Samuel Britton.
Samuel Britton was the longest surviving bushranger in Van Diemen's Land (VDL), for ten years his gang roamed and robbed central and northern VDL. A native of Bristol (UK), Britton was transported to VDL for 14 years after being found guilty of stealing money from a Mr Phipps, he arrived on the 6th November 1822.
Britton was assigned to work for W. G. Walker of Launceston, in 1828 he absconded, teaming up with other miscreants he began his career as a bushranger. The man himself was spotted in Deloraine, according to the Launceston Advertiser, Thursday 9th May 1833;
"We hear that the bushranger Britton, and his gang, have made their appearance, during the week, at Deloraine; and that they have made one or two attempts at robbery, in which they were unsuccessful."
The Britton gang were still at it a year later when they returned to Deloraine, in a long article in The Independent of Saturday 17th May 1834 it was stated that the inhabitants of VDL were "in daily and hourly apprehension of a visit from those who are denominated as the notorious bushrangers," and goes on to say that they "rob, and even murder the defenceless country settlers."
Moving on to a local outrage the author states; "I am induced to make these observations. having heard from several persons, that when the hut of Mr Gardiner, at Deloraine, was entered and robbed some time since, by a party (stated to be Britton's) a man named Dennis Kelly was taken away with them, and who, a few days afterwards, when Mr W. Field's stock hut was plundered by the same party, was then supposed to be voluntarily in company with them, inasmuch, as tea and other refreshments were taken out by three of them to a party unknown.
Subsequently, a quantity of goods then stolen from Mr Field's hut were found upon Kelly's person, who immediately absconded, and a warrant was issued to Mr Bateman for his apprehension." As a reward for Kelly's capture the promise of a ticket of leave was proposed for any prisoner coming forward, or freedom for a ticket of leave man. Soon Kelly was handed over by a convict called James Jarrett who received his ticket of leave, Kelly was taken to Launceston Gaol. Jarrett layed low as his life was now in jeopardy, to hand over a gang member was no trivial event, these men were not to be trifled with, the myth of the gentleman bushranger was just that.
Samuel Britton was mentioned in Bent's News and Tasmanian Three-Penny Register on Saturday 30th July 1836, this write up of his life so far said that he had been captured and "the crimes that this man has committed are such as will most assuredly cost him his life."
Over a year later in The True Colonist Van Diemen's Land Political Despatch, and Agricultural and Commercial of Friday 1st September 1837 put paid to the story of Britton's capture;
"Britton the Bushranger ---- The retreat of this notorious character, has been discovered at Port Sorell, on the property of Mr Thomas. This gentleman has missed from his stores for some time considerable quantities of provisions, and many sheep, which he suspected were stolen by bushrangers.
A singular circumstance developed the mystery, and proved that Britton and his associates were provided with provisions by the men of Mr Thomas, who clandestinely procured it from his stores. A party, headed by a gentleman of known courage, and experience of the bush, has proceeded in search of the gang."
The legend of Samuel Britton has it that he was shot in the thigh north of Port Sorell and left behind to die, the truth is that we don't know what happened to him, his body was never recovered dead or alive, he literally disappeared.
Things died down for a short time in the environs of Deloraine, there was a spot of trouble towards Westbury with a band of bushrangers in April 1839, according to The Cornwall Chronicle;
"It is almost impossible to conceive a more alarming state of affairs than that which exists in the Westbury district at the present moment. There is now a party of five armed bushrangers beyond Deloraine, who are supposed to be Fisher and his gang. On the night of Thursday last, they entered the house of Mr Parker's overseer, and having tied all hands, proceeded to ransack the house, depriving it of everything which was of value.
They then visited Mr Hogg, whose house they plundered in the same manner. Immediately was a messenger despatched to Westbury with intelligence of those occurrences, when Mr Jeffcott, and two other constables, went in pursuit of them. They returned on the following day, without succeeding in tracing the gang, and apparently without the least inclination to trouble themselves further."
The Fisher Gang were led by John Fisher, an escaped convict. They were active mainly in the Bothwell, Antill Ponds areas, Fisher's remains were found on the Western Tiers in 1845.
Smith and Priest.
John Smith and Daniel Priest, convicts, absconders and bushrangers.
Daniel Priest was no stranger to trouble, in 1834 he had been given one months imprisonment for assault, in the following year he and a man called James Putnam stole a sheep belonging to Mrs Caroline Susannah Cooper from her farm near Bovington, Dorset. For this offence Priest and Putnam were transported to VDL for the term of their natural lives.
