The eviction of another troublesome character -   Pitnacree punt owner Malcolm Turner resulted in a charge of manslaughter against Keddie when Turner was later found dead in a barn at the Inn. There was a lengthy trial and at the conclusion Robert Keddie addressed the court. He stated that he was convinced that the jury would see that there was no foundation whatever for the charge against him, and their verdict would disabuse the public mind of the false and injurious reports circulated against him. He had no hand in the death of the unfortunate man further than filling the glass that made him drunk although he admitted that Turner had died from an injury after a fall on the verandah of the Inn. He reiterated that he was entirely innocent of the charge and criticized the committing magistrate and coroner. When the jury returned with a verdict of not guilty after  twenty five minutes deliberation, loud cheering took place outside the Court causing the Judge to sentence an old servant of Keddie's to 48 hours in the cells for contempt of court. (45)

In November 1849 Robert Keddie was advertising to organize voyages to California. He stated that he would not be able to make Passage money less than £12/10- because agents and ship owners charged most exorbitantly for their vessels as the sailors abandoned them to look for gold on arrival. He vowed to provide a much more liberal allowance of fresh provisions than any of the ships sailing from Sydney  and would charge £20 for the freight of a horse with owners to provide their own groom and fodder. Each passenger was allowed half a ton of luggage free of charge. (48)