BREAKING UP OF THE GANG OF BUSHRANGERS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1994, 10 December 1863, Page 8

BREAKING UP OF THE GANG OF BUSHRANGERS.

[From Saturday's Bathukst Times.] On Thursday morning a rumor went flying round the town that the bushranger Vane had been brought into Bathurst by the Rev. Father M'Cartliy, who had persuaded Mm to give himself up, and that the delinquent was lodged in the gaol. The fact was ultimately ascertained to be true, and the following are such particulars as we have been able to glean : — It appears that Father M'Carthy has had several interviews with Vane in the bush, near the Abererombie, having, on the first time, accidentally come upon his camp whilst he (Vane) was cooking his dinner,— his horse hobbled, and his gun and revolvers lying on the ground. Vane, upon catching sight of the reverend gentleman, grasped his firearms, when Mr M'Carthy called out that he was a priest, and not a trooper. Upon this announcement Vane dropped his arms, and invited his visitor to a share of his meal, and whilst partaking of this the conversation turned upon the lawless life the bushranger was leading, and at the earnest persuasion and reasonings of Father M'Carfchy, the unfortunate youth promised seriously to consider the position he was placed in, and agreed, at the end of three days, to give an answer whether he would take the advice proffered to him — to give himself up, and trust to the merciful consideration of the Crown. Upon this Father M'Carthy went on his way homewai'ds, but had not gone more than three miles when he met a very respectable looking woman, who, in the course of conversation, declared herself to be the' mother of Vane. The reverend gentleman told her of the interview he had just had with her son, when she implored him, by his sacred calling, to return with her and endeavor, by joining his influence with hers, to persuade the misguided youth to snrrender. The arguments and prayers of the mother and the priest at length prevailed, and it was arranged that on that night he should come to Mallow Grove, Cai'coar, the residence of the Rev Mr M'Carthy. He seems to be possessed of considerable strength of mind, for, from the moment his resolution was taken, he did not hesitate to carry it into effect, but, punctual to the moment, arrived at the place and time appointed. The reverend gentlemen at once accompanied him to the residence of Mr Nathaniel Conplly, J.P., to whom he formerly surrendered himself, and from whom they obtained such documents as would prevent the interference of the troopers, should any happen to stop them on the road. They started for Bathurst at midnight, and arrived, here about five o'clock in the morning, when they put up at Mrs Walsh's, Fitzroy Inn,. George-street, and after a little rest, Father M'Carthy put himself in communication with Mr Superintendent Morrissett. Shortly after he returned to Vane, and they had breakfast together, and the Rev. Dean Grant having joined them, they went down to the Court-house about ten o'clock, when, after going through a preliminary examination, the misguided, young man, in company with the reverend gentlemen and Dr Palmer, proceeded to the gaol, where he awaits further examination, being remanded to the 26th instant. Vane is a native of tlie colony, twenty years of age, stands six feet high, and has a ruddy complexion, with black hair, and is said to be a Wesleyan. His parents are respectable and wealthy, and live about eleven miles from Carcoar, at a place called Number One. The reasons he gives as those which induced him to turn bushranger are, that he was implicated in the sticking-up of Boyce's public-house at the Long Swamp, on the 12th February last, and knowing the police to be after him, he became frightened, and took to the bush, where he fell in with Gilbert and O'Meally. [It will be in the recollection of our readers that William Vane (his brother), James Burke, and George Cheshire, were tried for this robbery at the last Quarter Sessions, an accomplice named John M' Keller, having turned approver, but, in consequence of his evidence being unsupported, and the otliev witnesses being unable to identify the prisoners, they were all acquitted.] We are informed that before he was taken to the gaol, and when in company with Father M'Carthy, they came in contact with constable Sutton, who, it will be remembered, was shot in the shoulder at the time of the attack on the Carcoar mail, but when asked if he knew Vane, he said he did not. Some time after, in the gaol, he was confronted again with the prisoner iv the presence of Dr Palmer, when, upon closely inspecting him, he gave it as his opinion that he was *' very like O'Meally !" In allusion to this attack on the coach, Vano said that a bullet fired by Superintendent Morrissott had struck O'Meally iv the chest, but did him no ham?, as it came in contact with a watch he had in his pocket, three quai-ters of which it shivered to atoms, leaving nothing but a small section of the case attached to tho ring at the end of the guard. It "kockedthe wind out of him " for a time, and he now wears the remainder as a sort of " charm."