Unfortunately John Smith is quite a common name and is incredibly hard to trace, however, the John Smith convicted for theft in Warwick on the 28th March 1844, receiving ten years transportation, and whilst here charged with misconduct and absconding several times, seems to fit the bill.
In early 1843 Priest absconded and rewards for his capture were printed in all the local newspapers, at some point he teamed up with Smith and the gang was born. Their first foray into the Meander area was covered in The Courier on Thursday 8th May 1845;
"A constable , named Baldwin, was stopped in the bush on Friday evening by two armed men. He was on his way from Port Sorell to Deloraine with despatches from Bishop Nixon, and was met by the men in question about eight miles (approx. 12.8 km) from Deloraine.
They stripped him of his coat, waistcoat, shirt and boots, leaving nothing but his hat and trousers. The despatches were in the hat and arrived safe. The men also took from the constable one pound sixteen shillings in cash. They were unknown, but their descriptions correspond with those of Smith and Priest, who are supposed to be working towards the coast.
Having stripped Baldwin as above related, they ordered him to walk on, which he very gladly obeyed, but had not proceeded far when they commanded him to return; instead of doing so he quickened his pace, and a double barrelled piece was discharged at him, but he got clear off, and having reached Deloraine communicated the facts to the police.
Messengers were immediately despatched to Westbury and Launceston, and Mr Moreton, with a party of constables, started off from the former place of pursuit, but none could be spared from the Launceston forces."
The depredations of these two bushrangers knew no bounds, as reported in The Courier of Wednesday 10th September 1845;
"Priest and Smith --- These ubiquitous bushrangers made their appearance a day or two ago, at Deloraine. They visited a hut near the township, stripped two men naked, and carried off their clothes. A party of three constables was despatched from Launceston as soon as the intelligence was communicated."
These two certainly had a pattern in their robberies, no man in clothes was safe! But all things must come to an end, and so Priest was eventually captured, The Courier, Wednesday 24th September 1845;
"We have at length the satisfaction of recording the capture of the absentee Priest, who has so long enjoyed a formidable reputation for the skill and boldness with which he executed his robberies, and the success with which he evaded the efforts made for his apprehension."
Of the two accounts of Priest's capture mentioned in the article, both are similar but the second one is more entertaining.
"He was brought to Longford in a cart, having about ten weeks since accidentally discharged his piece, the ball perforating his foot. Although he was conveyed by the most private road to the watch house, a large number of persons followed the police, showing the utmost anxiety to gratify their curiosity by the sight of a man whose name and exploits are so familiar to them.
....he is cheerful and communicative, acknowledging to those about him having robbed Messers. Bryant, Rowcroft, Williatt, Lucas, Sutherland, Barnes, Anstey, Farrant, Gregg (twice), Lambert, Johnson, and huts out of number, but vehemently denies having robbed the constable at Deloraine, and the hawker at Antill Ponds."
Of the whereabouts of Smith Priest stated that he "left him about ten weeks since; they shook hands and parted, Smith taking all the money, and bending his course towards Hobart with the design of quitting the country, and saying that 'if Priest did not see him in a fortnight that he should be all right.'"
Priest stood trial in Launceston, he was found guilty and sentenced to death. There was quite a clamour from the general public and some of his victims that hanging was too excessive for this rather friendly chap, that in the end his sentence was instead commuted to ten years on Norfolk Island.
The Trial of Smith and Brown 1846.
Taken from The Cornwall Chronicle, Saturday 11th April 1846;
"George Smith and William Brown were placed at the bar for assaulting and robbing on the 4th February last, at the time being armed with a gun. Plea, not guilty.
William Rowsall -- I reside at Deloraine and am a master shoemaker; I know the prisoners; on the 3rd February Smith came to my house and sold me 25 dozen kangaroo skins and I was to go to Stocker's hut to fetch them; it is 10 miles off; Holly is in my employment; I went to the hut the next day, having previously sent my man there with a message.
He returned and accompanied me there in a chaise cart; I arrived about 6 o'clock and saw the two prisoners, they both came out of the hut as I came up. On enquiring about the skins the prisoner Brown said there were none there in consequence of the river being so high, but if I would stop he would fetch them across on his horse in the morning.
