Short-Lived Bushrangers.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVI, Issue 48, 26 November 1909, Page 7

Short-Lived Bushrangers.

—_-♦ —— (By Charles White, Author of "Australian Bushrangers," "Old Convict Days," Etc. j CHAPTER IV.

HOLDING UP THE GOLD EBCOKT. With fields yielding gold in almost jgljulous qualities in both New South Rales and Victoria, particularly «in the last named colony (which, by the m y, was separated from New South (fales almost simultaneously with the jiscovery of payable gold therein), properly equipped escorts for conveyjnu the precious metal to the metropolis were recognised as one of tiie jrst requirements. Yet the authorities were almost dilatory in making thenecessary provision, and even when (hev did make it, many of their successful diggers elected to convoy their o wn winnings, although the worki was jflth difficult and dangerous. They jpug'ht safety in numbers, however, j n d until the regulur Government tamps on the fields with its own gold (jcort therefrom became a properly established institution, tne digj»rs faced both difficulty and danger with tolerable success. The one great danger to which they were exposed was, of course, the bushrangers, who generally formed gangs, eacli member 'of which was well armed and mounted lor operating on the main roads; and various were the schemes adopted for securing a safe passage for the precious metal. One of the first Government officials lo be sent to any field proving payable and promising permanency was the Gold Commissioner, a gentleman invested with highest magisterial and judicial functions, almost unlimited 'powers, and a dignity and importance greater, perhaps, than attached to jnv officer under the Crown. The ,»oo(l man in this position was honoured by the diggers, who cheerfully B ubmitted their disputes to him for jettlement, having faith in his fairness, and yielded him prompt service in any case 1 of emergency. The bad man was held in detestation by all ind, as far as personal safety would permit, was treated with undisguised contempt. The Commissioner established n more or less substantial camp 'md on the more important fields had a strong force of armed constables at lis command, whose duty it was to ;preserve order, see that every digger lad a license, hunt down sly-grog 'sellers. and carry out the multifarious obligations attaching to the wearers of the "Queen's uniform." The Commissioner and his men had jbusy life, and their wort was not nU ways' finished when they retired to tie camp at the close of day, others relieving them in the open as night patrols, for it was to the camp that lucky diggers generally brought their (jays winnings, lodging the precious dust and nuggets with the eommisgioner until the escort started, and choosing the hours of darkness) for their visit, being wishful of keeping tie mailer secret if the turn of fortune's wheel had brought into their possession something particularly good. As a rule the guards of the camp were old Imperial soldier pensioners, sturdy veterans, and most re'liable, in whose care the diggers knew they could safely leave their treasure. The nvn for escort duty were, however oi a different class, being chiefly smart voting feliows, good riders and safe shots, the preference, other things e-jual, being given to the experienced bashmen of the force. The main escort left the principal fields weekly or" 'fortnightly as the bulk of gold deposited at the bank required. The vehich; used was a light strong waggon or a coach similar in many respects to the vehicles used by Cobb and Co. ior the conveyance of mails and passengers. The escort consisted of four or six mounted troopers, one of whom rode in advance and the others abreast of the coach, or justbehind it. On parts of the road considered dangerous a couple of the men would be thrown out as scouts in adwincc. to guard against ambush, and as a rule all the men rode with their loaded carbines at hip ready fr.r install' action.

Tlio e-old was carried in spcciallvmads boxes. Those first used were htavy ivooden boxes, and when the ?o!d was deposited therein the Government seal would be affixed in several places on lids and sides : but as these were found inconvenient for land I'm _r. especially on the road duriny or after wet weather, when the coach bogged upon the newly-made tush tracks and had to be lightened teirc it could be drawn out on to joiid iiround. a more convenient round con ho\ was brought into requisition, laving a lid which could be clamped and screwed down. That strength "as required in both boxes and coaxes will be admitted by the reader *licn lie learns that as much as two tons of gold have been conveyed from a Ikdii to the metropolis in one trip. Inis was in the '"roaring" days of tie tiolden Era ; and one is not surprised that the men of the highway saould east longing eyes at the treasure and |)i; tempted to de'ds of darjag am] devilry, similar to the one .Waiter to he recorded. })h>-u the diggings at the Ovens Iwcturian side of the border) broke out, hiije numbers . of New South :»elshi.,en flocked thither from the sarliot opened fields on that side, Wrne to make their "piles," others—' M majority—to return to their homesj poorer th an u hen they started. For *"tie reason not difficult to guess, those ~f the "Sydney-siders" who were ''""iir.ate on that 'field preferred to nave their winnings taken to Sydney, < J"d did not make'use of the escort to i W'lboiirne, () n on ,. occasion, they I *Dihiin'd and formed an escort of ; ""'ir own. and on one fine day in l)e----j comber, K">-2, t | ie unusual spectacle *9s furnished on the field of 55 men, I ?'l Well-armed and mounted, surround'i dray upon which had been plac- ™ 15.")!hs' weight of gold dust (about *'.Wn worth j, and starting with it f w Sydney. Jt would have gone hard J" 'Hi any bushranger or gang had le or they essayed to steal that gold, tor «ie|) individual in the escort had ''shave in it. and was prepared to w «id it „ith his life. The ->arty 'Tossed t|„: border into New South • ?, a ta, and in due course arrived in ias s, when; the majority turned and 'We hack to the (Kens to resume ">eir work, leaving eight of their to finish the journey t« tydiKy, w liich they did in safety. SuM ■gently a limited liability oorapanyv m formed, !» Sydney to provid« a

