Tag: Kyamba

Spotlight: Morgan’s Outrage at Kyamba (16/01/1865)

Illustrated Sydney News (NSW : 1853 – 1872), Monday 16 January 1865, page 9

MORGAN’S OUTRAGE AT KYAMBA.

ON the 13th ultimo this notorious murderer paid a visit to Kyamba.

At about noon he made his appearance, at the camp of Mr. Adams, road contractor, and bailed up all his men, and, as the contractor had no cash in hand, he set fire to the tents thus. ruthlessly destroying at least £15 or £20 worth of property. Five Chinamen having made their appearance he ordered them to strip, with a view to searching their garments; they, not understanding the command, and, therefore, apparently hesitating to put it in force, he shot one of them in the arm, just below the shoulder joint. He then robbed the lot, but all the money he found on them was trifling — one small gold piece, and about thirty shillings in silver — the latter he threw away, from his chagrin. He remained at the camp till 5 p.m., having caused tea to be made and a damper prepared for him. Everything, including the account-book of the contractor, was destroyed.

He did not tie the men or secure them in any way, but kept them in such a position as rendered it difficult to have rushed him without incurring a further loss of life. The only weapon in the place was a double-barrel gun unloaded. Morgan said, “He did not like double-barrel guns,” and took it away with him. In the afternoon, Mr. Jones, another contractor, paid a visit to the camp soon after it had been set on fire; he was likewise secured, together with a traveller and two or three other men residing in the neighbourhood, who came there on horseback. On leaving he took these men with him. He made one of them carry the gun, and took them over the mountains to eight miles south of Kyamba. Here he met two buggies, in one of which was Mr. and Mrs. Manson, and in the other were two young men. These he immediately stopped, ordering them out of their buggie; and because Mr. Manson seemed to hesitate, he threatened to shoot the whole of them on the spot. Having got them out, he stripped Mr. Manson, and searched the pockets of the others, taking about £6 in all. He conversed freely for some hours, detailing his various exploits at great length, and dwelling, particularly upon the murder of M’Ginnerty and Smyth, of which he made no attempt at concealment. He stated that he had watched Smyth’s party five days, in order to make sure of the right man. He spoke of three men whom he was determined to shoot before “retiring from business:” — Mr. M’Kenzie, late of Mundarloo; Mr. M’Laurin, of Yarra Yarra; and Sergeant Carroll. On these he expressed himself determined to be revenged; and with respect to the former he declared that if he once had him in his power, £5000 would not save his life. Soon after Mr. Manson had escaped, the mail to Albury arrived, but being very light, Morgan allowed it to pass. Shortly afterwards, the Albury mail arrived, when he ordered the driver to stop. This not being instantly complied with, he fired a shot at him to bring him to. He then made him get out and hold the horses’ heads, while he ransacked the mails.

MORGAN SHOOTING THE CHINAMAN. — [SEE PAGE 9.]

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

Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), Tuesday 3 January 1865, page 3

OUTRAGES BY MORGAN.

—◆—

The ruffian has been at work again this week, and to some tune, as the following account will show:— 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.

Mr. Adams, the road contractor, having some work in Kyamba, was camped there on Sunday week last with a road party, and about two p.m. a man (Morgan) went up to Adams’ tent, and on getting close to it saw one of the men washing himself, whom he asked if he were Adams, but receiving no answer at first, told him he would soon make him answer. The man then told him Adams was in the tent, upon which he went in, and finding Adams there, at once asked him how he settled with his men. Adams did not seem to understand him, and asked him what he meant, to which he replied by asking how he paid his men. Adams said by cheques, and Morgan then told him to come out and he would give him a cheque. The former became alarmed, and seemed to recognise whom it was he had to deal with, for, addressing him then by name, he asked him to do no harm, and if he wanted money he would give him a cheque for £10, if that would be enough. Morgan’s reply was that he wanted none of his b—y cheques, but ordered him again to come out, and he would give him a cheque he would not forget. Adams accordingly came out by his request to the front of the tent, and was ordered by him to stand back; Morgan then asking the men about the place if they had anything in the tent, and, if so, telling them to take them out, as he was going to burn it. One, stating that he had a pair of boots there, was directed to go and fetch them out, which he did. Morgan then deliberately went to the tent, and, according to one account, struck a match and set fire to it himself, but according to another, made one of the men do it, the result being that the tent and its contents were totally destroyed. Having accomplished this malicious act, he made them cook him some food and make him some tea, which they had to cool for him, and during his repast ordered two of the men to cut down two of the telegraph posts, to stop, as we presume, telegraphic communication. He took a double-barrelled gun of Mr. Adams, and amused himself for a short time by practising with it. While thus engaged, a man travelling with his swag came up, and Morgan entering into conversation with him, finished by giving him a pound note, saying, “If every one you meet gives you as much, you’ll do well.” He stopped at the place several hours, and on leaving threatened the men about with the usual consequence if they left to give information.