My servant and I went into the hut, the two prisoners followed us in, after we had been in the hut a little while two more men came. I took with me £3 18s 6d consisting of one pound note, 10 or 12 half crowns and the rest in shillings and sixpences, and two spare trousers of the value of £1. We had supper and drank a little rum, I went to bed about 12 o'clock, my servant slept with me, my money was in my trouser pocket, I placed them under my head in consequence of some observations I heard Brown make to the men outside.
Brown had been in bed a minute when one of the men in the other room said he was sick, the man went outside and returned with two guns, and presented one of them at me. Smith and another man searched my clothes and took them into the next room with them, Smith took the money and put it into his pocket.
We three then went to bed, Brown did not appear alarmed, Smith came in and said 'many of you men when you have been robbed, say it is more than it really is,' and asked me how much I had lost, I told him £3 18s 6d, he said 'that is all right,' he had on one of my coats, and my hat, and the knapsack containing my goods was strapped to his back. He stationed two of the men to guard the hut desiring them to remain there half an hour and meet 'they knew where.'
In the morning Brown asked my man if he knew 'Cranky Jack Smith,' he got through the window to go out of the hut, for he said the doors were fastened, he returned and told me the tether rope of the mare was cut, the four men, including Brown seemed to be on most friendly terms with each other.
I saw Brown drive my horse and his own towards the river, which was running at such a rate, that it was impossible for a man to swim it. He was making no attempt to catch the horses when I saw him, my man about the middle of the day got over the river and swam my horse across. Just before I left Brown said it would be very foolish of me to make a report of such a thing, and had better let it drop, and if I would do so, he would supply me with a quarter of beef at any time for nothing.
George Holly (servant) confirmed the testimony of the prosecutor.
James Morris -- I am District Constable at Deloraine, I apprehended Smith near Deloraine on the 9th February, and found on him two crowns and five pieces of tobacco, I saw him about two weeks before, coming from Stocker's hut, he enquired where Brown was, and we told him at Deloraine on horseback.
The prisoner Brown, in his defence said, that Smith had been his hut keeper, but he had discharged him some time before, to prove which he called the following witness.
Examined by Brown -- Thomas Elliott: I am a constable at Westbury, and have known you two years, on the 30th January I was at Stocker's hut, I had told you I had seen your hut keeper Smith about two miles from Deloraine. I do not recollect you telling me you would discharge him as soon as he came home.
By His Honour -- Brown is Mr Field's stock keeper, and Smith is cook.
Verdict. Guilty.
The Jury were then discharged, and the Court adjourned until Thursday morning, at nine o'clock, for the purpose of passing sentence on the prisoners."
The Cornwall Chronicle, Saturday 11th April 1846;
"George Smith and William Brown, robbery under arms of Rowsall, near Deloraine -- Death."
Bold And Desperate Men.
Reports of a four man gang were being published in the newspapers in early 1848, this gang were well armed and had so far kept to the eastern side of Launceston. Four constables were despatched to bring them in, they were Howard (the leader), Faulkner, Kennedy and Wadsworth. Arriving in Launceston they soon got to work, they patrolled out into the bush and asked locals for any information, soon a lead came in, the gang had been seen in the Port Sorell area.
The gang had robbed Mr Moore's public house, a house belonging to a Mr Pardoe and various other places. The four constables scoured the district and soon found their quarry at a place called Burgess, which was situated somewhere between Port Sorell and Deloraine.
The constables surrounded the hut they were in and called out for them to surrender, a volley of gunfire was their answer. Taking up the narrative The Courier of Saturday 26th February 1848 stated;
"A desperate rencontre ensued, the numbers being four to four, and both parties fighting and firing with the most desperate energy and determination. Howard, the leader of the constables, received a ball, and fell; at the same instant one of the bushrangers was shot dead.
The fighting continued, the night being nearly dark, and one of the three remaining constables was wounded by a ball in the arm. The three surviving bushrangers made off, leaving their dead companion; but whether any of them are injured is unknown. The two constables, leaving Howard in the bush for dead, assisted their wounded companion to the nearest station where the assistance of a surgeon could be obtained. We learn from the Cornwall Chronicle, that the bushrangers are all Irishmen, and their leader is a desperate fellow of the name Riley."
Howard's body was retrieved and sent to Hobart for burial, a cart was sent for to transport the body, but on it's way it was held up by the remaining three bushmen and robbed of tea, sugar and other provisions intended for the constables. Two troops of seven constables were soon despatched to search the area, but nothing was found.
News was soon forthcoming, The Colonial Times, Tuesday 14th March;
"The Bushrangers -- Intelligence reached Westbury, on Friday night, that the bushrangers were at the back of the Whitefoord Hills (along the Railton Road), near Deloraine. Mr D.C. Morton started immediately with a party of constables."
