STICKING-UP AT WETUERSTONE'S.

Otago Witness, Issue 537, 15 March 1862, Page 6

STICKING-UP AT WETUERSTONE'S.

Gallant Capture op Three of tiik Mcx. — Exciting Conflict with the Polick. For some time past the police have been awara that a notorious gang of ruffians were residing in an out-of-the-way gully leading into Wetherstone's ; but, as t^ey have hitherto managed to keep pretty quiet, no opportunity was afforded of dispersing them or bringing them to justice.j ustice. Various cases of stickiug-un have occurred lately, and in every instance these men have been more or less identified as the perpetrators of the offences. One of them — whose real name is believed to be Gallagan, but whose present alias is " Spratty" — is an old convict, and was concerned, in company with the notorious Garrett, in the robbery of gold from the ship "Nelson," in Hobson's Bay, Victoria. Jle was brought before the Bench about a week ago, nominally for being drunk and disorderly, but really in order to enable the police to identify him as one of the men who had stuck up a couple of miners at Wetherstone's, and robbed them of nearly a hundred pounds. The miners were, however, unable to identify him, and the police were in consequence reluctantly compelled to confine themselves to the afore-mentioned charge. As the fine inflicted upon him by Major Croker was promptly paid, lie was of course set at liberty, only again to be taken up as one of a gang who garrotted and robbed a miner, on Saturday evening, of 27 pounds. It appears from what can be learnt of the circum&tanceo, that the man, who was robbed was staying for the night at an accommodation tent on the flat kept by J. Alexander. About 12 o'clock on Saturday evening the tent was ripped open close to the stretcher occupied by this man, and an endeavor made by some one outside to remove the blankets by which he was covered, evidently with the view of Ascertaining if he had any valuables on his person. By this means he was awakened, but, not suspecting anything, he got up and went outside fin- the purpose of getting a drink. Oai going outside the tent he was accosted by several men, and, entering into conversation, asked one of them if he could show him a waterhole where he could get a drink. The man said he cojild. and asked him to follow him. He had not gone twenty yards when some one from behind seized him, and another immediately garrotted him. The struggle, although very slight, awakened Mr. Alexander, and he rushed out in his night-dress, believing the man to have fallen into the creek which runs near the tent. On reaching the outside, he called out, " Hallo, mate, wliat's up now." This had the effect of causing the ruffians to decamp, but one of them, in endeavoring to cross the creek, got up to his middle iv water, and, evidently believing Mr. Alexander to be following him, turned round and fired at him. The ball struck the ground close by the side of Mr. Alexander, knocking the earth about his feet and ankles. An alarm was immediately given, but, owing to the darkness of the night, they all managed to escape. On the following morning, Sunday, information was given to the police, and they at once determined on visiting the tent inhabited by these bad characters. As Sergeants Bracken and Trimbiie, accompanied by Detective Johnston, were approaching the tent, one of the gang, five in number, came outside, and, obI serving the police, at once gave the alarm to his mates. They all rushed out and ran ofF iv various directions, pursued by the police. Two were in a short time overtaken, and, after desperate resistance, secured. In the struggle Detective Johnston was compelled to use his life-pre-server before he could manage to secure his man. Of the remaining three, two took the direction of the Waipori, and the other rau along the track leading to Waitalmna. After seeing the men who were captured properly secured, Sergeant Bracken mounted liis horse and followed the man who had gone towards Waitahuna, Trimbiie in the meantime was endeavoring to overtake the two who had gone towards the Waipori. After an exciting chase, Trimbiie came within shot of them and would have secured them, but they on seeing they were " cornered," turned round and deliberately fired at him. Their fire was returned by the Sergeant, and it is believed with some effect as ono was seen to drop btj t iinmed iafely got up again, and, but that his companion, who was in an° ad? vantagcous position on the top »t the range con? tinucd to fire, he might have been secured. Seeing that their position made it impossible %o come to close quarters with them, Sergeant Trimbiie rc^ turned to the camp for the purpose of obtaining a horte. On his way he met Detective Johusou who volunteered to remain aud endeavor to keep them in sight. After some delay caused by their being no horses at tho camp at Wethcrston'o-, he managed to press iuto the service one belonging to a storekeeper. In the meantime, however, tlie man, who is supposed to be wounded, got away, and Johnson found it impossible to yet even within sight of them. They hud crossed the brow of the ranges, which arc-"fear-fully steep — and he was too fatigued with his arduous struggle with Sullivan to overtake them. Turnbull in vain tried to get on their truck— they must have kept to the ranges, where a horse would not follow them. Sergeant Barker was more successful with his man, for after a run of about four miles, he came up with him, and took him into custody. During the whole of Sunday the cimp was surrounded by crowds of diggers anxious to give whatever assistance they could to the p dice in capturing such a gang of ruffians. Large parties of miners scoured the hills in every direction, but up to a late hour on Sunday evening there was no intelligence of their capture. In the tent occupied by these men were found various double-barrelled pistols, all loaded ; also, a pair of wet and muddy trousers— evidently those torn by the man who had got into the creek on the previous evening. As the frail tent of the miners does not afford the slightest protection, it is to be hoped the police will be active in their endeavors to secure such characters, and sufficiently numerous and well -equipped to enable them to do so.