Yesterday, the coach with the Sydney, and Goulburn mail was stuck-up by a bushranger. All the Goulburn letters were taken. The police went in pursuit about noon, and at 7 o’clock, the bushranger was brought in by senior-constable Hurley and constable Bragg, after a smart chase. Continue reading Spotlight: Braidwood (09/02/1871)
The old friend of the inhabitants of the Billybong, known as the celebrated Morgan, on Tuesday last, the 12th inst., paid a visit to Wilberforce’s Hotel, Piney Ranges. He said that he called there in consequence of reports that had been circulated about him which were untrue. He was bad enough, but did not want to be made worse than he really was. Continue reading Spotlight: Morgan the Bushranger (30/01/1864)
A collection of bushranging reports from January 1864. Continue reading Spotlight: Miscellaneous Bushranging News (21/01/1864)
At about noon he made his apearance, at the camp of Mr. Adams, road contractor, and bailed up all his men, and, as the contrac-tor had no cash in hand, he set fire to the tents thus. ruthlessly destroying at least £15 or £20 worth of property. Continue reading Spotlight: Morgan’s Outrage at Kyamba (16/01/1865)
On Saturday evening Brady and his party, appeared at Mr. Haywood’s, and robbed him of a large quantity of tea, sugar, tobacco, rum, and flour, besides all the bedding and wearing apparel in the house. Brady alone was mounted on horseback. On coming up, he said, “Mr. Haywood, I am Brady.” He desired him to be under no apprehension of being hurt on account of the late execution of Broadhead, who, he said, was not a bushranger. He wanted provisions only and after remaining about 3 hours, they departed, taking with them 2 horses, besides the one Brady had mounted, to carry their plunder. Continue reading Spotlight: Brady, Jeffries and McCabe reports (07/01/1826)
On Monday morning last the mailman brought in the intelligence that the Albury mail had been stuck-up on the Sunday night, between Kyamba and Ten-mile Creek, by a man with a beard down to his waist, and mounted on apparently a stockman’s horse, with a red blanket rolled up in front of him, at once supposed to be Morgan by those on the coach, and as other circumstances show, correctly so. But this event formed but a portion of his day’s exploits, of which we lay a connected account before our readers as far as the various details have reached us, and which include, as will be seen, the burning of a road contractor’s tent and its contents, bailing-up various passengers, shooting a Chinaman in the arm, and sticking up two mails, a very pretty and complete day’s work, and two of the acts so thoroughly characteristic of this ruffian. Continue reading Spotlight: Outrages by Morgan (03/01/1865)
Return of Persons Tried and Convicted of Capital Offences in the Colony, of Victoria, and Executed at Melbourne in the year 1853… Continue reading Spotlight: Execution of Bradley and O’Connor (02/01/1854)
In this special edition of the Bushranging Gazette we take a look back at the year that was 2022. Continue reading Bushranging Gazette 2022 Special Edition
This month’s Gazette looks at new book releases, awards, and the impact of natural disasters on bushranger country. Continue reading Bushranging Gazette #22
On one occasion I chased a wild bull and fired at him repeatedly to train our horses to it. We chased this bull for two miles, constantly firing, until we killed him. It occurred to me that this was about the best practice men should be drilled to who are sent after the bushrangers; for it teaches them to ride, to fire while galloping, and to exercise caution. For a wild bull, with a couple of bullets in a fleshy part will test a rider on the side of a mountain to keep beside him. One drill of that sort would be of more service to a man than twelve months drill in Sydney, and for the horse to. Well, if two or three of us could travel about, firing our arms off occasionally, and camping about without attracting the notice of the police, how long could a man whose object was occasional plunder, remain in those ranges without being taken? As things are now Thunderbolt can remain there five years longer, perfectly secure, with police stations all round him, and he may become the father of a numerous family. I know the men who were with me will try hard to take him, but what can they do? Their horses were done up when I left, and they were ordered to remain at home till they got fresh again. They wanted ammunition, but could not get it. They had only six rounds when I left, the most of this being damaged by camping out in the wet. The Gunnedah police were put on Ward in his camp, when I left, and my old tracker who was up there was left behind for some reason or other — it would be hard to tell. So they sneaked on the camp and blazed away at Ward and his mate, but they both got away on foot. The boy took one road and Ward the other — so ended the encounter. Continue reading BUSHRANGING AND OUR POLICE SYSTEM (Part Twelve)