properly equipped escort between that,' city and the Uveas, taking the money to the field to pay the diggers for, their gold on the spot, and then conveying the gold in safety to headquarters. The Sytluey-sido diggers agreed to hold their treasure until the company s escort came for it, and and they did so for a time, until the visits ... ilie escort became 100 irregular for them. The company's fust i' corf !' coach and mounted men was eclat. A big demonstration was held, and amongst the more prominent men in attendance thereat was his Excellency the Governor, who made a speech and wished the venture ' the greatest possible success." Evidently the profits made by these expensivetrips were not sulliciently large to. please the shareholders, and after running for some time the escort was abandoned.

hi the earlier days of the Beudigo, there was one notorious gang of bushrangers, headed by a ruffian, named Black Douglas, which held the roads for some time, defying the police and terrorising all civilians, 1 wiio had anything of value to lose. jOn one occasion they attacked a camp of diggers who were returning to Melbourne with their precious store, acting as their own escort ; but the diggers showed fight, and managed to beat off the gang, although one of their number was shot dead during the encounter, and three others were badly wounded by the bushrangers' tire. The same night they rode up to another similar camp, but the. diggers were prepared for them, and, seeing that a warm reception .-iwaiti eu them if they attacked, they rode off in the darkness. On the following night the gang was surprised by troopers when "holding up" a roadside hotel, and all of the members with the exception of the leader were captured. Had they successfully attacked the diggers at. the second camp they would not have made much of "a haul," for most of the precious stuff was hidden where they would never have thought of looking for it. Before starting on their journey the diggers had taken off one of the wheels of the dray upon which their "belongings" were packed, and with a, chisel had cut four chambers in the wood of the axle, placing therein the chamois leather bags containing the gold, and afterwards fitting lids to the chambers and plastering the joints over with still clay. Each digger kept out a, little loose gold to. hand over as a blind if the bushrangers surprised them on the road. In July, 1553, another daring gang. of bushrangers, headed by a man named Gray, engaged in a most sensational escort robbery at the Mia ilia, between Kyneton and \felvor. : This escort also was a privale one, and was proceeding from Me Ivor to catch the main Beudigo escort on its, way to Melbourne. The treasure under guard consisted of 2,'W ounces of gold, valued at between .CS.OOQ and .CO.OCM, and over -£XOO in cash. The escort was a strong one, and consisted of Superintendent Warner (in command), Sergeant Buins, and Troopers Fookes. Davis, Beswater and Morton Buins riding in front of the vehicle anil the others beside and behind it.

A.s the party reached a bend of the road by the Mia Mia, Buins saw that a tree had been felled across tin: tra.'k, and his suspicions were at on;' 0 aroused. Holding up his hands he shouted "IlaJt !" to the others, who were following- fast upon his tracks. The word had barely passed ids lips when several armed men jumped from behind the bushes on the side of (lie road and iired a volley at the ad-, vancing escort. They were evidently out to kill. Each man had clearly chosen his mark,, and Fookes, Davis, Beswater and Morton fell before, their fire, each seriously wounded. L'a\is was in the act of unshipping bis carbine from the holster when a bullet struck him in the neck. The horse ridden by one of the other troopers was shot dead, and falling pinned his rider to the ground. Serjeant Buins at once dashed his horse through the barricade formed by the lopped branches of the fallen tree, and was met by a volley from horse-pistols, which'' the bushrangers carried as well as their guns. Two bullets lodged ill the Hanks of his horse, but he escaped injury, and returned the fire, as also did Warner, the two exchanging! siiots with the trail;; until they I ud expended their ammunition: but to lirino' on their side was not effective, and when Warner's horse had been, shot in the jaw and rendered almost unmanageable, Buins turned and galloped to the nearest police station for assistance. Whilst this liring was proceeding, those of the bushrangers who were not engaged in it were busy with the gold, which they seized from the stationary vehicle and rode away with through" the bush, leaving _ the others to follow in manner previously arranged. The four troopers had been so badly wounded by the first volley fired that they could do nothing to assist their comrades, and they lav where they fell until attended to by the driver after the gang had departed. . The news of the shooting of th<{ troopers and the stealing of the gold created the greatest excitement on the, adjacent goldlields and in Melbourne, and there Was a general uprising of volunteers among the diggers, _ who, whether acting in conjunction with or dependency of the police, were 5 de- j termined to run down the robbers if they were anywhere in the locality. No' less than "100 men are said to have; entered upon this work, and within a few days of the outrage the bush was being scoured in all directions. But although a number of suspicious characters were arrested, the search was fruitless of good results. Then one sct-rch extended farther. The punts on the Goulburn and Murray rivers were closely watched, every known resort of ex-convicts on the fields was overhauled, and the Govern--ment offered a reward of £3,000 ion the apprehension and conviction of the offenders. The whole colony was agitated, and that agitation incro*ased as the impression strengthened that the robbers had got clean away. At last the police obtained a clue, and following it, up they arrested ft man named George Francis. This arrest led to others until, after smart movements on the part of the authorities, the whole of the other members of the gang with the exception of Gray, the leader, were captured ; for although rumour placed the numb« of the gang at 10, 12,15, tod SO,

