THE QUEENSLAND BUSHRANGERS,

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12000, 24 June 1902, Page 5

THE QUEENSLAND BUSHRANGERS,

CAPTURE OF THE KENNIFFS. THEIR CAMP SURPRISED. POLICE USE THEIR RIFLES. By Telegraph.—Press Association.— (Received June 23, 5.1 p.m.) Brisbane, June 23. A telegram from Mitchell announces the capture of the Kenniffs. (Received June 24, 12.10 a.m.) Brisbane, June 23. The Kenniffs stole a bag of wheat from selectors near Mitchell. A party of four police and a couple of trackers traced them in the scrub bootless, and surprised the camp before sunrise. They shot two of the four horses used by the Kenniffsi. Pat, who was unarmed, and Jimmy, who had two loaded rifles, bolted, the police firing. Pat fell, though unliit, and was captured. Jimmy escaped into the scrub. As the police were returning with their prisoner, Jimmy was- again seen. The police, keeping up a running fire, ran him to bay, and ordered him to surrender. He agreed to do so if Pat was not shot, adding, "I am tired of this life." On being assured that Pat was all right, Jimmy quietly gave up the rifles and surrendered.

The KenniftV camp was well stocked with ammunition and food.

STOKY OF THEIR CRIME. The whole of the Maranoa district in Queensland was thrown into a state of great excitement some months ago by reports of the doings of three brothers named Kenniif. Early in April a rumour of the murder of a constable named Doyle, stationed at Upper Warrego, and Mr. Dalke, manager of the Carnarvon Station, gained credence, and day by day details of their encounter with the Kanniii's were supplemented by fresh discoveries. Later news confirmed, in the most dreadful manner possible, the fears which had been felt regarding the safety of Constable Doyle and Mr. Dalke. The charred remains of their bodies wero found, and a strong party of police who had been scouring the district since the first report of the outrage was received was reinforced, though it was expected that the Kenniffs, who had token to the bush, would not be captured without considerable trouble.

The alleged authors of the outrage are three brothers, Patriok, James, and Thomas Kenniff.- They are known* to the police as a. " bad lot," and have for a long time given the authorities a great dqal of trouble. It was not till quite recently, however, that they bunded together. Horse-stealing is alleged to be their profession, and they have all served sentences at various times. They have only recently been discharged from gaol, and a series of station robberies were reported from day to clay immediately after their liberation. On March 24 they visited the Merivalo Station, and stole six horses, and subsequently they stuck up a teamster, and robbed a Chinaman whom, they met on the road. The culminating point of their crimes was reached on Sunday, March 31, when the encounter with Mr. Dalko and Constable Doyle took place. A black tracker named Sam Johnson arrived at Mitchell on the following day in a state of terrible excitement, and reported that on Sunday morning Constable Doyle, Mr. Dalke, and he were crossing the country, when at a place named Lethbridge's Pocket, on Meteor Downs run, they came across the three brothers Kenniff, for whom several parties of police were searching. The constable and Mr. Dalke gave chase, and captured James Kenniff. Doyle, who was holding Kenniff down on the ground, called out to Johnson to bring a pair of handcuffs from the pack-horse. The tracker went away, and was returning when he heard several shots fired, and saw the other two Kenniff* coming towards him, with Colt's revolvers in their hands. Ho turned and fled, and as he was running away he heard several shots fired. Johnson eventually came across two stockmen who were fencing: in boggy ground, and one of them went back with him to the spot where the encounter took place. All the men had disappeared, and only Mr. Dalke's horse remained. The saddle was bloodstained, and the tracker, removing it from the horse, brought it in to Mitchell in confirmation of his story. Half-a-dozen trackers were at once put on the trail of the fugitives, and it was hoped that Constable Doyle and Mr. Dalke had only been wounded, and had gone to the nearest waterhole to bathe their wounds, and wait until they had recovered sufficient strength to get back along the road. Forty police arrived during the succeeding days, but, as no trace of either of the men was found, the fear that they had been murdered began to be entertained. The country in the Maranoa district, where the police are operating, is very rough and thickly timbered, and it was recognised at the outset that the task of tracking the fugitives would not be an easy one. It was learned that the father of the three men always lived with them in the ranges, and that "their familiarity with the district would greatly aid them in evading the authorities. Several days passed, and at length the worst fears were entertained. It was learned that they had been heard to threaten to do for Mr. Dalke and Constable Doyle, because they had heard that they had been in pursuit of them for horse-stealing some days previously. James Kenniff and Mr. Dalke had come intq_conflict on a former occasion. when Konniff was severely punished, and it was presumed that the brothers would take the earliest opportunity of having revenge. Quarrels of this .nature were of constant occurrence in the district, where a gang of cattleduffers have been actively engaged for some years past, ;ind were alleged to have been instigated by men in important positions. The brothers Kenniff incurred the suspicions of the police on several occasions, and there was continual ill-feeling t»?tween the police and members of the family.; Mr, Dalke had frequently assisted the police m tracking offenders, and had become a marked man among the cattle-stealers. \ „„„„__ On April 4 the scene of the affray was carefully gone over, when it was discovered that pools of blood had been burned over, although no traces of bodies were found, nonstable Doyle's spurs were lying close to one of the fires. It was reported by'a stockman that ho had seen smoke arising from a large fire in this neighbourhood, but ,hat lie was afraid to go near the snot. „ *„„„,„♦»,„, Tho police on April 7 received nfor mat ion which seems to set at rest all doubts as to The fate of Doyle and Dalke. '< The constable's horse was found by a part;' of police wandering in the ranges, about 10 miles from the scene of the encounter. It was making for the police station at TTpper War. -ego-and had probably been turned adrift, 0,/ Hart escaped some days ago. Two pack lugs were strapped aero* the saddle, and on >penmp them the police were horrified to fit« mat, they contained charred human remaim. They were filled with charcoal, [bone-, buttons, and teeth. Tt is supposed that this Kenniff murdered their victims and roasted their bodies on the spot, afterwards placing the burnt remains in bags, in the hopo of finding a Place to dispose of them where they would not be likely to be found. It is surra wed that the bushrangers intended taking ,tne horse awav. but that it became frightened and made off towards its stable with its gv uegome burden. , ,„„„,!>"«.. Merivale Station, where a number of homes were missing after a visit from the Kenmfi % is part of the Darling Downs and Western Land Company's Estate. Carnarvon Statu*. which is about 100 miles from the Mitchell' was purchased by Messrs. John Collins ant Sons from the estate of the late Mr. Peter Tvson Mr. Dalke was sent to manage tho nfoner'tv as soon as it was acquired, and soon made himself known as a man of energy and fearlessness in his efforts to nut down cattlestealing. The Kennif? family had a block of land on the Carnarvon run under occupation license, and had q. large herd of cattle.