Biography

One of his mates constructed a crude coffin and he was buried under a clump of trees close to Maninka Gully near the grave of a young fellow who was buried there in January of that year. Mr Graves read the burial service while the body was being lowered into the grave.

Anderson was well-known and much respected in Siberia for his kindness. His kindness to the natives was also something exceptional. He was in the habit of sharing his food with them and also gave them clothes and blankets. In cold weather, he even went as far as to buy them a tent. It appears that an Aboriginal couple named Jimmy and Polly came into Siberia from the direction of Murchison about nine months earlier. Polly was rather a fine-looking woman and after a while, left Jimmy and lived with Anderson who, in partnership with a mate, ran a condenser about eight miles from Siberia on the road to the 90-Mile. Jimmy thrashed the lubra on a number of occasions for infidelity and tried to induce her to return to him, to no avail. Consequently, he became very sulky and at times threatened he would spear Anderson. Anderson defended Polly against Jimmy's attacks and on the day of the tragedy, is said to have beaten Jimmy severely. During the same night, Jimmy returned to Anderson's camp and met Anderson while the latter was going in the direction of his tent. Anderson apparently saw him and stooped to pick up a stick, when Jimmy drove a spear between his neck and collarbone. The spear penetrated right through to the ribs on the opposite side. With a groan, Anderson fell back and expired. The cry brought Polly out and she ran for Anderson's mate who was asleep. The two managed to get the body onto a stretcher and left for Siberia. A party of diggers went out to the scene and found that the murderer had returned and looted the tent of all tucker, blankets and the water bag. None of them went out after him.

Anderson, of fair complexion, height 5 ft. 7 in, had been a sea-faring man who had also spent time in New Zealand and was known as New Zealand Jimmy.