CURIOSITIES OF CRIME.

NZ Truth, Issue 80, 29 December 1906, Page 7

CURIOSITIES OF CRIME.

• - --■■■ .-■ 4, . BARRINGTON AT BOTANY BAY. ' iy « r — A Letter to His Wife— On Board the Transport at Plymouth— An Alleged Mutiny— Arrival at Sydney— Appointed to Official Positions-^-His Farms at Parramatta— His Death and burial— Where Buried. < I .'.• (BY "OLD CHUM.") [

Georgo Barrington Was found guilty of picking pockets on Epsom Racecourse, on September 1, 1790, the pocket picked being that' of Henry ■'. Hare iTownsexul, Esq. On the 2*2ikl qf the same month Barrington was brought up at the Old Bailey Sessions House, 'when the Recorder prtxnounced sentence, of . SEVEN YEARS.* TRANSPORTATION, a very mild sentence, '.Considering 'thtf reputation the accused,' bore, the amount of suspicion alrtached^ to him; and the number of previous convictions— oale sentence alone being -for live years. In those days the Recorder always passed sentence, no matter what Judge tried the prisoner. ""''-.. * ' •:* -' -„1 - When sentence wks _ pronounced Barrington put on his most innocent posa and adopted *liis most melancholy tone : "My Lord, I have a ■ great deal to say m extenuation of tlie cause for which I now stand convicted at this bar ; but, upon consideration, I will not arrest the 'attention of the -honorable- . Court too long. Among the extraordinary vicissitudes incident to human; nature, it is the ( peculiar and unfortunate lot of some devoted persons to- -have theu? best wishes 'and their most earnest endeavors to deserve tho good opinion of, the THE MOST RESPECTABLE PART Oij .-SOCIETY.entirely frustrated. Whatever they cai say or whatever they -can do, ever. word and its meaning, every action units motive, id represented m an unfavorable light, and is distorted from the real intention of the speaker or the actor. That this has been my unhappy fate does not seem to stand m need of any confirmation. Every effort to deserve well p* mjUikind, and my heart bore witness to this rectitude', has been thwarted by such measures ,aS those, and consequently has 'been' rendered abortive. Many of the circumstances of my life I . can, without any -Violation of truth, declare to have, therefore, happened absolutely m spite of myself. The' world, my Lord, has given me credit for abilities indeed much greater, tjiap^i possess, and therefore much • »ore .^* a^ r deserved ; but I have; never \ found any kind hand to foster these abilities. I might ask, where was the generous and powerful hand that was, ever, stretched forth to resfcue 4 George Barrington- from infamy ? In an age like this, 'which, m several respects,?-, is So justly -famed for liberal sentiment, .it was my severe lot that no N OBL&MINDEp' 'GENTLEMAN stepped forward and Solid to me : 'Barrungton, you are possessed of talents which may be useful ■to society. I feel for your situation-; &nd as long aa you atet the "part of a gjbod citizen, I will be your protector ; you will then have time and opportunity to rescue yourself from the obloquy of your former conduct.' Alas, my Lord, George Barrington never had. fhe Supreme felicity of having such' 'comfort administered to his wounded- spirit. * As,,, matters have unfortunately'turned qjit, the die is cast, and as it is I l_ai_d resigned to my fate, without one murmur of complaint." Having, concluded his address, Barrington made a most respectful bow, and retired from public life m Europe- to enter upon new. 'scenes at Botany Bay. aty" » » From the moment se_! mcc was pronounced" Barrington's demeanor entirely changed. In fact, there is evidence that a change -had conjei. over him prior' toliis arrest at* ~Sipt&^P^Wy^f may -jtfdge from a letter! to ' hijS^j-WiJ^; A.w'bich was written jilst .before ne_' 'sailed' '.for Bots__*y Bay. • '/ -iO\ #_»•■.■'*■'. Barrington was detained m Newgate for .six months prior to transportation. The letter to his wife, , published' in the '"Morning Chronicle/ ,Marfci_v 9, 1791, is dated from-, the Mary Ann, transport, Plymouth, March 2, 1791, and m it Barrington says : "Our departure from Newgate was so, sudden that it was utterly impossible to leave you a si,ngib woTd. We had not the least 'notice of it until 4 o'clock m the , morning, and before we could well get. tha better of the shock 319 of up were conveyed to the river aide. Dreadful reflection. ,- The unfortunate wretohes were all -'. j LOADED WITH IRONS ' iaind chained together? except me, who was permitted £o walk unfettered between the Sheriff and Mr.' Ackermann, whose humanity