Short-Lived Bushrangers.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVI, Issue 50, 3 December 1909, Page 7

Short-Lived Bushrangers.

yjjy Charles White, Author of "Au9liralian Bushrangers," "Old Convict I Days," Etc.) I CH AFTER V. ItHE CHINESE SHEPHERD AND i HIS CHEQUES. »Dne of the convicts from Van Bicfean's Land .who "took to the bush" Kthe early golden days, rejoiosd in agio name of Tommy Kyan. In eomgLaiy with a kindred spirit and old Equaintance he commenced his bushlang'ng career in the Carcoar district, [pen the centre of several flourishing goklnelds; but he did not reign long Kough to make any "heavy hauls." paving entered the hut of a settler in Blonely part of the bush in search of Sooty, and finding ihat the settler's mk was the only occupant of the P»ce, he attempted an outrage which, ffit had not been prevented by the Unexpected appearance of a visitor, poiild have cost him his life. pThe particulars of Evan's road exifoits may be briefly given. His first gjictini was a Chinaman, named Ya Yu Qio was employed as a shepherd at |j[r Lawson's station, near Flyer's 'Creek. Ya Yu was quietly sitting on Ijhe trunk of a fallen tree, calmly watching his master's sheep feeding in ! front of him, when Kyan came <p and entered into conversation with him. The innocent Chinaman had no suspicion of Evan's real character, and was rather pleased than otherwise to have the monotony of his life broken by even a stranger, especially as tnat stranger had_ an inclination to stop and yarn with him. Seating himself on the log by Ya Vu's side, Kyan filled his pipe and commenced to smoke, the while- drawing from his companion by dimple Suestions full particulars concerning is mode of living, who was his- master, how long he had been employed on the station, what wages he received, etc. Having satisfied his ;uriosity on all these points, Ryan suddenly revealed himself in his true character, and poor "John" awoke to the fact flat he was at the mercy of a bushranger. Kyan produced a pistol and declared if Ya Yu did not at once.give up his trousers and shirt he would receive the contents of the pistol in his head.

" Me give vou tlousers," tremblingly replied the t'hinaman, "but me want 'um skirt." But Kyan was inexorable, and to make his victim yield to his demands without further delay he fired his pistol at a tin pannikin which Ya Yu had slung round his neck by a string. This was sufficient. Ya Yu immediately doffed his shirt and handed it over. Neatly sewn up within a convenient fold of that garment, the robber found all the Chinaman's money, the proceeds of many months of solitary toil in the lonely bush oehind his master's sheep. There wen- four sovereigns, eight £1 notes, four £■•> notes, and 'two cheques— one for £ - 20 and the other for £3—bearing Mr Icely's signature, and "as good as gold" in the hands of any person other than a robber. As it turned out these cheques proved one of the means of •Byan's arrest, identification and conviction.

Leaving the disrobed Chinaman to j,et home us best he could, Kyan hastened away towards Bat hurst, his com- '• panion (named Molloy) journeying by his side. When nearing the township they met a bushman named Lane, whom they ordered to "bail up." At first Lane thought the command was 8 joke, but he was speedily undeceived by Ryan declaring that they ivould not stand any nonsense as they were two Derwenters (Van Demonians) and there was "no gammon''' about them, Ryan ordered Lane to go off the road and strip, and amidst much protesting he did so. handing over to the bushranger his clothes, with a bag ci.ntaining several pennyweights of gold, aAI note, and some silver. Having secured the property the robbers tied their victim to a tree and left him, but Kyan afterwards relumed and loosed his bonds, saying that he did not wish to deal harshly with him. | ''Well then" said Lane, "give me. back the gold ami money, for 1 am a poor, hardworking man." ... ; "No." replied Kyan, "I won't give you the money, but here are two cheques which we took from a Chinaman we 'popped' yesterday. if you . go to Bathurst you can change them, | for they're old lcely's, and good : but mind you don't come back this way, ' for if you do, and we see you, we ll blow your brains out." Kyan aiso gave him some old cio thing, and Ryan went forward, reporting the occurrence at a roadside public bouse.

Three (lays afterwards, Captain Bat- j tje, of the Mounted Patrol at Bath-! orst, and one of the best troopers 1 that ever sat in saddle, was on the tracks of the bushrangers ; and comir"* suddenly upon them in .the bush about 15 Miles from Bathurst, he speedily had them in safe custody. Upon being searched, Kyan was found to have on his person the whole of the money, less the cheques, taken from Ya Yu, together with Lane's clothes and a pistol, loaded and cupped. ,Brought to trial at the Court of Assize, jii-niw dealt with him in a way short, sharp, and decisive. After hearing the evidence the jury found him guilty on both charges of robbery unit arms, and the presiding judge (Sir Alfred Stephen, C.J.) read him a lecture. He remarked upon Ryan's repulsive appearance, and said such a fare once seen could never be forgo'tfcn. A more hardened villain had never been brought before him, and from the presence of decent people for he was determined to remove him a lengthened term.

Th<' sentence passed upon Ryan was a heavy one. For the first offend. 10 | years' hard labour on the public roa'ds j of the colony : for the second ori'once, | fifteen years, the second sentence to commence at the expiration of the first -equivalent to a life sentence, for he * a s an aged man. The reader can imagine the broad smile-"r;hil>)-li!«! and blaml."Hthat illumined Ya Yu's features as, by orfo oi the court, the money which «yan had taken from him, and which m had given up for lost, was nanded «ack, The cour t gave an answering smile when Ya Yu calmly asked that bis shirt might be taken from the erstwhile bushranger anil returned also. CHAPTER VI. YOUNG BENDIGO'S GANG AND THE DIGGERS. "It was in 1852" (says an old-time •%er, when narrating his experiences J* one of the rich Victorian fields)

diggers, passing through the Black Forest, always a favourite haunt of ithc bushrangers, on the way to the Ovens. Before we started the police warned us that we were being watched. 'Look out in the Black Forest, and don't let any men come near you,' tiify said. 'Challenge them at ,50 yaiws, and warn them to stand ! off.' And .f they still como on ?' I suil. Then f.re upon them.' "It \w\s Young Bendigo'a gang of about 15, and we were pretty sure •they were dogging us through the forest; but our disposition gave them no chance. We had three men out ahead, three in the rear, and three oh each side, and the rest with the horses—their own plan of action. We came upon them suddenly, but each stood off and watched the other. The chance was not good enough for the bushrangers. They liked something with less risk. "We saw nothing of them again until one night we were camped upon the Goulbourn. We had pitched our camp among the lagoons in such a way that it could only be approached on one side. I was on sentry at the neck during (he night, -when I saw the bushrangers, with their led horses, coming down epiietly through the trees. Passing the word to the men to be ready; I challenged, and told them to keep off—this was our camp, they must come no closer. The leader, Young Bendigo, with many choice epithets on new chums, said he would go where he pleased. " 'Anywhere you please, but not into this camp,' said I. 'lf you como a yard nearer I'll fire.' Then my mates quietly stepped out of the tents into the moonlight, with their weapons ready, and formed up in two lines in open order. "Again it was too much for Young Bendigo, and, leaving a track of lurid blasphemy behind them, they went their way. Nest day they crossed the river, and, getting drunk at the wayside shanty, sent a vainglorious challenge to the police to come out and fight them. The challenge was accepted with much more promptitude than they had expected* A posse of troopers rushed them suddenly with batons, smashed them up badly, and three of the gang then captured were afterwards hanged."