On the same day he bailed-up a party of six or seven Chinamen coming from the Black Ranges, and the unfortunate one of these men whom he accosted, replying “No savee,” he said “I’ll no savee you,” and without more ado shot at him. The Chinaman was brought in to the hospital on Tuesday night last, with a bullet wound in his left arm near the shoulder. The ball had passed deeply in, and then ran down the bone, and got lost, the limb remaining too swollen at this time for the probe to find it. His account, as far as it is intelligible, is that Morgan and a mate stuck-up a party of them, six or seven Chinese miners from the Adelong, this man amongst the number, and took £5 of his money from a cousin of his, but a handful of silver they rifled him of they pitched away in the bush as useless. This man, it will be observed, states that Morgan had a mate, and one account states that he had one when he went to the tent, but we are inclined to believe from the general statement that he was alone.

On finally leaving Adams’ place, after the outrage described, he appears to have bailed-up four horsemen, who were going towards the American Roads, but to have offered no violence or attempt at robbing any of them, merely stating that he wanted to strike the road, and they must lead the way for him (although one would imagine he certainly knew it himself and so they travelled together for some ten miles, he made one of them carry the empty double barrelled gun he had taken from Adams’ place, and told them he must do all he could that night with the mail, for the bobbies would be after him. He talked a great deal in his usual style, saying, amongst other things, that the best way to get up the wheat this sea-son was to put a fire-stick in it. While travelling along, he caught sight of two buggies on the road, and saying he must have something out of them, rode up and ordered them to stand. A Mr. Manson was in the one buggy, and happening to put his hand behind him in the act of stopping, as if in the act of feeling for a revolver (whether it was so or no), Morgan, it is said, was all but shooting him, restraining his hand, however, and saying, “Would you lose your life for a few paltry notes?” He made him dismount, and strip to his shirt and on Mr. Manson saying there was a lady in the buggy, he said “Oh, never mind, she need not look this way.” He then asked him for grog, saying he was sure he did not travel without some, and on his producing some, made him drink of it, taking a little of it himself, and handing it over to the others present. He is stated to have taken some £3 from Mr. Manson, and about the same sum from the occupant of the other vehicle. Having detained them some time, he finally left, proceeding, as the subsequent event proves, to near Garry’s place, to carry out his intention of stopping the mail. On the Sydney mail coming up to where he had posted himself, he ordered the mailman to pull up, but offered no violence, and proceeded to rifle the bags. Finding it light, he contemptuously called it “a paper mail,” and pitched the contents back again, suffering the driver to proceed, and even escorting him some distance. He then appears to have met the Albury mail, as stated in the beginning of this account, and making the driver stand at the horses’ heads whilst he proceeded to pull out the bags and search the letters and cheques, then cramming them into the bags again. The mailman says he did not take any cheques, although there were a quantity in the mail, but he could not say whether he got any money. He complained, however, that the mail was a very poor one, and said sticking up was no good on that road now, that it was five or six years back, but that he wasn’t sticking up then. He then permitted the coach to proceed. On Thursday information reached town that two hawkers, named respectively Knight and Stain, were robbed by Morgan on Tuesday morning last, about two miles from Dodd’s, on the Pullitop road. At eight o’clock in teo morning the two men were away some distance from their cart, catching their horses, being about to start on their day’s journey. Morgan rode up to the cart, and taking up two revolvers that were on the foot-board , escorted the men to the cart, and took from them several cheques (which he returned), £10 in notes, and property to the amount of £60, and a horse, saddle, and bridle, with which to convey the booty away. He also took four bottles of gin and two of brandy, and a watch, the latter he returned. Morgan kept the men prisoners till seven o’clock in the evening, chatting freely on different topics, with his gun — a double-barrelled one,out short — at half-cock, but he would not permit them to make a fire, or even have a smoke. They asked him for their revolvers, which he told them they could take after being saturated in a water-hole for a considerable time. Such are the particulars of the week’s work of this ruffian as far as we have been able to gather them, a record to ponder over, and to wonder sorrowfully when it is to end, — Wagga Wagga Express

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Spotlight: Morgan the Bushranger – Latest Particulars (19 April 1865)

