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

Illustrated Sydney News (NSW : 1853 – 1872), Saturday 16 July 1864, page 7


MORGAN THE BUSHRANGER.

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. Morgan immediately drew his revolver, and, aiming amongst the men, fired, wounding Mr. Watson in the hand; another shot hit Mr. John Heriot (son of Mr. Heriot, of the Caraboola station), and smashed his leg; he then fired twice at a man named Connor, who attempted to escape, and as the other men also ran away he fired at them several times. Mr. Heriot retreated about thirty yards, dragging his broken limb along the ground, and then fell, when Mr. McLean, one of the overseers, perceiving that he was badly hurt, lifted him up, carried him into the house, and laid him on one of the beds. Morgan came in soon afterwards, and on expressing himself sorry for having committed such an outrage, Mr. McLean asked if he had any objection to his going for a doctor; Morgan gave his permission, and Heriot requested McLean to take his horse and go quickly. The poor fellow at once started on his errand of mercy, and had got a few miles on the way, when Morgan overtook him, and said, “You —— wretch, you are going to lay an information,” and immediately fired, shooting McLean through the back, the ball entering the right side, below the tenth rib, passed through his stomach, and came out about three inches above the navel. McLean then fell from his horse and Morgan rode into the bush, leaving his victim lying on the ground writhing in agony. After a short time he returned, and putting McLean on his horse returned with him to the station, and calling one of the men assisted in removing him to his bed. Some person having asked how it occurred, Morgan said “one of his mates had shot him.” In reply to Mr. Heriot, McLean stated, “I was riding along the road, and, when just past the sheep station, Morgan said, ‘You —— wretch, you are going to lay an information,’ and fired at me.” Dr. Hill, a neighbouring squatter, visited the unfortunate man on Monday, and, perceiving that no medical aid could prevent the wound proving fatal, advised him to send for any of his friends that he wished to see; and on his expressing a desire to see his uncle, he was sent for, and arrived the next day. To him, also McLean reiterated the statement as to how he came by the wound, and, after great suffering, expired at midnight.

Morgan stayed at the station, drinking, until about two o’clock on Monday morning, and about five minutes after he left Sub-inspector McLerie, with a party of police, arrived, and on obtaining particulars of the affair, and the route taken by Morgan, they immediately followed in pursuit. “Pursued by the police” has long since become a stereotyped phrase in connexion with their ineffectual efforts to stop the career of our western banditti, and the chase after Morgan was another of those futile efforts so characteristic of the new force, for it has since turned out that he camped for the night about a mile and a half from the scene of his outrages; from thence it appears he crossed the country towards Tumbarumba, and on the morning of Friday, the 24th, Sergeant McGinity and Trooper Churchill overtook him about five miles from the Copabella station, but having no idea who he was, the sergeant rode up alongside of him. Morgan said, “You are one of those wretches looking for bushrangers,” and fired, shooting McGinity through the heart. His body was afterwards found close to the road, his hat having been placed in the centre of the path, apparently by Morgan, to attract attention. Churchill returned to Tumbarumba professedly ignorant of what had occurred. During the afternoon of the 24th, Morgan stuck up Mr. O’Hare, publican, of Tumbarumba, and took away his horse, but abandoned it after going about a quarter of a mile.

Morgan is reported to be a native of Appin, about thirty-three years of age, dark complexion, long hair and whiskers, and about 5ft. 9in., or 5ft. 10in., in height. He commenced his criminal career at an early age, and has served a term of penal servitude at Pentridge Stockade, in Victoria. On obtaining a ticket of leave there he returned to the Ovens district, and commenced his depredations under the cognomen of “Billy the Native,” or “Sydney Bill.” Sergeant McGinity was an old and respected member of the police force; he has left a widow and six children, bereft of their protector by the atrocity of this blood-thirsty ruffian, and it is to be hoped their case will receive the immediate attention of the Government.

Spotlight: Morgan. Bushranger and Murderer (07/07/1864)

Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 – 1917), Thursday 7 July 1864, page 2


MORGAN. BUSHRANGER AND MURDERER.

When and where is it to end? is the remark made by everybody. Are we never to hear the end of Morgan? Apparently not, until in a drunken fit, or by the accidental discharge of his own revolver, the world is rid of the now doubly-dyed miscreant. We have still another week of Morgan’s murders and misdeeds to recount. Late last night we heard from persons in from Tumbarumba, that the mailman, Brooker, who rides with the mail on horseback from Tumbarumba to Ten Mile Creek, on his journey on Wednesday, came upon the dead body of a man, some three miles above Mr. Robinsons Copabella Station, but having heard firing a few minutes before, he pushed on. Is this a third murder we shall have to put down to Morgan’s fearful account within a week? When is he to be shot as a native dog ? — Albury Banner. July 2nd.

Wednesday’s Bathurst Times says:— “It was rumoured yesterday that information had been received that the wretch Morgan has added another atrocity to the long list of crimes which has rendered him so infamous. He is said to have met a woman riding through the bush, and on “demanding money from her, which she was unable to give, compelled her to dismount, and tying her to a tree, stripped off her clothes, in order to search them more effectually. He had scarcely time to examine the garments, when he was disturbed by the noise of a party approaching. Gathering the clothes in a heap, he set them on fire, and, jumping hastily on his horse, galloped away, leaving his poor defenceless victim literally naked. The poor woman’s screams attended the attention of the party, who proved to be three stockmen driving horses through the bush, and on coming up, they set her at liberty and divested themselves of portions of their own clothing, to enable her to resume her journey.”

The Yass Courier of 29th ult. states that Morgan, the bushranger, is a native of Appin, and is about thirty-two or thirty-three years of age. His father was blind, and, after his death, which occurred many years ago, his mother married again. Young Morgan “turned out” early in life, and while yet a lad stole a horse from 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 neighborhood of Campbelltown, succeeded in stealing two more horses, with which he made his way in the interior, where he disposed of them. Subsequently to this he pursued the calling of stock-keeper on the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers, and from there proceeded to Port Philip, where he committed some depredation, and was sentenced to a term of penal servitude at Pentridge. We understand that at present he is a ticket-of-leave holder. Although carrying on his exploits alone, he, like the rest of the bushrangers, has acquired a number of friends amongst both the large and small settlers in the neighborhood of Billabong who receive a share of booty and also share his immunity from punishment.