From the 1850’s to the 1880’s
bushranging was at its height in Australia akin to America’s wild-west. Easy
money was the go on the end of a gun. Desperadoes such as the likes of
Jesse James, Butch Cassidy, Billy the Kid etc. unknowingly followed in the footsteps
of Australia’s Ben Hall, Frank Gardiner, Johnny Gilbert, John O'Meally, Daniel Morgan, Captain Thunderbolt
etc. and later Jesse James contemporary, Ned Kelly. Ben Hall had his own
Robert (Bob) Ford - betrayed for blood money by Mick Coneley.
The diligence and persistence of
the lawmen of the day such as America’s Pat Garrett, Wyatt Earp etc. and
Australia’s Sir Frederick Pottinger, Inspector Davidson, Superintendent
Morrisset, Sergeant Condell and Trooper William 'Billy' Dargin as well as American born Constable William Hollister. These men should be commended for their tireless efforts in hunting
them down...
Australian Bushrangers - A "Shot" Above The Rest
"we came upon two horses hobbled in the scrub,
about twelve miles from Forbes, near Billibong Creek. We watched the horses for
about half-an hour, when we saw a man approach who caught the horses. He passed
close by where we were standing. He caught the horses and led them away about
100 yards. This was about 10 o'clock in the evening. We did not recognise the
man. He took the horses about 100 yards, and hobbled them again. Shortly after,
a tracker, Billy Dargan, informed me that he heard the man he saw lead away the
horses making a noise among the dead leaves, as though he was preparing a bed
for himself. I then placed five of the men in my charge where we were standing,
and went with sergeant Condell and Billy Dargan on the other side of the man,
with the intention of attacking him in his camp should we discover, that he was
Ben Hall. We could not get within 100 yards of the man, in consequence of his
horse snorting at our approach. I then determined to wait until daybreak..."
Inspector James Henry Davidson,
Police Report, Forbes, Saturday May 12th 1865
Inspector James Henry Davidson,
Police Report, Forbes, Saturday May 12th 1865
Police Report, Forbes, Saturday May 12th 1865
"not
yet 25 years of age, the iron entered the soul of Ben Hall, he sought
forgetfulness in reckless excitement, and joined Gilbert and O'Meally in a
series of highway robberies unparalleled in the annals of New South Wales
history..."
"on examining the body, it was seen that he had received about thirty
bullets, two of which passed through the brain. On his person they found three
loaded revolvers, £70 in cash, three gold chains, and the miniature of a
female..."
Illustrated Sydney News
Tuesday, 16 May 1865
Tuesday, 16 May 1865
"I suppose that four or five hundred persons visited the barracks, and I saw several females among the crowd. After the enquiry several parties availed themselves of an opportunity to get a lock of the bushranger's hair. His body was lying upon a stretcher in the south-west corner room of the building appropriated to the foot police. There was nothing forbidding in the countenance of Ben Hall, as he lay there still in death. In fact I heard the remark made several times, during the moment I was in the room, "What a handsome, face." He appeared to be a young man about twenty-eight, finely made, excellent features, lofty forehead, and fine brown hair. His whiskers and moustache were cut quite close and of a much lighter colour than the hair on his head. I heard many make the remark, "I have often seen that face somewhere, but cannot tell where." I have myself seen the face, but have no idea when and where..."
The Western Examiner
18th May 1865
18th May 1865
A BUSHRANGERS FUNERAL. A recording of the burial of Ben Hall as written by an eyewitness.
Recorded from The Newcastle Chronicle and Hunter River District News
Wednesday, 17th May 1865
"Bad
as his life was, there was much that was good in him, which, with reasonable
good fortune, would have led him to affluence and good repute."
-William Freame
Great site maybe something that I can get into in my retirement
ReplyDeleteVery interesting website. Loved reading about our historic rangers. Thanks for putting time and effort into researching this great character of Australian history.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great website. I was able to discover the nephew of the wife of the uncle of the wife of the 3rd great grand uncle of my son (Patrick Daley), and the first cousin of the wife of his 3rd great grand uncle (John O'Meally). I only went looking for his first cousin 4 times removed (Edward Prior). I had no idea!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
very good info
ReplyDeleteGreat work. A fabulous resource. Thank you for your passion and love of bushrangers.
ReplyDelete