STICKING-UP IN QUEENSLAND

Cromwell Argus, Volume 1, Issue 43, 7 September 1870, Page 6

STICKING-UP IN QUEENSLAND

[From the Cleveland Bay Express. ] On Thursday evening information was brought to Gilborton that an attempt had been made to stick-up Francis’ (Towns and (Jo.’s) store at the junction of the Robertson and Gilbert, and that Donald Simpson, a bullock-driver well known in Townsville, and one of the bushrangers, had been shot. On Friday a man named “ Sam the Tracker” arrived from the-Junction with a letter for Mr inspector Glohesy; and the same afternoon, notwithstanding the almost impossibility of travelling in the present Hooded state of the country, Mr Golhesy, accompanied only by a black boy, started for the scene of action. From, yam—who, in the company of others, had been stuck-up by the same men after they had crossed the Robertson—we have obtained the following particulars : —Uu the 31st July, early in tlie forenoon, a well-known ruffian named -Jack Moreland, and another n'amed Jack Sullivan, one of whom was mounted, seized a boy belonging to Francis’ store, and tied him to a tree. They then proceeded farther up the river to where another employee of the store, named Heath, happened to be, whom they compelled to go farther up the Gilbert, to a place where a small island had been formed in the middle of the stream, to which they made him wade, chindeep in water, and after tying him Hat on the ground, .and- charging him not to attempt to get away, they started for the store. All this, however, had occupied some time in accomplishing, and in the meantime the boy had managed to extricate himself and to convey the news of what had occurred to Mr Francis, who then know that a very short time would elapse before an attempt was made to stick-up the store. At this moment, Donald Simpson rode up, and Mr Mr Francis told him the circumstances, and asked him to stand by him in the emergency, which Simpson—who well knew the fellows who were approaching, having thrashed Moreland in a couple of rounds at Gilberton not long since—consented to do. He accordingly armed himself with a revolver, and Mr Francis got his rifle in readiness. These preparations were no sooner completed than the two ruffians made their appearance at the stockyard a short distance from the store, upon which Simpson mounted his horse, and riding up to them said, “ Look here, Jack, I know what you’re after. You’d better clear out of this. ” Moreland immediately turned on Simpson, and before he had time to draw hi ß revolver, Moreland fired at him, the ball entering the right side immediately below the ribs, and coining out at the back. Simpson fell from his horse, and Moreland had seized and was mounting the animal when Simpson Hred at him from the ground, the shot taking effect in the other’s thigh, but not disabling the fellow enough to prevent him from getting on tire horse. He was riding away in company with his mates, when Francis fired at him, the shot, as it afterwards appeared, taking effect in the upper part of the body, and causing him to reel in his saddle, but not to fall. They then galloped off together towards the Robertson River, which is within a few yards of the store, and near the bank were joined by another man, a butcher’s cattle-tailer, who was doubtless to have taken part in the sticking-up bad it been proceeded with ; and the three entered the river together. The river is dangerous to cross in its present flooded state, and as only two made their appearance on the opposite bank Moreland and Sullivan the other must have been carried down the stream and drowned. The two men,' one of whom was completely naked, and the other nearly so, then moved on in the direction of Western Greek diggings. At about mid-day, and when about two or three miles from the river, they met a man who is known by the name of Sam the Tracker and two others. Sam is engaged in conveying gold and money from Francis’s branch store on diggings to the head store at the Junction, and he and his companions were warned. Sam was the first to interrogate the two singular-looking travellers, by asking, “ How is the Robertson ? is it crossable ?” Moreland replied, “ It’s very dangerous ; 1 wouldn’t advise you to attempt it. We had a very narrow escape of our lives.” Seeing the blood trickling down the thigh and body of Moreland in three different places, Sam remarked, “Why you’ve been snagged, mate.” Moreland now appeared to think the conversation had gone far enough, so riding up to Mr Francis’s man, ho asked if he had any gold. The man said that he had a little, and Moreland rejoined, “ Then out with it, for I want it,” and drew out a pistol, which he pointed at the other. “ You must come and take it,” the man said, and accordingly Moreland ordered Sullivan to open the swag. This was immediately done, and twenty-nine ounces of gold and a considerable amount of notes were taken from it. Moreland then exchanged the horse that he was riding for the one ridden by Francis’s man, telling him that the horse that he had given him belonged to “the fellow he had shot at the other side.” When riding away, the ruffian said, referring to the money and gold he had taken, “ I don’t think ITI live long, but if I do, I’ll spend it.” This is the last that was seen of them up to the dispatch of the messenger to Gilberton. Should there be any discrepancies in the above account of the matter, they will be corrected on the return of the inspector. Simpson’s wound is a dangerous one, but there being no surgeon in that part of the district, no opinion could be given as to whether it was likely to prove mortal or not' when the tracker left.