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)
Soon after, the party were alarmed by the appearance of the Bufh-rangers, headed by Michael Howe & his gang of 8 runaways, who feemed well informed of the intent of their journey; and requefted to know the reason of Mr. S’s delay, obferving, he ought to have been there the day previous.—They carried off the following articles, which had been removed from the cart into the houfe: 2 cafks of rum, one containing 11 and the other 10 gallons; 2 gallons of gin; 30 pair of fhoes; fancy ribbons to the value of £50; 2 bags of fugar, containing about 125lbs each; 1 cheft of green tea; pepper to the amount of £30; 9 pair ftays, &c – The whole is eftimated at upwards of £300 —— What added to the defperate intentions of thefe wretches, they actually fired a pistol through the head of one of the cafks of rum, by which the whole of its contents were loft. Continue reading Spotlight: Howe & Co. rob Stocker’s cart (23/11/1816)
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)
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.
It has been ascertained that the two men who stuck up a hut at Gostwick are the identical two who escaped from Cockatoo Island some time ago. It appears that after their affray with the police they managed to elude all further pursuit by secreting themselves in a hut belonging to one of Mr. Stitt’s shepherds while he was absent, who upon his return found one of them quietly feasting upon his supper. Continue reading Spotlight: Britton and Thunderbolt at Gostwyck (07/11/1863)