to me will long be remembered. "You may be sure: I have, often pictured to myself the i state of your mind upon finding me dragged away without seeing one another, at _ parting. But puch I are the laws of our country i It has, j however, given me infinitely mor© pain i than the punishnient;{itself .. The . many years' endearment, the fond affections of ; a father, and aU the flattering hopes of a reclaimed life,, m case I had been for- ', tunate enough to have escaped on my late trial, crowded before me, and made .me anxious, indeed, to have remained with you and my dear child, and to I have ■ continufed a useful member of soi ciety— at least to have bid a short adieu jto you aud the public- With respect jto the prospect before me, * sad and distressing as it; may -appear, all may ultimately be for our good. With the best of hearts and the best 'of dispositions, there is, God. knows, an overbearing fate that counteracts our best ' designs, and makes us act (that is, pickpockets) m spite of ourselves. But no more of that; , it is now .too late to reason. ..'"Pray remember me -to Charles Et ; f and the rest of my. family _. and let me see you-and my;, child^ as soon as .possible, agreeable ,', to like 'directions m the , postscript heisof.'-' , '-'y ' ' , . •.-', , _' * : , . ■» _..'.'■. I This postscript was not preserved, tynd the existence 01 '$"> wife and -child is' pot alluded to a'fl^f wards. She certainly t did not ' ■'■" ' ' '.">.' I COME T0. t BOTANY BAY.- : j Barrington . came tp . Npw 'South Wales I lin what is known- as the third fleet, 1 i which was convoyed by- the Gordon, 44 guns, ort board ;of Which' was Captain Philip Gidley King, afterwards Governor of New South Wales. , Though Barrington was on board the Mary Ann at Plymouth, he app&ars to, have been transferred to the ACtive, m which he arrived m New South'. Wales. ' - « .-. _'• * ■ » "■One authority tells ys that soon- after the ship left Epgland a circumstance occurred which may justly be asserted to have laid the foundation of Barrington's subsequent good fortune. j *"*'..'* I The humanity of the captain induced him to release many of the convicts who were m a weak state from tljeir irons, and permit them, 10 at a time, to promenade the deck. Two of them, Americans, formed the ■ DESIGN OF SEIZING THE SHIP, and prevailed upon the majority of their comrades to join m the plot- It was agreed that oh tho first favorable opportunity part of those who were on the deck should force tbe arms chest, overpower the sentinels, and then give a signal^ to those below to join them. The design was planned with great secrecy, and executed with equal spirit and audacity. One day the captain ;.nd most of the officers being below, Ban-iag-ton, who

* . was the only man on deck', : except the man at the helm, heard a noise ou the main deck, and going forwkrd to ascertain the cause, was met by one of the Americans and another convict, who presented a s.ibre at his breast, which they had just wrenched from one of the .sentinels, and commanded him instantly to stop and make no noise. The sentinel at the moment came up and knocked the sabre up, and Barrington, seizing j tho opportunity, snatched up a handspike and knocked his assailant down. The man at the helm witnessed the scene and gave the alarm, while Barrington held the passage to the quartor- ; deck. The 'convicts retreated, but, bekur ! joined by others, were rushing upon him, when Mie discharge of a blunderbuss from behind Barrington wounded several. The captain and officers arriving on the scene, the mutineers were driven below. Two of the RINGLEADERS WERE INSTANTLY HANGJ3D at the yard-arm and several others severely flogged. » Order being restored, the captain paid Harrington iu&ny handsqrie compliments for his conduct, to which he- attributed tho salvation of the? ship, pVornised him a recompense for his services, and directed the steward, to supply -him -with every-thing-he wanted during the voyage. On Lie arrival of the Active at the Caipe of '■o'od Hope, the captain gave Barrington ■ draft on a merchant there for , 100 dollars, with, 'permission to go ashore as often as he pleased. When the ship reached; Port Jackson the captain made such a favorable report of Barrington, his character and merits, that the Governor immediately appointed him a superintendent of convicts at Parramatta, where a house was provided for him'; : , ...."