Episode 4 - The Kenniffs

LAWLESS – THE REAL BUSHRANGERS IS

AN ORIGINAL LANDMARK DOCUMENTARY

SERIES COMBINING SCIENCE AND

HISTORY IN A WAY WHICH HAS NEVER

BEEN DONE BEFORE IN AUSTRALIA.

At the core of this series is a bold vision to investigate

Australian colonial crimes and mysteries using modern day

science and technology. Hosted by respected journalist

Mike Munro (himself a descendant of bushrangers) we fol-

low investigations into the past and deliver the findings in the present to living descendants of both bushrangers and

those who fought against them.

In each fascinating episode, we focus on a single bush-

ranging legend; NED KELLY (Victoria), BEN HALL (NSW),

CAPTAIN MOONLITE (NSW) and the last of the wild colo-

nial boys - PATRICK & JAMES KENNIFF (Qld). All are larger

than life characters involved in iconic events heavily shroud-

ed in mystery, folklore and fantasy. The bushrangers are

heroes to some, villains to others and for their descendants

who carry their legacy today; they are a cause of either pain

and shame, or pride and glory. There are always two sides

to every story. But how do we separate fact from fiction?

Enter Mike Munro and the specialist LAWLESS in-

vestigation team; Dr Kiera Lindsey (Historian), Adam

Ford (Archaeologist) and Prof Roger Byard (Forensic

Pathologist). Together they use their respective skills to

apply an objective and rigorous analysis of these pivotal

events. They revisit existing and new historical evidence

and use 21stcentury high-tech science to get beyond the

myths. Using archaeology to literally break new ground

and the latest forensic methods to test the historical

evidence, the team illuminate a fact-based version of our

history. In each case the key question they seek to answer

is – what really happened? The team’s findings are finally revealed to living descendants at each episode’s end.

Mike and the team first tackle the most controversial of Australian legends, the story of Ned Kelly and the killings

of Stringybark Creek (1878). This was the event that made

Kelly a wanted outlaw, created the ‘Kelly gang’ and ultimate-

ly led to his hanging. The episode on Captain Moonlite’s last

stand (1879) looks forensically at one of the most violent

gunfights of the bushranging era and solves a 140-year-old mystery. The violent death of Ben Hall (1865) is put under

the microscope as the team examines the circumstances

surrounding the shooting of one of Australia’s most popular

heroes. And in the final episode, Mike Munro faces his own lawless ancestry on the trail of his great uncles, Patrick and

James Kenniff who were convicted of the most ghoulish and

grisly crime in Queensland’s colonial history in 1902.

CONTENT HYPERLINKS

© A

TO

M 2

01

7

2

Curriculum Links‘LAWLESS - The Real Bushrangers’ can be linked directly to the follow-

ing subject areas of the Australian National Curriculum:

• Year 9 History, Year 9 and 10 Science

* Relevant Content Descriptions for Year 9 History

Overview of the making of the modern world

• The nature and extent of the movement of peoples in the period

(slaves, convicts and settlers) (ACOKFH015)• The emergence and nature of significant economic, social and

political ideas in the period, including nationalism (ACOKFH019)

Depth Study: Movement of peoples (1750 – 1901)

• Changes in the way of life of a group(s) of people who moved

to Australia in this period, such as free settlers on the frontier in

Australia (ACDSEH084)

* Relevant Content Descriptions for Year 9 & 10 Science:

Science Enquiry Skills

• Formulate questions or hypotheses that can be investigated

scientifically (ACSIS198)

• Use knowledge of scientific concepts to draw conclusions that are consistent with evidence (ACSIS204)

• Evaluate conclusions, including identifying sources of uncertainty

and possible alternative explanations, and describe specific ways to improve the quality of the data (ACSIS205)

Science as a Human Endeavour

• Scientific understanding, including models and theories, is contest-able and is refined over time through a process of review by the scientific community (ACSHE157)

• Advances in scientific understanding often rely on developments in technology and technological advances are often linked to scientific discoveries (ACSHE158)

• People use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they ac-

cept claims, explanations or predictions, and advances in sci-

ence can affect people’s lives, including generating new career

opportunities (ACSHE160)

• Formulate questions or hypotheses that can be investigated scien-

tifically (ACSIS164)

• Plan, select and use appropriate investigation methods, including

field work and laboratory experimentation, to collect reliable data; assess risk and address ethical issues associated with these meth-

ods (ACSIS165)

• Critically analyse the validity of information in secondary sources

and evaluate the approaches used to solve problems (ACSIS172)

‘LAWLESS - The Real Bushrangers’ blends science and history to deliver powerful documentaries that will have an impact and an enduring legacy. This series will change how Australians see their folk heroes, and themselves.

© A

TO

M 2

01

7

3

Episode Four The KenniffsMike Munro’s real surname is not Munro: it’s Kenniff. The notorious Kenniff brothers were the last of Australia’s ‘wild colonial boys’ roaming remote north Queensland at the turn of the century, stealing cattle and horses with the confidence and skill of organized criminals. Their careers culminated in a showdown in the Carnarvon Ranges that left one policeman and a civilian dead. Their victims’ bodies were found burned and chopped into pieces. Patrick and James Kenniff were caught and tried for willful murder – but they maintained their innocence to the bitter end. What turns thieves into brutal mutilators? Was there reasonable doubt that they didn’t do the deed?

