UNDER SENTENCE IN NORFOLK ISLAND.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1870, 13 February 1892, Page 2 (Supplement)

UNDER SENTENCE IN NORFOLK ISLAND.

>-— t Ai'TIIKNTSC KWOIHW.

No. 10.

THE RITEU BIITEN.

Fitzimmons was not troubled again by his tormentors, the two constables. It did not tuit Ward'B scheme that they should be prying about the house, and they got a quiet hint from one of the highest effi ciala not to bother the old hutkeeper any more. _ During the succeeding day on which ho paid his vieit to the conviot bcatrrian, Ward was exceedingly busy. Ha visited no less than six of the outlying Ehepherd prisoners, and won upon them to such an extent — by the aid of a glib tongue and tobacoo — that they each promieed to visit Fitzimmons' hut that night, armed with the password. He even mode arrangements whereby Hendrick found himself at liberty to join the conspirators, and complete the secret circle.

Ward had, in fact, gone to the oommandant, and told him an untruthful story about having discovered the beginning of a serious plot, and he named certain convicts concerned in it. He asked — so that matterß might be brought to a crisis — that these men ba allowed as much liberty aa possible, in order that they might attend the rendezvous, and hiß request was at once granted. The hutfeeepers and shepherds were mostly in a position to move about at night, although it was-not allowed, but a man belong, ing to the prison gang like Headrick was in a different position. As it was necessary that he should attend the conspirators meeting, he was told off ab a night patrol amongst that section of the forest hutkeepers in which Fitzimmons' dwelling lay. At eight o'clock on the night of April the 4th, IS-17, nine men were assembled in Fitziramoua' hut. They were oonviots Hendrick, Meyrick, Filzimmons, Evans, Ilsddon, Luke, M'kinley, Carter, and free boatman Ward, They had reached the place in a stealthy manner, and it was evident that the gathering was for no good purpose. Each of them R^va the hutkeeper the password—" Wild Tobacoo," when they came to the door. With the exception of Meyric t, who had received it from Hendrick after the latter's intervjiew with Ward, the felons had all got the watchword from the boatmari. Tho evening was terribly wild and stormy. Such a oue as when Tarn O'Shanter took the road to Kirk Alloway in, when — •' A child that night might understan' Tho deil had business on his ban.'"

The comfortless interior of the equalid hut with the darkness made visible by a " dip" light did not add cheerfulness to the anxious and gbomy face 3of the oooupants. When the last man entered Fitzimmons secured the door witn a beam of wood, and they all sat around a ricketty table on some rude benches. Hendrick was the first to break the eilence by alluding to the business which had brought them together.

" You know, men, why we have come here, I suppoße," he began ; " we want to free ourBelves from mi3ery and cruelcy. We were bad enough off a month ago, but now W9 are much worse. The little privileges which made our hard lot bearable have been withdrawn, and we are worse than any slaves on earth. For my part I cannot Btand it any longer. If I fail in obtaining freedom 1 shall be hanged, of course, but that is better than being slowly flogged to death, and I see no reason why a general rising should fail."

" There is not the slightest doubt of success if everyone pulte together," broke in Ward. " If the plot is properly laid it cannot fail, and by Btriking the blow quickly it will be all the better, for the authorities do not dream of another outbreak so soon after Westwood's Eismg."

" Aye, we must move with caution," said Fitziramcn?. '■ Westwood'B revolt was well planned, and yet it did not succeed. We have crafty men to deal with, who have power behind them, and it will tike a great blow to break it."'

" The January rising was a perfect bungle," replied the bcatrnan, warmly. "Way did they not get the prisoners at Longndge and Cascade to join them. The settlement would be in their hands now if that had been done. It allowed the major aud commandant to get reinforoements from thesa places, instead of being obliged to send for as3i?tance to them. At Longndge there waa only twenty eight men to guard six hundred prisoners. The handful of military there could have been swept away like chaff before the wind had the convicts wished. The same could have been done by the four hundred prisoners et Gascade, sni the thousand men thus liberated could hava swept down on the rear of tue barracks at Sydney Bay, and enajped ud its few defenders. Nothing coukl have "prevented it. Less than two hundred men would have been hemmed in between two thousand desperate convictß, fighting for life and liberty, and nothing shore of a miracle oould have Bayed the authorities. I tell you if a general rising is arranged at all the pnsonp, it must euceeed/ 1

The arguments of Ward seemed to have oonEiderable effeot on his auditors, who listened to him with breathless interest. At length Me> rick said, " What would you euggest, Eir, as a good plan to adopt ?"