Gippsland Times (Vic. : 1861 – 1954), Wednesday 19 April 1865, page 3

MORGAN, THE BUSHRANGER

The following are the latest particulars, epitomised from the Herald, concerning the movements of the desperado a few days prior to his death:–

His last exploit in New South Wales was sticking up the Kyamba mail, after which he proceeded by way of Tumberumba, in the Billabong district, to the Murray, crossing that river at Yoe or Thugulong, about 20 or 30 miles from Albury. He was next seen at Mr. J. Wilson’s station, Wallangatta, from which he stole a racing mare and another horse dur[ing] the night, being able to get clear off with his spoil, as Mr. Wilson was from home and the superintendent away to the back country with weaners, taking all the shepherds and dogs with him. There was thus nothing to give the alarm; and Morgan was allowed plenty of leisure to effect his depredations. The mare (Victoria) stolen was a very valuable animal, and had been purchased by Mr. Yuille for the Champion Race in January next. She had been brought in only a few days before for the purpose of allowing an agent of Mr. Yuille to inspect her qualities, and he having approved of her, the bargain was concluded in Melbourne with Mr. Wilson’s agents on the 3rd April, nine hours after the animal had been abstracted. On the station was found a strange horse, with a very large tumour full of matter on one of the cheeks, which was supposed to have belonged to Morgan, he being in the habit of kicking his horses on the side of the head to accelerate their speed. From this it was supposed to be the animal on which he had entered Victorian ground.

He was next seen at Mr. McKinnon’s station, Tawnga, on the Little River, on the Wednesday evening. This place is distant 50 miles from Wallangatta. He stuck up two men who were in the yard, and drove them, pistol in hand, before him into the house. He chatted familiarly upon the qualities of his horse with McKinnon, and accounted for a swelling in her fetlock by saying that a log had rolled down and struck her while he was leading her down the ranges. He then took a man with him as guide, as far as Mr. Roper’s station, Mullindolingong, where he pressed another man into his service, and made for the Messrs Evans’ station, on the King River, crossing the Ovens at Wodonga. Here Morgan bailed up every one he saw, and among the rest Mr. Evans’ brother, whom he informed that it was his intention to shoot Mr. Evans and Mr. Bond, of Degamero. Mr. John Evans asked him why he should wish to hurt his brother, when it was Mr. Bond who inflicted the injury of which he complained, to which Morgan replied that Mr. Evans was equally as bad, being an accessory to the affair. He searched the house, but took no money, and behaved in a very polite manner to Mrs Evans, saying he did not wish either to hurt or frighten her. He would not partake of a glass of grog offered to him, saying that he only drank occasionally. He conversed freely about his past career, and said he had been imprisoned in Pentridge for a crime of which he was guiltless ; that he got 12 year lard labour, but was released when he had done six years and 15 weeks ; that he came up to Yackandandah where he asked a man for a job, which was refused him on account of his having been at Pentridge, and that he then determined never again to ask for employment. He seemed to have a bitter recollection of his treatment at Pentridge, and swore he would rather die than serve another three years in it. After breakfast he bade Mr. Evans accompany him to a creek where he had left his horse, and in the course of a walk of two or three miles he entered into a defence of his conduct respecting the Round Hill murder, denying that he was either drunk or mad. Upon Dr. Evans asking him if he felt any remorse for the people he had killed, he said he did not; the only thing he felt sorry for being the wounding of Mr Heriot. It was very fortunate for Mr. Evans’ brother that he was from home, and that what may be considered a special chain of circumstances prevented him when he returned following in the wake of the bushranger as he had intended for most assuredly had Morgan set eyes upon him, he would have slaughtered him, such a deadly hatred did he bear against him.

He was next seen on the adjoining run of Mr. McBain where he bailed up a Melbourne hawker, taking from him a sum of between £5 and £6. He afterwards bailed up three dray-men, telling them he was Morgan, robbed them of what they possessed and told them he was going to shoot Mr Bond. With one of them he exchanged boots, observing – “I hear they have got my ‘phiz’ in the Waxworks ; these are a policeman’s boots, if you sell them you may get something for them.” He thence proceeded to Winton, a small township about 20 miles south of Wangaratta, on the main line of road between Melbourne and Albury, where he arrived about dusk on Friday evening. As he rode past the fence of Whitty’s public house his peculiar style of horsemanship, riding in-kneed, attracted the attention of Miss Whitty, who was standing at the verandah of the hotel. She exclaimed, ” I shouldn’t wonder if that man is a Sydney native; look at the way he rides” She then took another look at him, and said loudly, ” Why, he is very like Morgan ; he just resembles the man in the Waxworks.” The horseman, hearing the remark, turned turned round and scowled at her, but made no observation, and rode out in the direction of Wangaratta, robbing a carrier who had camped for the night a short distance from the hotel.

