SMART ENCOUNTER BETWEEN THE BUSHRANGERS AND POLICE.

New Zealander, Volume XXII, Issue 2378, 15 March 1865, Page 4

SMART ENCOUNTER BETWEEN THE BUSHRANGERS AND POLICE.

The Coulbum Hera’d of February 26th says :- A party of police, under the command of Mr. Huthwaite, and comprising detective Pye, and troupers Wiles, Galle, Parker, Gracey and two others whose names we have not learned, have for several days past been in pursuit of the bushrangers in the district. Following certain traces, they on Thursday night reached Lodge’s inn at the Brcadalbane Plains. Here they apprehended two young men supposed to be bush telegraphs ; and they then determined on stopping all the parlies they met, ■with the v ew of preventing the possibility of information being conveyed to the bushrangers, who were believed to he in the neighborhood ; and towards morning they set out to the bouse of a settlernamed Byrnes, at Mutbilly, about four miles fromLdge’s where they arrived about four o’clock. At this time it was of course dark. Two of the parly were in charge of the horses while the res: surrounded the house, which they proposed to watch ti'l daylight. Five horses were seen in the yard ; and this assured the police that they were at last near the objects of their search. Pye and Wiles now went to look into the barn not far from the house, and as they did so three shots were fired from within at them. They at cnee retimed the fire, and Mr. Huthwaite and the other members of the party came to their assistance. The bushrangers fired again, and Wiles received two wounds—the one bullet going through his hand, between the thumb and forefinger, and the other striking him on the knee. Neither wcunds arc likely permanently to cripple Wiles. A great many shots were exchanged ; and, finally, the bushrangets appear to have gone up a ladder and dropped over the end or side of the barn, when they made off on foot. The police followed, firing as thev did so ; and they thought that they had hit Hall, for he was seen to spring into the air and then lal ; but if the information received at n lute hour last night bo correct, it appears that he was not injured. The police lost sight of the bushrangers hj a paddock of growing maize; hut as they tan awa; the bushrangers are described as having thrown away tluir arms and every article of clothing save their hir'.s and pantaloons. The police took possession of four of the horses, three of which were those stolen on Sunday night, from Messrs. Bowen and M*A ister’s, at Molonglo, namely, the racehorses Bergamot and Bosco. and a grey horse belonging to Mr Jeffrey, who was stopping at Molonglo at the time. The fif hj horse broke away and galloped cff. Mounted on the captured horses, some of the party continued the search for the bushrangers. Pye took charge of his w uuded comrade, and, proceeding to the house. lie and another trooper apprehended Byrnes, his wife, and his two sms on a charge of harbouring the bushrangers. Pye then came into Goulburn for medical attendance, end Dr. Waugh at once started off and attended to Wiles, who was brought to the barracks the same evening. The police have secured a large quantity of fire-arms, said to he a double-barrelled gun and eighteen revolvers. There are now a very large number of policemen and volunteers in and around the neighbourhood of the late affray—probab y not fir short of > hundred—and it was generally hoped that, being without arms and horses, the l ushrangcrs would probably he captured in tie course ot yesterday i r last night ; but information received at a late hour states that within twentyfive rods of the scene o; conflict the bushrangers were provided with fire.-h rms, and they were seen and spoken to shortly afterwards at the corner of Foley’s fence, near Little Hazaroack, and that Gilbert said they did not care for twenty five of Goal mm police. Had was sai to he uninjured, and all three to have laughed and treated tin. whole affair with perfee unconcern. An Irisbm m being asked which was oldest, he or his brother, “ I am eldest, ’’ said he. “ but if my brother lives {Jjrce years longer we shall be both of an age. ’’