" First of all it will be necessary to get all the leading and trustworthy convicts en your side. Between yon ell that ought to be easily done. You each know some of the prisoners ■who can be trusted, and they in turn will know others who will be faithful Thus the plot will widen out like a watery circle until "t embraces all worth having. Of course when you get a majority of the prisoners on your side the minority will have to foilcw. In the meantime the details of the plan must be arranged and confided to your friends, who will carefully spread it around. When that is done— and as soon as possible after, to prevent the possibility of a waverer turning traitor— a suitable ocoasion must be fixed for the general rising. I think a good plan would b 9 to eet fice tc, say the Cascade prison, at night. The chief officers would hurry there from Sidney Bay and Longridge stations with all the available hands they could muster, and then the rising could take place at these places; During the confusion of the fire at Cascade most of the prisoners oould escape and assemble in some appointed plaoe. If a small guard were placed over the oonvictß to prevent escape, it would ba a very simple matter ro overpower it, The details could be arranged beforehand. lam only giving a general outline of what would be a good plan."

Ward spoke this with an earnestness that appeared to be sincere, and as if warming up with the theme, he added, —

" I suppose most of you will wonder why I, who am a free man, should euggeet such a plot as this to you. I'll soon tell you. Firjtly, I am in disgrace, -and don't oare how soon I leave thiß' place, but that is not the reason lam risking my life to-night. I bate the accursed conviot system. In Van Dieman'a Land I have two brothers wearing out their lives in penal servitude, although they are innocent of any orime. Tney were convicted in Dnblin on tne evidence of a ruffianly informer named O'Malley, and sentenced to transportation for life. I have s.worn to rescue them, and for that purpose I mana»ed to get a situation as boatman at the pnaon of Port Arthur in Van Dieman's Land. When I was there a few weeks the superintendent found out by some means who I was, and I was at once sent here. I have been dissatisfied ever since, and having seen the cruelties of the system I am more than ever anxious to release my brothers. As I cannot do ie by remaining here, lam glad of the removal ihat awaits me, and for the sake of my Buffering relatives I wish to assist those who are similarly placed."

The free boatman had a glib tongue, and was doing most of the talk. His last speech would have been excellent had it been true, but it had the trifling drawback of being false from beginning to end. With the exception of one person the whole of his listeners regarded it as gospel, and began to look upon Ward as little inferior to a saint, a real messenger of good tidings. When, as if overoome by the sympathetic feelings whioh the memories of his brothers evoked, he followed up the rcoital with « plug of tobacco all

round, their gratitude knew no bounds. Although naturally auspicious, the convicts were thrown off their guard and completely hoodwinked by the wily informer— al' but one, and that was Meyrick. That felon eat regarding tho boatman with a strango and 0 ruinous lire in his eyes. The feeble light did not permit Ward to ses his face closely, or he might have taken alarm. The man seemed to ba evolving old recollections, aud gradually hia countenance became cor,vulecd with pacsion and his hands twitched nervously. As Ward rose to go, he, with a powerful iff or t, regained a measure of composure.

" We will all meet here the evening otter to-morrow," said the boatman as he left them, the understanding being that each should depart separately. A storm was raging outside. Bnd the free boatman made his way towards the chief prison, muttering as ho went. " It's fairly started, but I must get a couple of dozen more in before I have them nabbed."

When he had passed the door of the hut Meyrick went to it, and peered out into the darkness after him. He was coon lost in the gloom, but still the man looked uUil a vivid flash of lightning lit up the forest, and levealed Ward making fcr the settlement. Then he cloeed the door carefully, and after securing it walked to the table and took his former seat. His face was rigid and white, bo much so that even the obtuse convicts noticed it.

"Have you seen a ghost?" asked Hendrick, that being supposed to be the popular cause of frightening people at night. " Would to God it was that and nothing more I had seen," replied Meyriok in a solemn voice. " I have seen the ghost of former days certainly, but that is not half so fearful as the reality of tbe pnsect. 1 may as well tell you, men, that we are all lost. Nothing can save 119."

'• Are we watched?" exclaimed the convicts starting to their feet in affright. " How are we lost 1"

" I don't -jbink we are watched yet, but I am Hure that by to-morrow morning the comnidndar t will know thst each of us was here, and everything that passed, with a good deal that never passed." '■ You don't mean to Eay that Mr Ward is a epy, surely ?" they asked.

