DEATH OF A BUSHRANGER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 871, 23 August 1879, Page 2

DEATH OF A BUSHRANGER.

:" Qei»sy Smith," wliobo name associated iwith;, some of the most daring bush* Mggers m the early days of thefgoldfields w Victoria, died m. the Melbourne Hospital recently. According to the prison records (says the Argm) ho was transported, from England when a more youth to Van Dieman's LancL Being a refractory convict he was subsequently aenttoEort.Artlnuv^U^re^tho worst kind r of criminals were con fined. In the year 1 853* .ho/with ;sU others, escaped m a whaling boat, and after a perilous voyage landed at Brighten. ~*Being an absconder, he said it . would be useless to go to the diggings, as he would soon be discovered, «nd at once decided on a course pfbu'shrangihigl In those days the assistance rendered by the police, for the security of life and property was but limited, which encouraged desperate criminals to coniitiit acts whiclr have -furnished a long catalogue of crime.* m the early days of the gbldfields and. subsequent years: . * rSnrith Was often seen, m a spirit of bravado, passing among the diggers with a red sash round his waist, m which were: exhibited a brace of pistols. On one occasion he was arrested by a young! trooper, who was taking him to the lock-up. In a ionely part of the road. Smithiisked the trooper to take off the handcuffs for a moment) which the officer consented to do. As soon as the prisoner's hands were free he seized the. officer's swortfaNid attacked him. The trooper at the same moment drew the, scabbard from his belt, and at once stood on defence. 'The two fought for some time, the prisoner, finding he was getting the worst of the fight, struck the officer's horse, /which' belted into the bush, and Smith escaped. Smith always spoke of the trooper as one of the best mien, he had ever met with m an encounter. On another occasion, when Smith and his mate M'Nally were surrounded by the police,; the latter was. shot dead while the fornier escaped. In the year 1857 Snritli^as arrested at Ballarat, and would " have been lynched by the diggers,- but tliey were prevented by a few 'of the police. Smith was tried and sentenced to 15 ye.araj.Qn the roads ofifche colony. Jn those days the Pentridge stockacle was very iusecure, and Smith was sent to the hulk President. -Afterwards he was -transferred to Pentridge and placed m:. jk ; pqsi^on of trust m oue ofwtjhe divisions, rwliere he conducted himself to the satisfaction of the authorities. After he f! was. discharged from prison he , was taken 1 m hand by Mr. Lang; sob' of Dr. Lang; of Sydney, who appears to have placed* considerable confidence m Smith's honesty. He Was often entrusted by Mr. Lang to bring mobs, of -cattle from NW South Wales to the Melbourne niarket-to )ell, and m subsequent y_eara he w&sr plaoed m charge of a station. r X J ' ' ' «

'■■ There te that ill the way some men stroke their beards which is irritating to some fyoiheu." It is done with such a self-satisfied, complaisant air. . Suoh a "Yjfes, youoantklk^ niy dftar j it is the privilege of yoiir sex to^lalk ; but we men s know all about i&! ,%mv talk does not. disturb oyir equanimity. It is a .drain on our patience, but. we can stand that ; B*o prate aVay» '" - A