Spotlight: Captain Thunderbolt and His Gang (06/05/1865)

It would seem that on the night of the day that the Warialla mail was stuck-up, Thunderbolt, alias Ward, and his companions went to a paddock on the station of the Messrs. Lloyd, at Manilla, where there were a number of horses, and took two of the best. Proceeding onwards towards Barraba, we hear that two more horses were taken belonging to the Messrs. Sinclair, they at the same time leaving there the horse they had taken from the postman when they stuck-up the Warialda mail, and one they stole from Lloyds’ station. On the morning of the following day (the 20th instant), they went to Mr. Cheesborough’s station, about twelve miles from Barraba, and stuck-up the inmates. Mr. Cheesborough was from home, but one of the women gave the gang a sound rating for their daring to come there. After making some anxious inquiries about Mr. Cheesborough, they took a horse, a gun, a revolver, and some rations, and then left, going in the direction of Mr Lethbridge’s station. Continue reading Spotlight: Captain Thunderbolt and His Gang (06/05/1865)

Spotlight: Morgan the Bushranger (30/01/1864)

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)

Spotlight: Outrages by Morgan (03/01/1865)

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)

Spotlight: Morgan’s Last Exploit (14/11/1864)

On Sunday last, Morgan, the murderer, stuck up the Yarrabee Station, on the Yanko. Early in the morning he met two stockmen employed on the station, apprehended them on a charge of horse-stealing, placed them in a hut, and said he should take them to Wagga Wagga. He left the hut for a short time, and on returning, announced himself in his own proper character. In the course of the morning he captured two more prisoners, and keeping the lot in the hut until evening, he marched them down to the home station. Morgan had by this time been joined by a mate, and the two villains then imprisoned every one about the station. No violence was committed, but they heated a branding-iron and threatened to brand Mr. Waugh, the Superintendent, and Mr. Apps, the storekeeper. Continue reading Spotlight: Morgan’s Last Exploit (14/11/1864)

Spotlight: Country News (14/11/1863)

The overseer’s wife told him if he killed her husband, he must kill her and the child too, and have three murders to account for. Whether this consideration influenced him or not, he let the overseer off, and went into the house, took a pair of pistols, smashed the overseer’s gun, and made Mr. Gibson sign nine cheques of £30 each, which he gave to the shearers, and told them they were discharged. He also made Mr. Gibson sign one for £95 for himself, and another for £15 to pay a man to go in to get them cashed.

Continue reading Spotlight: Country News (14/11/1863)

Spotlight: The Bushranger Morgan (23/09/1864)

A party of police, consisting of Senior Sergeant Smyth, Senior Constable Baxter, Constables Connor, and Maguire, and a blackfellow named Jimmy Reed, were camped on Sunday night at Dougal’s Swamp, near Keighran’s station. They had just got tea, and were lying in the tent yarning, as is usually done by persons camped out. They had no sentry on guard – that duty being delayed until they “turned in” for the night. Suddenly their discourse was cut short by a volley being fired into the tent amongst them.

Continue reading Spotlight: The Bushranger Morgan (23/09/1864)

Spotlight: Morgan the Bushranger (16/07/1864)

THIS miscreant, emboldened by the impunity with which he has for months past robbed travellers and levied blackmail from the squatters in the Albury district, occasionally diversifying his exploits by burning down a woolshed or destroying a settler’s account books, has added two murders to his crimes. On the 19th ult., he encountered Sergeant Carroll, of Wagga Wagga, about twenty miles from Albury, and several shots were exchanged without effect. During the afternoon of the same day he visited the Roundhill station, belonging to Messrs. Henty, and, after dismounting, put his horse into the stable. There were a number of men about the huts, whom the ruffian, with a revolver in each hand, ordered to go into the carpenter’s shop, and after asking Mr. Watson, the superintendent, if the men got enough rations, ordered him to go and bring four bottles of grog, which were drank; after carousing for hours, Morgan was about taking his departure, when Mr. Watson incautiously made some remark about stolen stirrup irons.

Continue reading Spotlight: Morgan the Bushranger (16/07/1864)

Spotlight: Background on Morgan (05/07/1864)

Young Morgan “turned out” early in life, and while yet a lad, stole a horse belonging to the police magistrate of Campbelltown. The constables went in pursuit of him, but he succeeded in evading their search. It is said that when they were trotting their horses after him he kept at the same pace as they did, and when they galloped he used to put spurs to his horse and outstrip them in speed, he at last managed to double on them, and, returning to the neighbourhood of Campbelltown, succeeded in stealing two more horses, with which he made his way into the interior where be disposed of them.

Continue reading Spotlight: Background on Morgan (05/07/1864)