" I do ; and lean tell you more. His name is not Ward at all, but Michael O'Malley, the infamous Dublin h.fortner, Tne story he told us about his brothers ie all falsr, but if he had not said it I would probably never have recognised him, although I thought there was something about him familiar to me. When he mentioned O'Mailey I knew him at once, although he is greatly changed. He is the most diabolical villain that walks the earth to-day. Listen for a few minutes and I will tell you who our new found friend is that even now is weaving the rope to hang us." " In the beginning of IS4O I was a young man in Dublin with good prospects before me. I felt like many another patriotic Irishman that my country was badly governed, and I longed to pee her independent. I was a member of a club called " Erin's Band." 1 1 was an harmless sort of an affair, where a number of young fellows met and kept their patriotism warm by recounting the deeds and ancient glory of Hibernia. Towards the end of the year I mention, one Michael Mailey was admitted a member, and became very popular with his club fellows. I saw at once that be was a firebrand and took a dislike to him, which he cordially reciprocated. Day after day he insidiously incalculated the doctrine of force into the impressionable and fiery young men. He almost worked the society into a revolutionary body, and at last the crash came, A conflict with a body of military took place between them and a number of the club men. I was amongst the latter, and tried hard to prevent the disturbance. Amongst others I was arrested, and then O'Malley came out in his true colors. He waa a paid Government informer, and swore enough to hang ue. Nine tenths of his evidence was false. Acts that he had committed were attributed to me, and the end was that myself and four other members cf the club were scutenced to transportation for life. It transpired during the trial that Oilalley had been an informer for several ycarß, but his last exploit would have cost him his life had he not been spouted away by the authcritie?. My coajpan:ons and myself were sent to Port Arthur prisoD, and a few months after I was transferred here. The fact of those poor men being there may ha?e had something to do with O Malley's removal to this place, for it was currently reported in Dublin that I bad died, and no doubt the informer accepted it os true. You wiU judge by this what sort of a man wo hr»V3 to deal with. lam sure he ia in leaguo with the cffliiials, and thiß is a ' put op ' job." The deluded ccnspiratorß aat acd looked at the speaker, but for a time their tongueß were dumb. At length Hendrick said, —

" I can Eec we have been led into a trap, but it' 6 not too late yet to get out of it. Ward will be here in a couple o£ nights, and I don't think he euapects anything We can deal with him then."

The other men said nothing, but as they left the hut and wer t cut into the darkness cf the raging itorm, occasionally lit up by the lurid rlaßbeß of lightning, their looks spoke more eloquently than words of the more avf ful storm cf passion' ts revenge which was tossing their hearts.

Punolual to time on the night appointed tho conspirators met at Fitzimmons' hut again. Ward was unnsually dated, for he had met with much success that day atnocgat certain of the convicts, and the plot was ripening fast. He gave the assembled felons an elaborate plan of the various prisons, and detailed certain points which it would be necessary to observe. He also informed them tnat transports were expected in a fortnight's time, and it would be necessary to carry out the conspiracy before they came.

It was nearly ten o'clock when he left the plotter and the night was unusually dark. He did not go alone, for Meyrick said he would accompany him a short distauoe towards his own destination. They had not •?ot fifty feet from the hut when Hendrick, Evans, and Haddon opened the door and silently followed them into the sombre forest.

" Have you seen Ward lately, Daniels?" the civil commandant asked the major three days after the Becond meeting in Fitzimmon's hut, as he met him in the outer yard. •'I have not. Is he miuaing?" "He haa not been seen at his quarters for three days, and that is suspicious. Trie work he is engaged on is rather hazardous," said thfe commandant. " I think it would be advisable to eend out a search party sfter him. You nave a good idea, I euppose, where he mi£»bt Lsve met with foul play," returned Mijor Daniels,

'' Yes. If he does not appear to day i will have a search made to morrow."

The free boatman did not appear, and a rigid search was made in the vicnity of Fnzimmone' hut at first, and then in every pare of the ibbnd, but without any trace of the missing man being found. Two days ufter, whilbt the reef gang were at work in Sidney Bay, an obj-ct camo fixating towards them, ri3iU3 and falling with the waves. Ad it came closer it waa discovered to be the hideous body of a man, which waa Bcarcely identifiable, as that of William Waters, free boatman, alias Michael O'Malley, informer. The doctor found that the skull was fractured, and the bupposit'.ou was tb at the man had first been struck down, rendered insensible, and thrown into Sydney Bay. The a commandant tr.f d hard to find trW murderers by offering a free pardon to any accomplice who would inform, but it was in vain, although he shrewdly suepeoted who the murderers were. Years afterwards, when Meyrick was on hi 0 death bed at the conviot statim in Weßt Australia, be confessed to having struck the fatal blow, and helped to throw the body into the sea. The '• Wild Tobacoo Plot " only brought disaster to its originator.

Next week the E?cords will be continued under the title of " Mad Theodore." This will rl< oribea tragio and ex'raordinary event that ti ok place at Cascade Prison in the beginning of 1347.