The Viscious Mr Brown

Charters Towers Mr Brown and Mr Haygarth

114 years ago, in the North Queensland town of Charters Towers, a terrible tragedy, born out of gold fever shattered the hard working community.

At a board of directors meeting of the Charters Towers Pyrite Company. Mr Brown demanded to see the minutes of a previous meeting at which his weekly salary had been cut. The Chairman Mr Graham Haygarth refused, and within minutes was killed by Brown.

While the story of this murder still haunts The Towers, few people know the back story which led to the incident which has become known as "the tragedy on Mosman Street".

The crime was the culmination Brown's decade long obsession with his own greatness. Brown convinced shareholders of the company to plough their profits from the operation into his new gold mining process which required expensive infrastructure and capitol. It was a folly which ultimately led to his undoing and the death of Graham Haygarth.

Listen in to ABC Brisbane tonight at 8pm with David Curnow and Jack Sim to discover the backgrounds of those involved in the death and their motivations.
http://www.abc.net.au/brisbane/programs/612_evenings/

Charters Towers Ghost Tour
https://www.facebook.com/Charterstowersghosttours

Visit the scene of the crime and the actual table at which Haygarth was murdered on the Charters Towers Ghost Tour.

Meet at the Charters Towers Visitor Information Centre, to undertake this Ghost Tour with a local historian. Walk the streets of the ghostly gold rush town of Charters Towers, hear real ghost stories from local Towers people and visit real haunted sites including the Royal Hotel, the Mining Museum and the World Theatre.

This 90 minute walking tour is suitable for all ages, but parental guidance is recommended.