Two charitable institutions — the Kalyra Consumption Sanitorium at Belair and Estcourt House, near Grange were founded in his memory, and out of the proceeds of his estate.

James Brown was born in East Fife, Scotland, and in company with his brother, Archibald, left Liverpool on the barque Fairfield on 1 November 1838.

It lay on the overland route to Melbourne and Mount Gambier, and about 60,000 sheep crossed the best part of the station during the first three months of every year.

He told Moorhouse that, on the day the killings occurred, he and a white man named Parker were walking along a road when they heard shots.

Several difficulties were detailed, including the fact that Parker denied any knowledge of the crime, as did others who were believed to have heard the incident, discussed in Brown's presence.

Brown's co-accused, Eastwood, alias "Yorkie", had fled when the investigation began and had apparently left the colony aboard a whaling ship off Kangaroo Island.

An important witness named Joice had gone to the neighbouring Port Phillip District of the colony of New South Wales, and Leandermin himself, who it appears was being detained at Guichen Bay, absconded and had allegedly been "made away with".

Despite the extremely difficult task faced by the prosecution under these circumstances, the Advocate General ordered that investigations continue and issued warrants for the arrest of those that had fled South Australia.

By the November sittings of the court, Brown's case had been removed from the listings, and this was the end of the matter as far as the formal investigation was concerned.

Effectively, settler solidarity and the law of evidence ensured that Brown was never tried for the murders, despite the fact that those involved in the investigation had no doubt of his guilt.

He had been a colonist of 51 years, and his residence in South Australia had been broken only by one short visit to San Francisco, where he had property interests.

[citation needed] Prior to leaving Adelaide Mrs Brown called upon a close friend, Adam Adamson Jr (1821 – 20 January 1898), and indicated her desire to found a charitable institution in memory of her late husband.

It was built and named in 1882 by F. Estcourt Bucknall, whose well-appointed yacht used to lie within pistol shot of the mansion, where great hospitality was dispensed.

Sir Charles Goode, one of the trustees, helped to place the institution on a satisfactory basis, and Kalyra and Estcourt House and the Trust have continued to operate through the years.