Mike Munro needs to know – this isn’t just a question

about the nature of crime and punishment, this story is

deeply personal. The Kenniffs were Mike’s ancestors and

the cause of shame for his family through generations. The

LAWLESS team embark on a factual and forensic analy-

sis of the crime to search for answers and Mikes meets

descendants from the other side of the story. Against the

backdrop of a brutal event, this case marks a pivotal point

in the history of our evolving laws and nationhood and this

investigation makes for an extraordinary personal journey

for host Mike Munro.

* Activity: Profile of The KenniffsUsing information from this episode, as well as your own

research, students are to produce a hard copy or digital

biography of The Kenniffs. Please note: There may be little

information available on The Kenniffs; as such, you may

have to rely on the information gained from this episode of

‘LAWLESS’. Information to include:

• Family background and early life

• Initial run-ins with the law

• Their actions as a bushranger

• Their alleged role in the murders on Easter Sunday,

1902 and subsequent trial.

If creating a digital biography, students can use tools such

as glogster (http://edu.glogster.com/) or padlet (https://padlet.com/)

© A

TO

M 2

01

7

26

* Activity: The Scientific Method – Identifying and Answering Questions

Teacher introduction: The following activity is intended

to use LAWLESS to model the scientific method as applied to this investigation. This activity is separated into three

components – Inquiry, where students consider how the

LAWLESS team of experts identify their research question;

Evidence and Analysis, where students identify how evi-

dence is interpreted and guides further investigation; and

Conclusion and Reflection, where students are encour-

aged to reflect upon the reliability of the team’s conclusion and how it is – or isn’t – supported by the evidence.

In contrast to earlier episodes, the limitations of evi-

dence available and sourcing of claims is ambigious in

the mystery of the Kenniff case. Therefore the clarity of

the investigation and conclusions drawn are less defined than the earlier episodes. This reflects the focus of the episode, which draws on Munro’s ties to the Kenniff

family and emphasizes the emotional over the analytical.

While it is not recommended to use the episode by itself

in a scientific context, it is useful as a comparison point to the preceding episode(s).

INQUIRY

“For years, I’ve wanted to know if Patrick [Kenniff] was

innocent as he always claims – or just a cold-blooded killer

who, some say, deserved to hang,” says Mike Munro in the introduction to the fourth and final episode of LAWLESS,

“The Kenniffs.”

Himself descended from the Kenniff bushrangers, Munro’s

framing here is noticeably more personal than in the series’

previous three episodes. That’s consistent with an episode

to tends to emphasise Munro’s personal connection with

the past over the more rigorous analysis of evidence seen

in previous episodes.

• Should scientists remove their personal connection

to their investigations entirely, or is that kind of pas-

sion beneficial? Discuss as a class: suggest how a personal connection to a study could aid or impair its

effectiveness.

• Based on the introduction to the episode, what would

you expect the LAWLESS team’s hypothesis to be?

EVIDENCE AND ANALYSIS

The investigation conducted in “The Kenniffs”, as with any scientific study, relies on evidence. The main source of primary evidence in this case is the historical testimony of

Sam Johnson, an indigenous police tracker.

• Describe Johnson’s evidence as presented in the episode.

• During the episode, the events that occurred on Easter

© A

TO

M 2

01

7

27

Sunday in Lethbridge’s Pocket are explained in some

detail. Is this explanation based on Johnson’s evi-

dence, or other sources, or is this unclear?• Historian Kiera Lindsey, on a couple of occasions

([00:06:13] and [00:13:38]) expresses skepticism about

the reliability of Johnson’s evidence. Why is she doubt-

ful of the testimony’s reliability?• Another source of primary evidence used in the

episode is a surveyor’s map. Who drew this map

([00:12:44]) and how is it used in the investigation?

Whilst the team use a range of primary evidence in their in-

vestigations, we also witness the ways that improved tech-

nological and scientific equipment/methods allow them to further analyse the Kenniff’s role in the grisly murders of a

civilian and a policeman in Lethbridge’s Pocket Throughout

the episode, take notes on Table 7 on the next page.

In this episode, we see the work carried out by ballistics

experts at the Victoria Police Forensic Centre. Working in

pairs, research this centre (or one in your capital city).

• What type of work is conducted here?• How long has the centre been operational and how

have advances in science and technology advanced

their work?• What types of occupations in the Scientific and

Legal fields are linked to the centre (both directly and indirectly)?

CONCLUSION

By examining the state of pig carcasses burned in a fire, Munro’s team of experts are able to reach a conclusion

about the veracity of the stories told about the Kenniff’s

brutality. This is only made possible by testing the carcass-

es in two different scenarios to make a comparison – using

the scientific principle of a ‘control’.

• Identify which of the situations you would describe as

the ‘control’ in the experiment, and justify your answer.