On that night and Saturday morning Morgan was in possession of the road within three miles of Benalla to within six miles south of Wangaratta. He stopped nearly every person he saw, but seldom searched them, being apparently satisfied with their assurances that they had got no more cash. One man named Cochrane drew out his purse, and while opening it managed to press a £5 note against the side in such a manner as to render it invisible, and showed to Morgan 3s. 6d. in silver, then he replied, “It’s just like you b___y Victorians, none of you are worth sticking up!” He here missed a rich haul of £200, as he allowed a contractor named Stewart to escape his toils, fancying he had nothing worth while robbing him of. He then went to Warby’s station, but found the master from home ; he, however, behaved very politely to Mrs. Warby, plucking grapes with her in the garden, and chatting quite familiarly. Hearing the sound of horses’ feet coming up, he requested her to go inside, saying it was the police, and that he would show her some fun, as he was determined to fight them. He stood in the doorway, carelessly twirling his revolver, but finding it a false alarm, he stole a horse, and struck across the country for Connelly’s, but, the evening being bad he lost his way.

He, however, came upon a road leading to Peechelba, where he met Mr. Telford, a relation of Mr. McPherson’s, and two other men, whom he compelled to accompany him to the station. Mr Telford remonstrated with him upon compelling an old man like him to travel on such a miserable day ; but Morgan replied: that he had a head to lose, and if he let him go he might give information to the police. Since he had entered Victoria he had travelled about 200 miles, something in the shape of three fourths of a circle, and was now at Peechelba, only seven miles from the Murray border. It was here that the ruffian’s career of crime was to be brought to an inglorious close, but the particular as to how he met his death, have before been published in our columns. The following extract will serve to show how even ministers were affected –

“Among the volunteers was a clergyman, who remained at the station during the night, and was on the spot when Morgan was shot. Instead, however, of offering him any of the consolations of his religion, he left that duty to be performed by a pound-keeper, and mounted his horse to return to Wangaratta, ostensibly for the purpose of preaching to his flock, but when he got there he was too much excited by the scene he had witnessed, to be able to fulfil his ordinary avocation. Surely he must have remembered the saying of his Master, “They that are whole need not a physician, but those that are sick!” and though his exertions to bring him to a sense of his condition would doubtless have proved of no avail, he might at least have done his best to effect that object.

It would take up too much space to narrate Morgan’s career within the last few years. Suffice it to say that on the 10th June, 1854, he was tried before Sir Redmond Barry (the then Acting Chief Justice) under the name of John Smith, alias the Sydney Native, for robbery under arms at Avoca. The plundered men were a hawker named John Duff and a bullock driver in his employ. The prisoner ordered a shepherd of Mr. Orr’s to tie each separately to different trees, and then he compelled the shepherd to go to his hut, where the prisoner tied him up also, fastening him by his belt to the bed. He stole from the hawker a revolver, a coat, trousers and £5 in money. This took place on the 17th April 1854, and on the 5th May following he was arrested by Sergeant Cahill, of the Mounted Police, and a trooper, concealed under a bed in a hut on Menzies’ run. He made a violent resistance, presenting two revolvers, one in each hand, at the two constables; and it was only when the officers threatened to shoot him that he surrendered. Some of the stolen property was found in his possession, and the evidence being considered conclusive, he was convicted and sentenced to 12 years on the roads, the first ten in irons. The description which is given it the gaol books leaves no doubt that John Smith and Daniel Morgan were one and the same party. He is decribed as follows:

“John Smith, alias the Sydney native, native of New South Wales born 1821, five feet 10¼ inches in height, slight build, dark complexion, black hair, hazel eyes, can read and write well, three moles on his left hand, and several on his back, a native of Campbelltown, N,S.W. a Catholic, trade a labourer.”

He was sent to the hulk President on the 20th August 1854, and was subsequently removed to Pentridge whence he was released in 1860 with a ticket-of-leave for the Ovens.. Here he commenced stealing horses, and a warrant was issued for his apprehension from the Wangarratta Bench, which was never executed. Finding the Victorian territory too hot to hold him, he went over to New South Wales, and his history there for the last two years, when he first resorted to violence, must be fresh: in the memory of our readers.

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