Reconstruction of capture of Ah Kim, 1875

A reconstruction by Foelsche of the shooting of escaped Chinese prisoner Ah Kim during a police attempt to capture him in May 1875. Foelsche painted the puff of smoke from the policeman's gun onto the glass plate. The falling figure of Ah Kim is represented by a stuffed dummy. Ah Kim was one of the first Chinese to arrive in the Northern Territory in 1871. He had a market garden at Yam Creek, then worked as a jeweller. During April 1874 he was arrested for theft and imprisoned without trial for a year. He escaped from the Palmerston Gaol in April 1875. His whereabouts were tipped off to Police Inspector Foelsche, who sent two troopers to apprehend him. They ambushed him on the evening of 11 May 1875 and he was killed by a policeman's shot when he slipped from his hiding place above his boat and fell. He was not armed and not considered a dangerous criminal, and his treament and death caused public controversy.

Permission to use this item for any purpose, including publishing, is not required from the State Library under these conditions of use.

Buy a high resolution copy.