BUSHRANGING TIMES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXVLL, Issue 4275, 14 September 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

BUSHRANGING TIMES.

>_._^ . STNOFSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTER.

On the 25th January 1843, a terrible outrage is enacted at " Wattle II 11I 1 arm.' about four miles from Oatlands, in the County of Somerset. Van Dicman's Land, the residence of a. settler named Webster, who together with his wife, three chikhen and two assigned servants have been foully murdered, apparently in their sleep. Every effort to discover the perpetrators of the tragedy proves futile. On the 10th April following four convicts make their escape from a road-gang at work near Lake Tiberias, and twelve days later the district is again startled by the announcement that Edward Shannon and his son, settlers located in the district, have been found murdered under circumstances very similar to those that surround the Wattle Farm tragedy. Lieutenant Elder&lie, with Distiict constable Bridges and four soldiers, go in pursuit, accompanied by two I)lack-tn.ckers. By the aid of the latter tracks are found leading from Shannon's farm to the residence of a settler named Brady, who infoims his visitors that several of his horses were the previous night taken from the stables but relumed in the morning completely knocked up.