•. * * * Strange to • say, no allusion tQ this, is made., by' Barrington m a letter written by him from the. Cape ot Good Hope to a gentleman m Yorkshire, and the only 'interesting item is the postscript. "P.S. : I - understand it was repprted m the papers that when I came oh board my hair was cut off, and my clothes ta,ken away, but nothing of the kind . happened to me. I was permitted to retain both, and continue to this hour to meet every indulgence which can soften my situation." On his arrival It*. Port Jackson, George Barrington appears to have dropped into a fairly easy billet. Though the Governor did not like educated convicts he appears to have had much sympathy for Barrington. There were no newspapers m "Botany Bay" m Barringtpn's time, and much of the information which we glean of his career m Ihe colony is obtained from British journals, the effusions of correspondents m New South Wales. In the "London Chronicle" of August 28, 1798, appeared the following :— "GEORGE BARRINGTpN. "The papers lately asserted that-George Barrington was. on -his return to this country, his time having expired. The fact is as follows : He arrived m Port Jackson m 1791, and was employed on the Government grounds at Toongabbee, some distance from Sydney cove, where his very exemplary conduct procured him, first, the post lof a subordinate, afterwards that of a principal, watch for ithe protection /of stores, etc, and m Np;vemb6r,.' 1792, _i. warrant • of . emaipcipal tion passed the Seal- of the Colony, and after the; short space of 13 .months he became a free man, such power being [ vested m the Governor m favor of deI serving characters. This was one of the j last acts . of Governor Phillip previous Ito his leaving the colony. With his ' freedom, George Barrington had a grant of 80 acres of iand at Pai-ramatta, and was afterwards sworn into the COMMISSION OF THE PEACE. ; Though no longer a convict after No- ' vember, 1792, yet he could not leave the colony without permission from the Governor,- and. providing his own passage home." » » » The "Commission of the Peace"- did not mean, m Barrington's case, that he had been appointed a magistrate, as ! Simeon Lord, Dr. Redfern, and others j were by Macquarie. !•_••■■ * . * * 1 Governor Hunter, m writing to UnderSecretary King, under date, August 20, 1796, says : "I will, whilst I am writing; mention one man to jou, who„ to speak my sentiments of him, I must ' say appears to me to be one of the tnost zealous on public' duty, and one of the most exemplary m private life, of any within the colony— Mr. George Barrington, I mean. Well has he, since m this country, deserved for his services some extraordinary encouragement, but we have jione to give. I wish, if he continues after his time is expired, I could do something which might induce him to stay (H is near expired), but he has not hinted any intention of leaving the , country. I am, however, of opinion he will, for he cannot • obtain as much here as wiii purchase clothes for his back. He has constantly done the duty of chief constable at Porrjunatta, and m that, office has been indefatigable ih keeping the public peace and m guarding private, property. It is much .to be regretted that a man of this description, because - once having offended the laws of his country, should be ever afterwards considered as unworthy of its favor." In the next month Hunter gazetted Bar- ' rington as j SUPERINTENDENT OF CONVICTS, jin :the room, of Mr. Thomas Clark, returning .to England, the appointment dating from September 17. In this capacity Barrington's salary was £50 a . year, and his duties to superintend "the I duties of the constables (convicts') and j take care that they duly attend to the i orders of the civil police." ! * * * Mr. John Black, who had been a purser on board the convict ship Lady Shore, and who with other officers was turned adrift by mutineers, writing to his father from. "Botany Bay" m September, 1795, m mentioning certain remarkable convicts, says : "Barrington is a man of very genteel address. I have dra.uk a glass of grog i-> his house. He is head constable at Parramatta, and is much respected. He is a pleasant, conversable man." * * * Barrington's position at Parrainatta improved as time went on. Hp was evidently an owner of house property, as ROWLAND HASSALL, AN EARLY MISSIONARY, who had been living on a farm of ParSon Marsden's at North Bush, lived m a house of Barrington's. Hassell quaintly mentions tho fact. "We went to live m a house that was more convaniant belonging to Mr.: Barrington, m the North Boundary, where I was robed of nearly all 1 had, as no clout you havo been informed." ■* * * Tn a return compiled ia October, 1800, of officers and settlers liaviug extra servants (convicts, of course), Harrington's name appears an having three, aud owing the Crown for the services ol* the same £130, and Barrington will admit that h« i