Nothing was found that time, but the search was not over, The Colonial Times, Friday 17th March;
"The Bushrangers Again -- These desperate and misguided men were fallen in with by an equal number of constables, on Friday last; they were in the act of regaling themselves by the aid of a good bush fire, when the constables came upon them and saluted them with a volley.
They immediately started to their feet and contrived to take refuge in a scrub, composed of such, all but impenetrable materials, as to defy pursuit. They, however, decamped in such haste, as to leave behind them a considerable stock of provisions and also various other articles the fruits of their lawless career. The place of encounter was somewhere between Port Sorell and Deloraine."
The last we hear of these desperados occurred at the end of March, The Colonial Times, Tuesday 21st March;
"On Wednesday the bushrangers were at Chestnut, about eight miles from Deloraine, an establishment belonging to Thomas Archer, Esq. They loaded some horses with flour, tea, ect and took them with them some distance into the bush, but finding probably that their tracks were easily followed, turned them adrift."
A tale of some runaways and a brave young man, The Cornwall Chronicle, Saturday 6th December 1851;
"On Monday night last about dusk, two men visited the farm of Mr Joseph Francis Edgcumbe, about three miles from Deloraine, and demanded something to eat which was given them by the overseer's wife, but perceiving their intentions none of the most honest, a young man of Mr Edgcumbe's armed himself with a gun, and made them march before him into Deloraine.
When they were examined before the magistrate at Westbury they said that they run away from Launceston as they could not break stone enough to please the authorities. There was no doubt that their intention was to rob the house but for the spirited conduct of the young man before mentioned."
Dalton And Kelly.
James Dalton was well known in his native Carlisle for being of bad character with a string of convictions. In 1832 he was fined 10s for assaulting a night watchman, two years later in August 1834 he was fined 5s for trespassing on Canal Company property, in November 1834 he was committed for defaulting on bail conditions after another assault, this time in a theatre, one week later he committed the crime that would see him sent to the other side of the world, much to the relief of the people of Carlisle.
The Carlisle Journal, Saturday 29th November 1834;
"A boy named James Dalton, who belongs to Shaddongate, and who has frequently given the police much trouble by his dishonest propensities, has this week been apprehended on a charge of stealing a silk claret coloured lady's cloak."
The story goes, the cloak was to be delivered to Longtown, Cumberland, it had been placed in a parcel and was put on a cart for delivery. Dalton had been hanging around the cart and when he saw the parcel he believed it contained something expensive, so he stole it.
He had been totally unobserved, he had an accomplice called Forster who does not seem to have done much during the theft, but later the two lads told a woman they knew. However, she owed a policeman a favour due to something he did for her previously, to return that favour she told the policeman of the theft and where to find Dalton.
He was found with the cloak, arrested, put on trial and found guilty. He was sentenced to seven years transportation to VDL.
Even in VDL Dalton carried on his old ways, nothing seemed to work on this habitual criminal, whether it be solitary confinement or flogging. His conduct report is truly astonishing, neglect of duty, absent without leave, absconding, stealing a bible, the list goes on. Eventually he was sent to Port Arthur from where he absconded in 1843, he was quickly recaptured and sentenced to life on Norfolk Island.
In 1849 he raped a young girl called Mary Willis which bought him an additional two years in chains, when Norfolk Island was being wound down he was transferred to Port Arthur, where, in 1852 he escaped with five others. Four drowned at Eagle Hawk Neck, but Dalton and another convict by the name of Andrew Kelly survived.
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| Eagle Hawk Neck |
Andrew Kelly was a thief from Bishopwearmouth, which is now part of Sunderland, his trial and sentence was published in the Newcastle Courant on Friday 2nd July 1841;
"Robert Fletcher, Andrew Kelly and John Sanderson, charged with having at the parish of Bishopwearmouth, on the 17th of May last, feloniously stole the sum of three shillings, the monies of Henry Wright -- Guilty.
Sanderson was recommended to mercy by the prosecutor, and was sentenced to three months hard labour in the house of correction; Fletcher had been committed for three months, for frequenting a certain street with intent to commit a felony.
Kelly had been previously convicted of stealing two pairs of trousers, and sentenced to 14 days imprisonment. The prisoner had been thrice summarily convicted of being found in certain places with intent to commit a felony, for each of which he had been sentenced to three months hard labour in the house of correction. The chairman observed that it was evident no improvement could be affected by allowing him to remain where he was, and he should therefore be sentenced to 7 years transportation."
