Ernest Alfred Hawthorne

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      Sex: M

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Individual Information

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          Birth: 21 Feb 1878 - Akaroa, Canterbury, New Zealand
    Christening: 
          Death: 7 Sep 1897 - Silverstream, Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand
         Burial: Nov 1897 - Silverstream, Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand
Events
•  He worked as a labourer on 6 Sep 1897.

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Parents

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         Father: Alfred Francis Hawthorne (1851-1912)
         Mother: Elizabeth Ann Clement (1853-1887)

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Notes

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Burial Notes:

Event Description: Wallaceville Cemetery

General:

Philpott was originally charged with forgery regarding a cheque.

Philpott also charged with bigamy.

m 1888 to Anna Eliza Martin, yet to find his first wife as could be re gistered under one of his aliases

Silverstream Murder - Philpott alias Stanhope, Wells, Smith & Wood.

There is an excellent account of the Silverstream Murder recorded in ' Famous NZ Murders' by Dudley G Dyne, 2 chapters titled Hawthorne's mat e. It appears Frank Philpott murdered Hawthorne by shooting him in th e back of his head and burying him in a shallow grave 100 yds from th e Silverstream Railway for his money, camp items & tools. For a shor t period, they shared a small whare (hut) together in a clearing by th e bush where they worked together felling trees for railway sleepers . Philpott fabricated a series of lies as to the whereabouts of Hawtho rne until the community became suspicious and alerted the Police and H awthorne's body was found. Philpott had the revolver on him that was u sed to kill Hawthorne and a forged receipt for Hawthorne's items. Desp ite letters to his lawyer claiming his innocence, he finally admitte d murdering Hawthorne to clear another person's name. There was no ind ication that young Hawthorne (21y) was romantically involved so killin g over a woman seems unlikely.

Death - Silverstream Murder

Execution of Frank Philpott. Frank Philpott, alias Stanhope, was hange d at the Terrace gaol at 8 o'clock this morning, for the murder of hi s mate, Ernest Alfred Hawthorn, at Silverstream, on September the 7t h last … Tom Long, the executioner, then arranged the rope, and Philpo tt stood firm. There was a slight increase of color in his face, and i t was evident he keenly realised his position, but he showed no sign s of breaking down and met his fate manfully. The executioner, curious ly, forgot to draw on his cap till reminded by the gaoler, and as he s tepped forward to do so, Philpott closed his eyes. When the drop fel l death was instantaneous. (Marlborough Express 23 March 1898)

OBJE: _TEXT Plot 1 Block D Row 9