CHAPTER XLIII

Tuapeka Times, Volume XX, Issue 1428, 11 February 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XLIII

THE MI7JIDER OF i"R. I'IiJCE.

I have nothing particular lo recuru respecting my experiences at the Success, and the only event — and it was an event — that I think worlh mentioning, is the aniviil of Frank M'Cullum — eelebialod generally through the colony, ami in the Waxwork Exhibition iv particular, as Captain Melville.

With his advent commenced a new era at Gelhbrand's Point. The man was there — the hour had come — and it came only too soon, bringing with it the doom of death.

Melville's naiur.il abilities were, without duubt, considerable, although from the slight acquaintance I had with hi.n 1 think his educational acquirements were of the most meagre kind, lie was quite an enthusiast in crime — courted distinction among his fellows in every possible mauner — was altogether reckless of danger, if by incurring it he could be made conspicuous — was an effective speaker when prisoners formed his audience; and he had almost unlimited influence over those around him.

Shoitly after his arrival at the Success I was removed from that hulk to the Sacramento, a place which in many respects was much hotter than cither of the two other hulks. The superintendent w.is a gentleman, and that, I suppose, accounts for the difference. The Sacramento gang worked on the same point of land as the Success, and the discipline was supposed to be much the same.

One evening tny gang was ranked up on the jetty waiting for the boats to take us off to the hulk. The Success gang had just embarked in the hulk l.umch, which was boing towed oil' by another boat. Suddenly the men in the fore part of the launch seized the tow-rope, and in less than a minute had possession of the rowboat. Seven or eight of the convicts — Captain Melville at i heir head — jumped iuto the bo it, and without any ceremony pitched the poor fellows who were pulling the oars (refractory seamen under senience of a few weeks) into the sea. The boatman- warder in charge of the boat refused to leave the boat, and clung to gunwale. He was a quite, kind-hearted man, and generally liked by the prisoners, but this availed him nothing with such a hero as Captain Melville. One blow on the head with a tomahawk, a toss into the angry waters, and the poor boatman had done with this world. While this tragedy w<is enacting, the seamen who had in the first instance been ejected from the boat were struggling for their lives. One of them, although able to'swira, was so embarrassed with his clothing that before any assistance could be rendered him lie sank — not fiCty yards from the shore and surrounded liy boats — before our eyes. I felt quite a sickening sens'ition creep over me as I looked — impotent to aid — upon the struggles of this poor man to reach the jetty.

As for the attempt to escape, it was obvious to everyone that it was a complete lunatic affair. To get possession of the boat was eas} T enough, and yet even tint had proved a costly undertaking ; but to get clear off with the boat was a very different thing, it was simply impossible. The nu-n themselves 'could see plainly enough fi.t there was not a shadow of a chance for them. They had only three ours in the boat : and it was blowing a gale of wind right in their teeth. For ionn's sake they pulled away with their utmost strength, and as soon as they came within range of the Success volley after volley was poured in upon them. The policeboat and a boat from the hulk were quickly in pursuit, and in less than h alf-an-hour from the commencement of the mad attempt the infatuated men were again in custody. One man was found wounded lying in the bottom of the boat ; and one, with heavy cross-irons on, leapt, into the sea and never rose again. As the body of this man was never found, there are men among us who believe to this day th it he was never drowned at all, but succeeded in reaching the shoro and effecting his escape. They say that he was a man of remarkable power as a diver, and they describe prodigious swimmingfeats which he had performed at various times in support of their belief. Captain Melville and his associates were committed to take their trial for the murder of the warder-boatman ; but eventually, upon some technical ground, they escaped punishment. Melville delivered at the Supreme Court a very telling speech descriptive of the hulk cruelties, and as his assertions bore the impress of truth, public opinion set in dead against the penal system and the in-spector-general.

One morning the Success prisoners complained about the quality of their bread, and declared that unless they saw the in-spector-general they would not proceed to labour, The superintendent promised

that they should sec the head of the department in the course of the day ; and accordingly in the afternoon Mr. Price went on to the works to hear what complaint the men had to make. Whether they had predetermined to murder him or not I cannot say. Some of the Success prisoners told me shortly afterwards that on a previous occasion they had rigged a running noose upon one of the tout poles ■with the intention of hanging him, and that on the afternoon to which I now refer it had been arranged by some eight or nine to " settle " him. Others among them still declare the contrary, and say it was owing to his striking a man that the attack upon him commenced.

However, this is what really happened :—: —

Mr. Price listened to the complaint respecting the bread, and pronounced it groundless. As ho was turning away he was hemmed in by some of the men, and while attempting- to elbow his way through them the Norfolk Islander, Hefter.in (about whom I have already spoken) struck him ovtr the head with a spade. Mr. Price fought desperately with his assailants, but he was attacked at all points, and overpowered by numbers. He was barbarously murdered, and the murderers looked upon their crime as something heroic. It was really a horrible piece of butchery ; and I verily believe that Mr. Price, with fair play, would have beaten any two of the cowardly fellows who assailed him. If I had been present I should have risked my own life in his defence. As it was, I happened to be on board the Sacramento, and not out at work that day, and so I was not an eyewitness of this atrocious wickedness.

The prisoners soon found that the Victorian people were not disposed to exalt murderers to the lank of heroes, for the elevation they gave them was that of the gal'ows. As fur Melville, he hauled himself in Melbourne Gaol, though the prison version of his death is, that the gaol oilicors accidentally strangled him in a scuttle, and then pretended to find him suspended the next morning in his cell. Such a notion, is, of course, absurd, and yet many around mo entertain it. Shortly after Mr. Price's murder I obtained — not the freedom t conceived myself entitled to, but the indulgence of a ticket-of-leave ; but of this I shall speak in the next chapter.

(7'o be Continued.)