He arrived in VDL on the 28th July 1842, he was 12 years old.
Serving out his sentence Kelly was marked "absent without leave" several times and was given solitary confinement at Point Puer, the juvenile post at Port Arthur. He was released in 1848, but in 1849 he was again in court charged with stealing shirts, he narrowly avoided the death sentence for attacking a man with an axe. He was found guilty and given 7 years penal servitude at Norfolk Island.
As with Dalton, his time at Norfolk Island was cut short with that facility winding down, he was held on the prison hulks for a short time before being placed in Port Arthur, where in 1852 he escaped with Dalton and the other five unfortunate convicts.
Dalton and Kelly headed north, robbing farms and huts at will. Buckland, the areas around Campbell Town and Tunbridge were hit. At the Bluff near Buckland the bushrangers pretended to be constables and tricked their way in to Mr Hunt's shack, after loading his guns they showed their true colours and robbed him, taking his guns. At Tunbridge they robbed the Victoria Inn, stripping the place of every penny they could find, as many clothes as they could carry and even cutting the hair off their victims to make wigs with and fashion a disguise. After making the cook make them supper, they left.
Making their way towards Avoca, the two bushrangers attacked the home of Simon Lord, two constables were eating nearby and decided to intervene. Dalton and Kelly were heavily armed and dangerous, as the two constables approached one was shot through the head and died instantly, the other was shot in the stomach, he died later.
From there they ransacked a property in Stoney Creek and robbed a passing shepherd of £5, intending to escape justice by leaving the state, the bushrangers headed further north towards the coast.
The Courier, Wednesday 26th January 1853;
"We have further news of the movements of the two bushrangers, Dalton and Kelly. Our correspondent at Deloraine confirms the account of them given in our letter from Port Sorell. The two murderers were seen by four men enquiring their way to Deloraine, through which town they passed on the night of Saturday last: had information of their having been seen been forwarded to Westbury but two nights before, there is every reason to suppose these men would have been taken.
Reports have been received at Deloraine of a constable being shot by them at Port Sorell, but this requires confirmation. Mr Morton, D.C. of Westbury, is out with a party of constables from that district, in addition to the strong party from Port Sorell, and it is hoped, as the bushrangers are not acquainted with that part of the country, they will soon be captured."
A rumour started "doing the rounds" suggesting that one of the constables shot at Avoca had been a flagellator at Norfolk Island and had somehow deserved his fate, this was completely untrue, but it did have a negative effect on the voluntary subscription for poor Constable Thomas Buckmaster's family.
The net was closing in on Dalton and Kelly, their only option was to try and reach Melbourne, the first boat they tried to hijack failed, the second attempt paid off, in their desperation they employed four miners at gunpoint to sail them across the Bass Strait. Once across they went their separate ways and reached Melbourne independently. By this time a £500 reward was issued for their capture.
Dalton was captured first, he had found a ship that was England bound called the "Northumberland" that was leaving the next day, first he needed to change his VDL pounds into pounds sterling, it was a late hour and Mr Bryce the currency exchange man was suspicious. Mr Bryce entered on a stratagem, he told Dalton that he didn't have enough money to exchange the full amount, but there was more cash at his friends house, if he would accompany him all would be well.
The journey down Bourke Street and up Swanston Street must have been nerve wracking, but up Swanston Street Mr Bryce introduced Dalton to the newly opened police station where it was established who he was, Dalton was wrestled to the ground and arrested, he was carrying three primed pistols.
Kelly was still in Melbourne looking for a passage to England, a description was circulated down at the docks, Kelly was soon picked up and arrested.
The stood trial at Launceston, both were found guilty of murder and were hanged on the 26th April 1853.
Twilight Of The Bushranger.
Meanwhile back in Deloraine bushrangers were still active, as Canadian gentleman Mr Mulligan found out, Launceston Examiner, Thursday 3rd November 1853;
"Yesterday morning on my return from the coast, I was requested to take the Port Sorell mail bag to Deloraine, in consequence of the illness of the postman. I consented: tied it on to the front of my saddle, and rode along slowly, my horse being wearied after a travel of two days, bad roads, little nourishment, and occasional long swims across your bridgeless rivers.
On entering the plain called the Avenue, a man emerging from the bush came rushing towards me, with a red handkerchief tied on his head, in his shirt sleeves, and standing still at a distance of about 15 yards, levelled a double barrelled gun, shouting 'Stand, or I will blow out your brains.' Being unarmed, and as I perceived well covered by the range of his gun, no chance of escape was left but obedience.