only owes for one. Tn this the ex-pick-pocket is m good company, as Captain Johnston, of Anuandale, had 12 extra servants, and was indebted m the sum of £520, and Captain Johnston said that the matter would bo settled by Governor Hunter- Other high officers owed large sums, and all disputed their liability m a flegree. -• * », ■ In November,. 1800, Governor Philip Gidley King, m General Orders, says : — "Mr. George Barrington, having, from infirmity, resigned hia situation a9 head constable, and m consequence of his great diligence and good behavior since he has been m the situation, from his first arrival m the colony, the Governor has directed that half his salary be continued to him, and John Jennings is appointed- head constable at Parramatta m his stead. 1 ' '.* " • » In the next year, following, presumably, the healthful occupation of a farmer, George Barrington is given as the owner of two grants, ono given by Phillip,, the other by Lieutenant-Gover-nor Grose, of GO acres, the erst of thesebeing m Novenibor, 1792. the date of his emancipation. In addition, he had purchased. 50 acres from small settlers. Of the total, he had 16 acres cleared, eight j being m wheat. iio had three horses, 25 sheep, eight hogs, and one assigned servant. Thia looks like prosperity fpr the times, but m the "Saunder's Newsletter" of October 8, 1802, appeared, with other Botany Bay news, the following : — ""The celebrated Barrington haa been deprived of his office of high constable, having given himself up latterly to excessive drinking. He is, however, cry comfortably settled m the town of l J arra_matta, adjoining to which he possesses two farms ; and m consideration .if the services rendered to the colony by his official activity and reformation, the Government allows him £-58 annually *or life and four servants free of wages." In "Government Orders" it was sagely mentioned that ... Barrington's £50 a year would cease with death. j Barrington had some boon companions : at Parramatta, , one particularly m Judge- Advocate Atkins, who was said to have passed death sentences when stupid from rum. General Holt says m his memoirs that one of the first persons he saw on arriving at Parramatta was his countryman, Barrington, arm-in-arm with Mr.: Atkins, the Judge-Advocate. Just iniagi-ne the ex-T_ondo.n -pickpocket arm- ! in-arm with the, practically, Chief Justice of the Colony 1 »»» . i Thus Holt: "I wished to have some conversation with them, and I think they desired to talk with me. Mr. Atkins asked me into his house, and Barrington followed.' A bottle of ruga was produced, and some pleasant conversation about Ireland passed. At length I wished to retire, but Mr. Atkins aaidhe never allowed any bottle off his table until he saw it emptied. We finished the half-galldn bottle, and were* of course, not a little elevated, being each of us as full of chatter as a magpie m May." -* * * ' Holt had some dealings with Barrington on' account of Captain Cox, who had settled near Parramatta. In 1801 he sold a farm and an old brood mare With foal at foot for £.100-. His health was breaking up, and his mind, became clouded. In lucid intervals he expressed great annoyance -at his name being attached to. several books which he .had never written and had no knowledge of until their publication. He has the credit of' being bhe author of the theatrical prologue commencing, "Prom distant climes, o'er widespread seas we come," etc, but Barrington never wrote a line of it, though its authorship is still shrouded m mystery.- --* *' » Mr, Simeon Lord was one of the earliest auctioneers m the colony. According to the "'Sydney Gazette," on Wednesday, January 2, 1805, at 10 o'clock, at Parramatta, by order of the trustees, acting under a commission for the management . of the estate of Mr. George Barrington, a lunatic, deceased, Mr. Lord would sell household furniture, a flock of 124: sheep, and a 50-acre farm on the Hawkesbury, which was let at a rental of £20 a year, payable m farm produce. . .; . . ■;.*■ .. * * George Barrington was m his 50th year at the time of his death, m 1804, and is buried, my old friend, John Bennett, tells me, on the estate at Eastwood, on which is the Carpeatarian Reformatory. (To be Continued.)