gave evidence that her husband had been away Alternative names
and that she had woken during the night to find a man Short description convict
standing at the side of her bed. The man seized her by the Date of birth c.1835
arm and demanded money. When she said she had none,
Place of birth
"he pulled the bedclothes down and felt about the bed... I
thought he was going to commit some assault." Harding Date of death 6 July 1861
then gave the man a number of valuables and he left. The Place of death Perth, Western Australia
following morning, the police followed a set of footprints
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robert_Palin&oldid=415564655"
Categories:
• 1835 births
• 1861 deaths
• Convicts transported to Western Australia
• People executed by hanging
• Shoemakers
• People executed by Western Australia
• People executed for robbery
• People acquitted of murder
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