John Davis

John Davis, known in Shark Bay as a master of pearl boats, lived a solitary life in Shark Bay—a man shaped by the sea and shadowed by secrecy. Probate records revealed he was born George John Davies in 1856 in Cardigan, Wales, to James, a mason, and Mary Davies. The name change hinted at reinvention, perhaps escape.

He began his maritime career at age 12, sailing short European voyages. Over time, he voyaged further afield and became a ship’s master.

Upon arriving in Fremantle, he found work that led him to Shark Bay, where shipping lists recorded him as Captain J.G. Davis.

In 1883, one of John’s first Western Australia commands, he commanded the small cutter Mineroo on the Gascoyne to Shark Bay route which foundered. Newspapers mistakenly reported he had drowned alongside a Chinese crew member.

That same year, a hand named Nelson aboard the Pioneer tried to sue John after being struck by a swinging block, during loading, resulting in partial paralysis and 18 months of hospital care. John’s next command was the Stanley, which seems to be an unregistered shallow water pearl shelling boat.

Adding to events of 1883, John saw the murder of Mrs. Pontivivo, a pearler’s wife newly arrived in Shark Bay. She had joined a social gathering at John’s shack early in the evening of 24 January. In the morning, she was found with her throat cut. The incident underscored the rough and ready violence of life in Shark Bay.

Shark Bay was home to around 80 working boats and European employers, including Tom Waspe (“Old Tom”), Louis Williams (“Barmy Louis”), and Mr. and Mrs. John Adams. The Adams lived a mile from Freshwater Camp, in a camp with their employees. John was friends with these pearlers and was a popular master and resident of Shark Bay.

Gambling among the crews was a common pastime together with drinking - a bridge across cultures and languages, and cause for social interaction in an otherwise work dominated and lonely existence. Gambling was also a cause of arguments and sometimes violence. Seamen carried a knife as part of their daily work attire. They were often needed aboard working boats and could save a life in emergencies.

On 29 January 1888, Pedro, a Malaysian crew member, confronted Ah Soo in his shack, disturbing the peace of the camp. Pedro had lost money to Ah Soo in a card game earlier in the evening. He was angry and after stewing on the debt for hours, he went to confront Ah Soo. He banged on his door and shouted.

John, Tom, Louis and John Adams were at the Adam’s camp, nearest to Ah Soo’s. They went outside to calm the situation. There were others gathered near Ah Soo’s shack, having heard an altercation. Among them were Pabian and Louis Retiano.

As Old Tom approached Pedro to calm him, Pedro mistook Old Tom for another pearler and threw him to the ground and stabbed him. The blow connected with Tom’s arm and was not fatal. John helped Tom to his feet, as Pedro stuck again, fatally stabbing Tom in the back, piercing his heart and lung.

In the chaos that ensued, Pabian stabbed John in the put of his stomach. A gunshot rang out—Louis Retiano was said to have fired it with his revolver, killing Pedro. Louis was also shot in his back and seriously wounded by another shooter.

John Adams helped John and Louis to his shack. The Adams dressed their wounds. Then John Adams quietly left the camp and walked the mile through the bush to Freshwater Camp to inform police.

Constable Skinner was despatched at 3 a.m. with eight men from the army post. The wounded were taken to Carnarvon for treatment by the resident doctor TJ Roberts. Tom and Pedro’s bodies followed aboard the Edith for autopsies.

John and Louis were expected to recover. Unfortunately, John lingered in delirium for days with undetected internal bleeding in significant pain. Mercifully he fell unconscious after four days. He died within the week on 5 February. He was just 32.

Police took nine men into custody at the Freshwater Police Station: Pablo Bartolo, Mariannio, Bonifaceo Caldion, Pabian, Laris, Louis Reatino, Abdol, Francisco de Alles, and Leandro. Charges included the murders of Waspe, Davis, and Pedro. Inquests confirmed the fatal wounds and attributed Davis’s death to Pabian.

The media described the murders as “dastardly and cowardly.” They called for banishment of pointed and sharp knives among the Chinese and Malaysian crews. There was a growing unease about the employment of Asian and Malaysian seamen as the murders were blamed on cultural differences.

The accused were jailed at Freshwater Camp on 6 August 1888 and appeared before a Magisterial Court in Shark Bay for a pre-trial hearing. There were 23 witnesses summonsed. Police found Pabian’s knife under the floor of his shack. Marianno and Francisco de Alles were released. After six days of the hearing, the seven remaining men were taken to Carnarvon jail to await trial.

On 6 February Carnarvon Court two Justices of the Peace began the trial, hearing the details of witnesses and offenders. Convictions of one, two or three murders and the wounding of Louis were decided for each of the accused. Abdol and Leandro were released. The remaining five men were committed to Supreme Court in Geraldton for sentencing.

In Carnarvon on 8 February an inquest into Old Tom’s death was conducted with evidence from John Adams. The same evidence was used for Pedro’s inquest, and the next day John Davis’s death was investigated in his inquest.

In Geraldton Supreme Court before Justice Stone Pabian, Leandro, Louis Retiano, Bonifacio Caldion, and Pablo Bartolo were sentenced to death. Mercy was recommended for Retiano and Caldion.

On 29 June 1888, the Executive Council commuted the death sentences to life imprisonment.

John Davis had died intestate. In 1890, George Leake, Colonial Solicitor, traced John’s next of kin, his father in Pembrokeshire, Wales, and started the legal process of transferring john’s estate, valued at £420.