it was subsequently shown that six constituted its lull strength—namely, Gray, George Francis -and his brother John Francis, George Melville, William Atkins, and George Wilson. The manner of the arrest of the four lastmentioned will appear in due order. Having secured George Francis, the police at. once set out for Melbourne with their prisoner, who made no pretence of innocence-, but surprised and pleased his custodians by confessing his guilt and turning informer. This lie did, evidently, without any hope of saving his own life, for <u the road, when resting temporarily at a wayside inn, he managed to get hold of ii razor, and, while still handcuffed, cut his throat and died.

Anxious to act upon the information given by the robber suicide, the police made all haste to Melbourne. John Francis they arrested in a cottage owned by him on Collingwood Flat, and he followed his brother's example by "peaching" upon his companions . in crime, giving their names and indicating where they might be found. Like his brother, lie also was an ex-convict, and ence before had turned Queen's evidence.

Wilson was found on board the ship Madagascar, which was lying in Hobson's Bay, and on the eve of departure for England. A complaint having been lodged against him of creating a disturbance and nourishing a pistol : the police made this the excuse for his arrest. On the way to the shove he asked that the' boat might be taken under the stern of another ship, the Cullooney, also about sailing. her destination being the Mauritius, as he wished to ask a man named Melville to look after his wife. This was playing right into the hand-; of the police, who next dav boarded the vessel and arrested Melvide, linding in his trunk two bags of sovereigns, totalling over £7OO, and upon his person £IOO. Atkins was discovered in a store iuMelbourne, having in his possession a bank draft for "£4OO, while upon his wife were found £BO in cash and adraft for £7OO, the latter being sewnl into the lining of her dress.

The prisoners were placed upon their trial, the charge against them beingrobbery under arms. The chief witness was the informer, John Francis, who, in the course of his evidence, narrated the procedure followed after the escort had been robbed. They had all ridden to a dense part of the bush on the Catupaspc river and throw, n their guns into the water,, keeping only their pistols, the possession of which would not arouse suspicion, seeing that almost every 1 person at that time ivho could afford such a_ weapon carried one. They then divided the gold into equal portions, using a powder-flask as a measure, and at once separated. Gray, who had arranged the raid, was supposed to have gone to South Australia. George Francis stayed in the Mclvor district, and tire other four made their way to Melbourne by different routes, getting rid of the gold without any difficulty, and preparing to leave the colony as soon as opportunity offered.

John Francis saved his life by turning Queen's evidence, but the. other Mine were convicted and sentenced to death, which sentence was duly carried out. When being sentenced, Melville made a ferocious attack upon (he informer, but oh being interrupted by the judge, who advised hiiu to di'■est his mind of malice and prepare himself for the death that awaited, him, he turned and said : '"Then may God forgive me as 1 forgive John Francis !"

A general impression' prevailed for. many years that a portion of the gold stilwi from the escort had been "planted" In tho .bushrangers near the sce;ie_of the robbery, and every likely hiding-place was more than once carefully explored by anxious treiisure-hunters ; but none of the searchers were successful. The money found upon the bushrangers arrested certainly did not represent anything ; ike a fair proportion of the gold stolen, and the impression that much of it must have been planted was .'-. : treiiL>-then'ed by, if it did not have its origin in, that fact. Perhaps a more reasonable solution—if. certainly s not a far-fetched one-is that Gray, the leader, got away with more than his share ( ,f the treasure. If there had been a "'plant," one or other of •he three men condemned to death) would siire'y ha\e revealed it, if for in other purpose than to prevent the 'nformer from unearthing it after they had paid the penalty of their crime. (To be continued.) *