BLACK DESPERADO

Southland Times, Issue 18962, 8 June 1923, Page 5

BLACK DESPERADO

GOVERNOR ARRESTED CAPTURED AFTER FIGHT (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright). (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY, June 7. The police arrested Roy Governor near Dubbo after an exchange of shots. Governor and a policeman were wounded. Details of Governor’s arrest show that sergeants Young and Payne, with a party iof civilians acting on a report 1 that Governor had been seen some miles east of Mundooran, went out and surprised him sitting behind a tin shelter. In reply to a demand to surrender the outlaw, who was armed with a rifle, hid behind a tree. Young fired and Governor replied. A further exchange of shots followed, one of Governor’s bullets wounding Young in the arm and incapacitating him. The interchange of shots continued until a well-directed shot caught Governor in the back as he was running to another tree. He fell severely wounded and was later removed to Dubbo hospital, where it was found the bullet had penetrated his lung. His condition is serious. Governor’s camp was found well stored with flour, sugar, mutton and ammunition. He had a set of toilet requisites. He told his captors that he got his bushranging ideas from books. Besides the wound, in the arm Young received a nasty wound in the chin from the same bullet. (Every effort is being made by the police and civilians to effect the capture of Roy Governor, who is believed to be a son of Jimmy Governor, though it is sometimes stated that he is a brother (says the Sydney Sun). His doings are a painful reminder of the murders committed in 1900, when, Jimmy Governor, with others, broke out on a bushranging expedition. Nine persons were killed and others injured. In the end Jimmy Governor was captured at Bobbin Creek, in the New England country, and was hanged in 1901 for the Breelong murders. Joe, his brother, was shot dead. Earlier in the chase Jack Underwood, one of the gang, was arrested and convicted. Jimmy Governor’s wife, who was a white woman, and her son were secured by the police. Five years ago Detective-sergeant Lynch and the country police arrested Roy Governor and charged him with stealing. He was convicted and sent to gaol. A few months ago he was liberated. The attack on the Mawbey family at Breelong on July 20, 1900, was a frightful affair. Jimmy Governor' and others, resenting what they considered an insulting reference to Mrs Jimmy Governor, decided on murder. Mawbey had two houses on the section, one having been finished a few weeks before the murders. He and Reggie, and one of his sons occupied the old house for the time being, while his wife and children and friends took up residence in the new building. About 10 on the night of the murders, Mr Mawbey and Reggie and one of his sons were awakened by Jimmy Governor and his mates. Mawbey answered their call and promised to accede to their request to send them some flour next day. About half-an-hour later his son, Bertie, aged 9, hammered at the door and called out to his father:—Mawbey and his son put on a few clothes, and grabbing rifles dashed along to the house. On the way they fell over the dead body of Hilda Mawbey (aged 10$), who, getting away from the attackers, ran to a tree a short distance from the house. Here she was caught and battered to death. The body of Miss Kerz, a school teacher living with the Mawbeys, was found not far from where Hilda’s body was found. The bloodthirsty gang disappeared, and were next heard of a few days later near Gulgong. where at Sportsman’s Hollow they murdered Alexander McKay, a settler, and seriously wounded his wife. Travelling on to Poggy, 18 miles from Merriwa, they shot and killed Mrs O’Brien, wife of a settler, and her son. Mrs Bennett, a nurse, was also shot, but recovered. At Wolar they murdered Kerin Fitzpatrick, aged 60, a settler).