EXCITING INCIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF WEST AUSTRALIA

New Zealand Tablet, 3 July 1913, Page 51

EXCITING INCIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF WEST AUSTRALIA

PERSONAL RECOLLECTION BY AN OLD PERTH PRESSMAN (By Ralph Tinderwood.) The following New York cable, which, appeared the other day in the daily press of Australia, recalls an exciting incident in the early history of West Australia: 'A sensational incident in connection with the old-time penal colony in West Australia is recalled by the announcement of the death of Captain George Anthony. Among the prisoners at Fremantle in 1876 were a number of Fenians, who had been convicted in Great Britain and sent out to West Australia. On April 17, 1876, six of these men escaped from the colony. It was afterwards ascertained that the men had been carried off by Captain Anthony in .the American whaler Catalpa. The Catalpa arrived in New York on August 19 of the same year, and the Fenians landed there.' The following particulars are supplied to us, from personal recollection, by an old Perth pressman, now resident in the Auckland province: The reference in the columns of the press recently to the demise of Captain George Anthony, the master of the whaling barque Catalpa, and his exploits re the escape of the six Fenian prisoners from West Australia is as the Auckland informant of the Herald puts ita trifle off the track.' In 1868 the free people of the West, reckoned they had about enough of penal establishments, and, being a Crown Colony, memoralised the Colonial Secretary (Lord Knutsford) for the abolition of the West as a dumping ground for convicts. The revenue from the Imperial Exechequer meant a big loss for the up-keep of convicts, but the colony was self-supporting, and under that able administrator, Sir Frederick A. Weld, soon placed things on a better footing. The change from the administration of John Stephen Hampton, of Norfolk Island fame, was very marked. The citizens of those days had to be in doors by 9 o'clock at night, and, in the event of no lawful excuse, were liable to be arrested and sentenced to three months' imprisonment without the option of a fine, whilst a penalty of £5 was inflicted in.the event of a person refusing to give his name, or to answer the question whether he was 'bond' or 'free.' Such was the colony at that date. The ship Naval Brigade brought to the colony in 1872 the Fenian political prisoners John Shine, Kiely, Power, Cranston, Darragh, Hogan, Cavanagh, and two others whose names I forget. Kiely died of consumption in 1873, and Shine and Power were let out on ticket-of in 1875. Cranston, Darragh, Hogan, and three others were kept in close confinement for a time, and then let out as special constables about the town of Fremantle for orders for the things necessary for the gfeat penal establishment at North Fremantle. About 1874, two gentleman arrived in West Australia. One, named McDermott, was a good carriage-builder, and was engaged in Sloan's carriage factory. McDermott had a peculiar Yankee drawl, and a fund of boisterous humor. The other, ■- Mr. Collins, Was a Gentleman of Means, and lived at the Emerald Isle Hotel. He was suave, reserved, and kind. He was looking for investments, so he said. He was soon hob-nobbing with all the elite he attended two or three Governor's levees, and several State balls given by his Excellency. He was a great friend of Governor Dolan of the jail, and he took a great interest in .the poor Fenian prisoners. Dolan showed him through the convict establishment, and pointed out the political prisoners who were undergoing a sentence of fourteen years. He was allowed to interview Cranston, late sergeant in the British Army, for a few minutes alone, and whatever passed no one knows. About a week later he met Darragh and Hogan in Cliff street, Fremantle, and everything was arranged,

but the means of escape did not offer themselves until nearly 18 months later. Meanwhile the Catalpa went on a whaling cruise until matters were considered favorable. McDermott, as regular as clockwork, hired a buggy and pair, and, with the writer and Hugh Sloan,; went for a drive to Davey’s Half-way House,' about six miles from Perth. There were no railways in those days in West Australia. Sometimes McDermott would take us to North Fremantle, and most of the time would stop at the Half-way House. On Easter Sunday, 1876,. McDermott took us to the Half-way House, and then, said he was going to Fremantle, and probably not re.turning for some days. This meant that Sloan and I would have a tramp of six miles before us to get back to Perth. Sloan elected to tramp it, but I asked McDermott for a ride to Fremantle. He demurred at first, but, after reflecting for a few moments, said All right, jump in.’ The next day, Easter Monday, was the date of the Perth annual regatta. The populace from Fremantle journeyed to Perth by steamer up the Swan River, and this was the date chosen for the escape. The Catalpa was cruising about fifteen miles from Fremantle, . where a few sawmills were erected for the cutting of jarrah. Mr. Collins, the engineer of the escape, then dealt his cards, which were all trumps. Collins and McDermott met Cranston and Darragh at half-past eight o’clock near the Anglican Church in Cliff street, and handed them an order; to the chiefwarder Olliver regarding the other four Fenians, who were working in a quarry on the Perth Road, to go .to the marine residence of his Excellency the Governor, and remove some furniture. The bait took. ‘Arriving there, they found two horses and the double-seated buggy belonging .to Mr, John Summers, of Perth, in which McDermott and the writer arrived in Fremantle. Arriving at the Governor’s house, the prisoners exchanged their convict garb for civilians’ clothing. Six carbines were in the buggy, and McDermott jumped on a saddle-horse and drew a colt revolver. -Collins did likewise,

And Away They Went at a Great Rate.