I reined up the horse, and was ordered to dismount; this done he shouted 'Tie him firmly.' I proceeded to do this, when he whistled loudly several times, then said, 'You are not the man I wanted: go back the way you came, and if you turn your head, or look behind, I will blow out your brains.'
I returned, closely followed by the fiend marching behind, with his piece presented; and having walked a mile, and finding my detested companion had disappeared, I took into the bush, determined to return and make for home, taking a circle of about 15 miles in order to avoid the road and the bushranger.
I arrived at Mr Field's much fatigued from my rough journey, and the perilous scene of this eventful morning. On my arrival at Deloraine, I reported the matter at the police office, and also to the postmaster. The mail bag was small, but quite full; and the horse, saddle and bridle, which I suppose are irrecoverably lost, were borrowed from my friend Doctor Browne, of Deloraine."
On the 1st January 1856 the states name Van Diemen's Land was officially changed to Tasmania.
A warning of the continuing risk from bushrangers was published in the Colonial Times, Thursday 19th March 1857;
"It is said that several bushrangers are out in the neighbourhood of Carrick, Westbury, and Deloraine. Police have been despatched thither, in the hope of overtaking and capturing them."
The last of the bushranger gangs to annoy the denizens of Tasmania was the Wingy and Flowers Gang. The gang were Daniel "Wingy" Stewart, William "Flowers" Ferns, William "Sydney Jim" Thornton and "Black Peter" Haley, although sounding like a folk band they were actually very dangerous.
Deloraines link to the Wingy and Flowers gang was a constable who met with a nasty accident, as was reported in The Cornwall Chronicle, Wednesday 8th September 1858;
"We are informed that Wingy, Flowers and co. are moving in the north, making for the Mersey, where they will probably attempt to charter a vessel, in their own summary mode of procedure, to convey them across the straits, and unless the police are more on the alert at the outposts than they are in the interior, these notorious plunderers will escape easily with their booty."
One of the Deloraine constables, who was in the Black Forest, tracking the bushrangers, on Saturday, met with almost a fatal accident at the Arms Of The Creek. His gun went off accidentally, and lodged the contents in his shoulder. Medical aid was soon procured, and the wound was carefully dressed, but fears were entertained that lock jaw might result from the extensive laceration of the main arteries."
The Arms Of The Creek was a community of mainly English and Irish families living in timbered buildings, located near Quamby Bluff. They were subsistence farmers and gold prospectors well known for turning a blind eye to bushrangers hiding out in their midst.
In the summer of 1858 after a shootout both Flowers and Black Peter were captured, Sydney Jim and Wingy made it to George Town where they tried to get a passage to the mainland. Failing to get anywhere the pair holed up in a hut, the authorities found them and another gun fight ensued, this time things got very serious, Sydney Jim was shot then bayoneted and died, Wingy was shot in the arm and captured.
Wingy, Flowers and Black Peter were tried in Hobart, found guilty and hanged.
The last bushrangers locally were John "Timon" McLaughlin and Bernard Nulty, their short career was reported thus, The Courier, Monday 10th January 1859;
"John McLaughlin alias Timon, and Bernard Nulty, were indicted for having, on the 22nd July last, presented a pistol at George Cooper, on the Westbury Road, threatening to shoot him, and robbing him of 2s 6d and a knife. Nulty was also indicted for stealing 6lbs of bread, some meat, and other articles, the property of John Dyer, Traveller's Rest.
The man Nulty is the man who reported himself to the police at Deloraine as having been shot at and robbed by bushrangers in Reilby's forest (the Liffey area), but was subsequently recognised as a bushranger himself. The description he gave of the men whom he alleged had robbed him led to the apprehension of his companion, McLaughlin.
The prisoners were both found guilty and sentenced to death."
With that bushranging ceased to be a problem, crime was and still is a problem but the gangs of bushrangers we have in our imagination were no more, although, there is one last story......
The Cornwall Chronicle;
"A Bushranger Apprehended! -- On Monday night a constable on duty in Charles Street, noticed a kangaroo jumping about on his beat, he immediately gave chase, and with the assistance of another constable he succeeded in capturing the poor frightened denizen of the bush, near the Watch House, to which he was taken, and locked up with the other cases.
Though not being charged with any offence except that of perambulating the streets at a late hour, he has been remanded by his captors."
