THE BALRANALD BUSHRANGERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5628, 10 March 1879, Page 5

THE BALRANALD BUSHRANGERS.

The following telegrams respecting the latest phase cf ruffianism in Australia appear in the Art*us :—

Baieakaxd, Feb. 24. A party of four bushrangers Lave just started at Hatfield, on the Ivanhoe road, 60 miles north of Balranald. They were previously running in wild horses with little success. On Friday evening, two appeared i at the froat and two at the back door of Grainger’s store, armed with a revolving rifle ; gun and four revolvers. They ordered the 1 inmates to bail up, saying they were the 1 : Kelly gang. They took goods and cash to the value of £sos also two horses, saddles, and bridles, from the District Court bailiff. They fired two shots at the storeman, named Day, who escaped to Balranald, and gave information. They marched all the others to : the bar of the hotel, and kept them there four ; hours. The bushrangers then left, saying ■ they were going to stick up a hawker named Friedman, who was camped a few miles away, and. then serve Balranald as the Kellys did Jerilderie. They threatened to shoot any one giving information. A party of troopers started in pursuit early on Sunday. Balranald is in. a state of great excitement, and special police have been sworn in for the protection of the town. Early on Saturday, the bushrangers stuck up Friedman, the hawker, and took £4O in money, and two rings off his fingers, two others out of his jewellery box, and also some clothing. They then went to the Till Till Station, where they took ammunition, rations, and six horses belonging to the station, previously making a man draft off the working-men’s horses. They ,marched ill hands, to the number of 25, from the men’s hut to the home station. They told Mrs Crombie (hey would not molest her or myone on the station. They boasted that Grainger’s storeman had been severely Kurt. Che gang left in the direction of Woopagerie Station, leaving behind them all the horses ; aken from Hatfield, except one. The-gang vere well mounted, and. still assume' the lame of the Kelly gang. The police are in lot pursuit, : The following are the names and descripions of the bushrangers:— William Kay, ; ged 19, fair; William Hobbs, aged 30, dark, rith a crooked arm and leg; Charles Jones, (ged about 20, dark; Thomas Gorman, aged ; 1, fair. Feb. 27. 1 The capture of the Hatfield bushrangers 1 r as effected by two Moulamein constables, 1 ho were on duty at Balranald when infor-4-J 1 tation—was..received on Sunday morning. i n Sunday morning, and overtook tne DdSaF* I ingers, after riding 180 miles, from 9 a.m. <1 n Sunday till 7 p.m. on Monday. The consi ;ables procured a black tracker from Clare, s' id ran their tracks to Kilfera Station. 1 Cr Casey, J.P., manager of Kilfera Station, supplied the best horses on the station; and sj arted with the police to the four-mile dam, v here they cams on the gang, camped and p sparing their supper near two small trees oi i the edge of a lignum scrub. The bushnj ngers ordered the police to bail up, the ti popers answering by calling on them to s- rrender in the Queen’s name. The gang fi ed twice at the police without effect. The p Bee promptly returned the fire. Constable I >wer’s horse was unaccustomed to firing, a d broke away. Power quickly mounted A r Casey’s horse, and rejoining the other ti loper again covered the bushrangers, who m ire now trying to escape. Several shots u ire now exchanged, Power being shot tl rough the right shoulder, but not dangero sly. The police now most pluokily si rrounded the gang, Gorman and Hobbs, ti o of the buslirangers, narrowly escaping h ing shot. The bushrangers, on being . aj lin challenged, all threw up their ai ms, and surrendered. The police having h)| ndouffed them and taken their fireai! ns, brought them to Kilfera Statil n. Next morning, Mr Casey drove the pi! soners under escort to the Clare Hotel, frj m which place Mr John Prentice, the la! dlord, drove them to Balranald, arriving thj re safely. The police weregreatly assisted in! ;his extraordinary feat by Messrs Williamsoil, of Magenta, and Casey, of Kilfera, who su! plied their best horses, and gave every as£ stance. Too much praise cannot be gn in to Constables Beresford and Power and Sp cial-eonstable Day for the brave and deter nined manner in which they followed up am captured the gang. |