BUSH RANGING IN NEW SOUTH WALES. (FROM THE "BATHURST TIMES," SEPTEMBER 23.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1945, 10 October 1863, Page 5

BUSH RANGING IN NEW SOUTH WALES. (FROM THE "BATHURST TIMES," SEPTEMBER 23.)

A? , the ; coach from Carcoar wiu_ coming, towards 3}atliur*fc, lust Saturday afternoon, and when about a ottier lido of Blaney, two men in drab eoaU galloped out Of the bush, on the right*hand side of the road, and shouted to the driver to '* prill up," which he- did. They were armed with «c»Tbinei, and, going up to the coach, ordered a passenger (the only one) named Garlnnd to get out. Upon his doing $o, one of them ordered him to "hand over" Liv money, which he declined, though they threatened to give him a "good hiding," He. persisted in his refusal, telling them they might blow his brains out if they chose, wheirone of the men, who had got off his horse, went up and thrust his hands into his pocketsGarland, seeing four revolvers in his waist and a carbine ,in his hand, thought it better to submit— more eepecinlly as the other villian was on his horse at the back of him. After rifling his pockets, and turning everything out on the ground, by which means they obtained five £1 notes and a sovereign, they ordered the coachman to drive iuto the bush, in the dhection from which they had come, telling thu passengers to follow them, which he did, after picking up the remainder of his property from the road. The place where the coach »vas ttuck-up was in a hollow, and the direction the coachman took, when ordered to drivo off the road, lay up-hill. At a distance of 300 yards, on a ridge commanding a view of the road, the coach party came upon eight or nine individuals— one of them a trooper — who weie sitting and lying on the ground. On guard over them was a man on horseback, with his face euvelopcd in a handkerchief — holes being cut in it for his mouth and eyes. Ho was heavily armed, having pistols in holsters, besides revolvers and a carbine like the others. Garland mixed with the prisoners, 'and learnt that they had all been subjected to the same treatment as himself. The bushrangers meanwhile unharnessed the coach-horses, of one of which they took particular notice. Seizing the mail bags they sat down (the man on horseback remaining as sentry) and, cutting them, deliberately opened every letter and newspaper, the contents of which they tossed on one side, with tho exception of bank notes, which they pocketed. There were a great many cheques, but they threw them away, grumbling at the coachman as they did so, for bringing such useless things. Having finished their examination, they searched tho coach, and found a cheese, when they called out to ono of the piisoners to produce a damper he had, for being hungiy, they said " they would have » feed." They offered to give all present a portion of the food, but it was declined, nnd having eat what they could, they cut the remainder iuto slices, and placed it in their saddle-bags, A general conversation ensued, in which the bushrangers indulged in many witticisms at tliQ expend of the captive policeman, and told him to give their compliments to Superintendent Morriiett, and tell him that if he Vrquld PUgage to meet them at any given i lace, and bring four wgn and. a hundred pounds with him, they would case him of that amount. A lemaik was made about the poorness of their horses, when they said they had better ones in reserve, but would like to get a change. They were asked why they did not give up the life they were pursuing, when one of them answered, " It's of no use, they won't let us now ; they are trying to catch us, so as to make us dance on nothing." One of tham, looking at the trooper, said as they bad caught him, he wished they could catch another; whereupon the man on guard s.iid he believed theto was one coming along the road. The two instantly jumped iuto their saddles, rode down the load, and shortly aftenvaids returned with another victim (not a policeman) leading a race-horse. 'I'liey asked the man whom the aniuial belonged to, when ho told them jt was the property of Mr. Daniel Majne, of Forbes, and was called Retriever, They immediately |;qo|v possession of it, and transferted some of the trappings from one of their own horses on to its back. Shortly afterwards another iudividuil was «een tramping along the road, when the disguised bushranger rode down and brought him up to the camp, where he was at once searched, and £5 taken from him. life oomplained bitteilv of the robbery, and told them fie was 'vary sick, and al-Q n poor, man, ttpqn wln^h they gave him back a pound. Gailand then asked them not to leave him without a penny, as he bad to travel to Sydney, and they immediately llnew him ten shillings. Two more men were subsequently captured, brought up, and searched in a similar manner, but lining only a few shillings nothing \\ as taken fiom them. Befoie returning them the silver, though, one of. tjie busjrrang&rs offered to toss tlieia fui it. * Those present now began to demur at being kept piisonew so long, and asked to be allowed to go, but were told to be quiet, and were detained till ne.uly five o'clock, when it was intimated they might go on thoii journey. While the coachman was harnessing his lioises to the coach (which was the identical one that was attacked when tas !«ts i?;C» p was attempted), one of the lushrangers pointed out the track of the bullet ivjjich, it 'vill lie lemembejed, was desuibed as being at Sir. Morrisett's, and expfained how tyiai. (gcmpienian jumped 'away before tfie bujlet" toie through 'the vehicle. Another took up the pojicemau'b cat bine and pointing to a tree, said, " Now, see bow I can gjwt a i W i ». He raised th« mere took aim, >-»jd pulled the tiiggec, but Jt niigfeil fire, and qn a second trial the same thiug happened again. At this |}5 became engaged,, cursed the weapon, ai)d seizing it by the barre}!, smashed jt (q a|oipp on the trunk of » tree. As the coach legained tho road, the three bushranger 3 came up and passed before it at a gallop, and went down the hill, in the direction of Blaney, at a rapid pace. Tho mail, however, on reaching the flat in sight of Blaney, was again stopped by the same men, they being engaged in the middle of the road in inspecting a valise beloHging to Mr. Beardmore of Forbes, who, it nppenra, they had fallen in. with riding aloiipr, and oiden.d him to djsmotaij?." 'iff. Bdardmore appeared to be anything pnt'a passive spectator of the scene, and offered to give the man who was turning over hit things a cheque for £20, with the promise that he would not stop its payment, if he would stand up man to man at twelve pace* and let him have a shot at him. The fellow eyed him, and asked what good it would do, as, if lie chanced to shoot him, he (Mr. Beardmore) would be shot by his companions immediately after. There was no money in the valise, but a jing was found, which Mr. Beardmore begged them not to take ft\yay as if had been a present from a friend. After \ooking a\ a'nd passing "it to 'each other they complied with 1113 request, by handing it to him, and, mounting their horses, rode off. TJie coach then resumed its journey and ariived in Bathurst about nine o'clock in the evening. The description giyeu °f t ua men,, and the fact of th.eir rgcogni&in,g the coach as the one they had formerly attacked, leavqi no doubt but that they were O'Meally, Gilbert, and Burke. They were decently dressed, had watches., and one of them wore a large gold ring. Another had appropriated tho trooper's caifcouche-box. Throughout, it Is said, they weie remarkably cool, quiet, and detei mined. [Since the above wai wiitten, we hnve heard that the same gang, accompanied by Vane, stuck up thiee young men on Flood* Mount, later in the evening, •»"1 at sundown they were observed " rounding up " some horses. Tne men objected to their taking them ; they said they were policemen, and that they had orders to take, on an emergency, the first hoi ses they could lay their hands on. The one who acted as spokesman, ttym asked hj» natne, nullpd " San.d.p.eqn. 1 ' TJjoy fi-ere last seen passing CneshireiS public-house j