Discuss as a class.• With the assistance of Forensic Officer Rachel Noble

[00:35:10], Professor Roger Byard reaches a conclu-

sion about the bodies of Doyle and Dalke. What con-

clusion do they reach, and how is this justified by their experiment?

While the LAWLESS team is able to answer some

© A

TO

M 2

01

7

28

TECHNOLOGY/EQUIPMENT

How does this technology work? What are they hoping to discover?

Outcome/Conclusions based on using this technology

Ballistics Testing

on weaponry (eg. the Colt .45 and

the Webley .442)

Fire And Explosives

Unit investigation

using pig

carcasses

1

2

7THE KENNIFF BROTHERS

© A

TO

M 2

01

7

29

questions raised in the investigation, they’re ultimately

unable to determine “who actually fired the fatal shots that killed Doyle and Dalke.” (Per [00:42:56)

• Discuss in pairs as to why you think they were unable to reach a definitive conclusion. Can this be credited to the lack of evidence, choices made in the investigation,

or other factors? Share your conclusions with the class.• Write a paragraph comparing the scientific method, as

applied in this episode, to how it was applied in other

episode(s) of LAWLESS.

• Suggest further scientific inquiry that could be con-

ducted to further clarify the Kenniffs’ role – or lack

thereof – in the murder of Doyle and Dalke.

* Activity: Technological Investigations and Interpreting Primary Evidence

Throughout the episode, we see how the team of experts

use primary evidence and cutting-edge technology to

analyse The Kenniff’s role in the grisly murders of a civilian

and a policeman on Easter Sunday, 1902 in Lethbridge’s

Pocket. Throughout the episode, take notes in Table 8 on

the next page.

* Activity: Drawing conclusions about The Kenniffs

Working in pairs, answer the following questions. Share

and discuss as a class.

1. Paddy Kenniff was condemned to death on the word

of a single witness, the police tracker Sam Johnson.

After watching the episode, do you think there ap-

pears to have been any problems with Sam Johnson’s

testimony?2. We meet Bill Lawton, an elder of the local Bidjara peo-

ple, whose grandfather often rode with the Kenniffs.

What family secret does he reveal regarding the mur-

ders and how does Mike react to this?3. Following the team’s examination of the range of

evidence, do you think the right Kenniff was punished

for the murders? Explain your answer and discuss as a class.

* Activity: Focus on the descendantsRenowned journalist and host of ‘LAWLESS – The Real

Bushrangers’, Mike Munro is the great nephew of the

Kenniff Brothers. As he states: “Patrick Kenniff was my

great uncle. And for years I wanted to know if Patrick was

innocent as he always claimed or just a cold-blooded killer,

who some say, deserved to hang in

Sisters Meryl Campbell and Norma Jurss are the great

nieces of Constable George Doyle, the policeman who was brutally killed and mutilated by the Kenniff brothers in

Queensland, 1902. Their grandfather was George Doyle’s brother, and the sisters have learned the story of George’s

death through stories handed down the generations. The

family believe that one of the Kenniffs did the crime, but

they’re not sure which one. More information would give

them a sense of closure.

• How would you describe the meeting between Mike,

Meryl and Norma? How did their great uncle’s murder impact their family? What are they seeking in terms of helping them to deal with the tragic event?

• How would you describe the final meeting of Meryl, Norma and Mike? Do you think there has been any closure for the descendants? Discuss as a class.

© A

TO

M 2

01

7

30

EXPERTPrimary Evidence or Technology used in the

investigation of The Kenniff Brothers.Results/Conclusions drawn

based on their findings

Adam FordArchaeologist

Dr. Kiera LindseyHistorian

Professor Roger ByardForensic

Pathologist

1

2

3

8THE KENNIFF BROTHERS

© A

TO

M 2

01

7

31

Referenceshttps://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/http://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_

file/0019/19090/Kelly_search_all_colour.pdfhttp://www.npm.org.au/https://timeline.knightlab.com/http://timeglider.com/http://www.nma.gov.au/collections/

collection_interactives/jerilderie_letterhttp://www.policemuseum.vic.gov.au/collection/

overview

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/ned-kelly-gang-victims-all-but-forgotten-in-adoration-

of-the-bushranger-say-families-cops/news-story/3d1882a2dcf24dfce2260daf340786ce

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/family-urges-new-ben-hall-inquest/2007/03/30/1174761754719.html

ARCHIVAL IMAGES

Pictures Collection, State Library Victoria

Reproduced with permission from the collection of

Victoria Police

State Records of New South Wales

State Library NSW

Justice and Police Museum Collections, Sydney

Living Museums

State Archives NSW

National Library Australia

Forbes and District Historical Society IncorporatedBathurst Historical Society Museum

Supreme Court QLDQueensland Police Museum

This study guide was produced by ATOM. (© ATOM 2017) ISBN: 978-1-76061-059-3 editor@atom.org.au

To download other study guides, plus thousands of articles on Film as Text, Screen Literacy, Multiliteracy and Media Studies, visit <http://theeducationshop.com.au>.

Join ATOM’s email broadcast list for invitations to free screenings, conferences, seminars, etc. Sign up now at <http://www.metromagazine.com.au/email_list/>.

© A

TO

M 2

01

7

32