Arriving at Rockingham, the party drove to the beach. About two miles from ’ the shore was a whale-boat manned by some of the Catalpa crew. Two or three sightseers came up, among them a Mr. Bell, who wanted to know what was going on. The boat having approached the shore, „ Collins, addressing the escapees, said: ‘ Come, boys, wade and get into the boat,’ which they promptly did. Cranston, standing up in the boat, said: ‘Good-bye.’ Bell, recognising the voice, exclaimed : ‘ The Fenian prisoners; they have got away V Seizing one of the horses, he went to the telegraph office and gave the alarm. The water police boat was promptly launched from the Fremantle boatshed, and sailed away in pursuit, the distance by water being about eight miles. The Catalpa - cruised under the lee of Garden Island, tacking backwards about three miles from the shore. The police had started before the Catalpa’s boat had left the shore, and a fairly fresh northerly drove her at the rate of 12 knots. The whaleboat with .the escapees pulled away in a leisurely manner. The police boat was soon bearing down on the prisoners, but Captain Anthony,. to avoid the danger of a conflict which would be one-sided, bore down on the port tack, sailed in between - the two boats, and

Promptly Picked Up His Own Boat.

The police, baffled, started back for Fremantle, and the Catalpa, with the Fenians, aboard, stood out to sea. As the news leaked out there was great excitement in Perth and Fremantle, and the authorities, to. save their face, promptly locked up the two ticket-of-. leave men—John Shine and Edward Power, and called! out the two hundred pensioners who were doing garri--son duty, and fifty volunteers. They also fitted cut as ; an armed cruiser the Georgette of 300 tons’ burden,. This was the only sea-going steamer on the coast, and! had been formerly on the Geelong trade. The ‘cruiser/’ with two twelve-pound field guns slung on the gangway;, and with the force aforesaid under the command of.' Colonel Finnerty, went out to arrest the bold Yankee,. The ‘ cruiser ’ came up with the Catalpa about twelve* miles from Garden Island, and fired a shot across the 7

Yankee's bows in naval fashion as an intimation that she was to stop, but the Catalpa, took no notice, and kept on her course. When the Georgette got within hailing distance, the following colloquy took place: Ship ahoy! Heave to or I'll sink you.' The officer on deck replied sarcastically:'What with— old dung barge?' '.;., You have Fenian prisoners aboard I can see them looking over the bulwarks.' ' You have a mighty keen vision.' Where is the captain?' 'I guess he is in Rockingham.' 'Can I come aboard; am sure that I recognise some of the prisoners laughing at us?' 'I guess you'd better not try.' ' Well, if you don't give up these men I will fire on you, and sink you.' The mate (Mr. Francis) walked towards the mizzen mast, and to ,the flag halyards was bent The Stars and Stripes, which were quickly hauled to the truck. 'Do you see that flag up there?' 'Yes.' 'Well lam on the high seas, and that flag protects me. Fire if you dare!' The incident was closed by outside painted ports of the Catalpa being opened, when a nice set of ' teeth ' were displayed had they been used, the writer and the rest of his comrades would have been sent to the bottom of the sea. Thus ended a most daring escape, which practically took place under the nose of the authorities. The authorities revenged themselves by the imprisonment of Shine and Power.- The press of the colony railled at the Government over this. They said it was like ' locking the stable door when the steed was stolen.' - The result was that after about a month's confinement they were given their freedom. I was well acquainted with all the actors in this drama, and reported the whole of the incidents as I saw them, being then a "youth of 18 years of age, engaged on the staff of the Perth Inquirer* and Commercial News. My childhood's days were spent in a house near the penal establishment, and. to my boyish ears, the clank of the irons on the chain gang on their way to work in North Fremantle left an impression that the years cannot efface. By way of supplement to this personal recollection, we add the following comments from the Fremantle Herald of April 22, 1876: 'On the jetty was assembled an excited crowd eager for the news. The general feeling was clearly one of pleasure that the pursuit had so far been unsuccessful. This arose chiefly out of the popular impression that the Fenian convicts are political prisoners, convicted and punished for offences against a government, not against society, and from the sympathy that the public everywhere displays towards the weak in a contest against the strong. ... As nothing more could be done, the Georgette returned to Fremantle, where the news that the Fenians had at last escaped was received with marks of satisfaction.'