Person
ContributeLogic (Pinba), a convicted murderer, was described in the Advertiser of 12 December 1885 as ‘one of the most popular men in the colony’. While working as stockman on Tinga Tingana Station, south of Innamincka, in 1878, Logic (who may have been a Dieri man from the vicinity of Lake Eyre in the Far North) argued with a white stockman, Cornelius Mulhall, who stock-whipped and shot him in the back. The two men fought and Mulhall was killed. Logic fled the district, but was captured when he returned two years later. Convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 14 years’ hard labour, Logic escaped from the quarries adjoining Yatala Labour Prison in October 1885 and travelled north, freely provided with food and clothing by local farmers. Assisted by an Aboriginal tracker, the police recaptured Logic near Blinman on 10 December 1885. His case became a cause célèbre. As he was transported back to Adelaide by train, crowds gathered at stations en route to catch a glimpse of him; his exploits were recounted in the press and a letter-writing campaign and numerous petitions called for his release. Pardoned by the governor in late December 1885, Logic lived out his life in the Innamincka region.
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I have always been fascinated by the story of Logic, his story was very typical of those harsh times when an indigenous person might go quiet when treated badly but reacting violently when compelled. Logic was a vicious man at all, where are the similar accounts of his vicious nature, there are none i have found. He certainly doesn't appear to be a recidivist offender, and his desire to get back to his country should be respected. Although the Tinga Tingana station, whose name is derived from the Yandruwandha name of the Strzelecki Creek is not Diyari/Dieri country, so i was of course confused at Logic or Pinba's tribal affiliation as Diyari/Dieri whose country is to the west of Strzelecki Creek on the lower part of Cooper and Lake Eyre's western side. My great-great-great-grandfather was Jimmy Mariner/Marana who was Yandruwandha and his country was at Innamincka but he was photographed in 1892 at Tinga Tingana station with other members of the Innamincka section of Yandruwandha including old blind Maggie King and her daughter, Annie King. Maggie was my great-great-great-great-grandmother, her daughter Annie King cooked and for the Burkitt Family.
What a fantastic connection Aaron, and fascinating family history. I can contact the author Rob Foster and see if he can offer more information on the tribal affiliation listed for Logic, I'm afraid it's not my area of expertise.