CHARGE OF SHEEPSTEALING

Otago Witness, Issue 2967, 25 January 1911, Page 36

CHARGE OF SHEEPSTEALING

THE TANTANOOLA SENSATION. ADELAIDE, January 19. At the trial of Edmondson in connection with the Tantanoola sheep-stealing a witness deposed that he was induced to join the accused by the statement that he could make from £4 to £5 daily. Under the pretext of trapping rabbits, iMmondgon shot sheep belonging to the flocks in the vicinity, and witness skinned them. The skins were consigned to Adelaide. At other times they put up temporary yards, and ran in and killed whole batches of sheep. This had baeo going on since August last. . Januairy 20. Ednondson was committed for trial on a charge of killing 76 sheep with intent to steal. Yesterday's witness added that Edmondson had told him that the yards had been discovered, and that if he (witness) did not keep his mouth shut he would blow his brains out. The police evidence was to the effect that Edmondson had denied stealing the sheep and that he had threatened to kill his accuser. The Millicent representative of the South Australian Register visited the locality, which is seven miles from Tantanoola and 15 from Millicent. The thieves had chosen an ideal retreat. The nearest dwelling is several .miles a\ray, and the place is rarely visited, except to muster sheep three or four times in the year. The paddeck lies between a long belt of impenetrable t.i-tw* swamp and hummocks. It is dotted with shrubs and tussocks, in which an army could be eoncea.'ed. Several hundred sheep were grazinc in the locality. The plant would probablv never have been discovered but for the chance search of the party in the vicinity for snipe, as the stench would bsen noticeable a few dajw earlier or later. The corral is within a mil© of the place where the task of discovering an illicit, whisky still baffled the police in the early days. The first thought suggested by the appearance of the scrub outside the corral was that the " tiere-r" must be a. remarkably clever drover to get the sheep in. Two or three experienced men, with trained dogs, would have the utmost difficulty. The work has been facilitated by wire-netting- races, which were carefully removed after each drive.

The greatest care was taken to preserve the natural appearance of the underjgro-rth. The 'beaten track is visible, except near to the entrance, where fresh trees have been regularly cut and planter! in the mud, the ooeninig to the race having' been most ingeniously cloaked. The race is 30 inches

wide. The cutting of it has been a heavy undertaking, as the ti-trees are 3in in diameter, and l there is no room to swing an axe. Heavier timber provided solid footing, and the lighter branches were- interwoven with growing stuff at the sides. In the first yard the walls tower 12ft high. The second corral is larger and more carefully built. Evidently most of the slaughtering has been done herei. Sheep clearly branded Were 't rotting until the wool could be plr 1. Everywhere the place •was littered \. : mouldering carcases and whitened bor : and skulls, which could not have beei leached to such an extern Sin less than tiiree seasons. The place apparently had t- 2U used for years. An ttttempt had be- i made to clear a working space by iiirustirjg the carcases in spaces in the walls, but the business has increased beyond the " tiger's " accommodation, and he worked knee-deep in the putrefying mess. At the far end a way of escape in case of surprise had been cleverly fashioned with bushes overhead, affording shelter from the rain if forced to remain in hiding.