Tim Tie was employed by Mr Falconer’s water boring party at Dulvavilla (now Dulbydilla), 500km west of Brisbane on the road between Roma and Charleville. Tie was born in Amoy, Fujian, China in 1856 and arrived in Queensland in 1876. Although his name was spelled Tie in his trial and gaol records, it was generally spelled Tee or Tea in newspaper reports, likely indicating how Tie’s name was pronounced.

Tie’s trial for the murder of Jimmy Ah Fook took place at the Roma Circuit Court on 9-10 March 1886. Jimmy Sam from Amoy acted as interpreter. Testimony was given that Tie had come back to his tent to find a man he believed to be Ah Fook getting dressed. Tie was said to believe that Ah Fook had been with his wife Kate. Tie went to Ah Fook’s bakery shop and, after arguing over a gambling debt, returned to the shop and shot Ah Fook approximately 40 times with a double-barrelled shotgun.

Among the people giving evidence was Jimmy Ah Gee, brother of Jimmy Ah Fook, also a cook in Dulbydilla. He was called to his brother’s bakery on the night of the shooting and helped carry him to the railway station so he could be sent to Roma for medical treatment. However, Ah Fook died of his wounds at the station before the train departed.

Tim Tie denied that he shot Ah Fook but was found guilty by a jury and executed by hanging at the Boggo Road Gaol in South Brisbane on 5 April 1886.

Citation

Jan Richardson, ‘Tim Tie (1856 – 1886)’, Harry Gentle Resource Centre, Griffith University, 2022 (updated 2023), https://harrygentle.griffith.edu.au/life-stories/tim-tie/.