"BULLY" HAYES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1362, 13 February 1912, Page 6

"BULLY" HAYES.

DEATH OF NELSON RESIDENT WHO ARRESTED HIM.

SOME REMINISCENCES.

(By Telecraph.-Srccial Correspondent.) Nelson, Februarv 12. It is. not generally known that "Bullv" Hayes once visited Kelson nearly half" a century ago, and anchored his ship in the Ctoixoilcs Harbour. Captain "Bullv" Hayes, of world-wide piratical fame, savs the Kelson "Mail," who has recently teen set up as a hero of romance by Vuswriters of fiction, and who will probably, as time rolls on, be gilded with posthumous glory, belongs to tlie rapidlyvanisliing past. Another link which connected the present generation with that past was severed by the death on February 2 of Mr George Britt, of AVasliin?ton \ alley, who passed away at the ripe age of 82. Mr. Britt was the only survivor of tho boat s crew that sailed down Queen Charlotte's Sound in the late summer of ISCS, armed with a warrant, to arrest Hayes, who was "wanted" for running off with a cutter from Akaroa and for abducting a girl. The boafs crew comprised AlW Bragge, George Britt, and Captain Hebbcrley, all of whom were sworn in as .special constables, and were under the command of Constable Overend, of Picton. Captain Hebberley, who was nick.named "AVorser" by a. Maori girl, has given his name to AVorser Bav, in AVelJiugton Harbour. Hayes used to boast to his cronies, and not without reason, that one of his best points was picking up a ship and a stewardess on the cheap. It is worthy of note that two lato Nelson residents, Mr. George Britt and Mr. Win. Akcrstcu, both outwitted the redoubtable 8,u11y." Mr. Akerslen commanded tho boat's crew that seized Hayes's schooner, the "Black Diamond," in the Croixelks, just after the lamentable drowning pf Hayes's family in that harbour in 1861. The "Black Diamond" was sold by auction in Nelson under a Sydney warrant, and was wrecked soon afterwards on the AVunganui bar.

AVhi-n the warrant from Akaroa reached Constable Overend at Picton, he made inquiries about the Sound, and learnt that a strange craft had been f-een anchored behind Pickersgill Islaud. Fortunately for their enterprise, Hayes had been put in his berth that night in a state of intoxication. He awoke from a drunken slc-c-n to stare into the muzzle of Constable Overend's revolver, and with Britt and Hebberley pinioning his arms. As usual, however, ho was clever enough to e.-capo the meshes of the law. Hayes blustered when released, and declared that; he would get the best lawyer iu tho colony, and commence an action for .£SOO damages. He hinted (unsuccessfully) that if they handed him over the cutter and stores lie might be induced to let the action drop. Mr. Britt, who had an excellent memory, remembered one curious circumstance—that the picturesque desperado had a pair of curling-tongs amongst his belonging!) in the cabin that were evidently in constant use.

"He was a bad-looking man," said Mr. Britt, when dwelling on his reminiscences. "A fine, well-built man, but there was something bad about his eyes. You could not move without their following your slightest motion."

Several who were well acquainted with Haves havo lived in Nelson. One was a man who had sailed with him to Sydney in the. forties, when Hayes was first mate of an emigrant ship, and who used to relate the incidents of the voyage. The late Hon. Richard Reeves onco*auctioned a cargo for him, and often told how cleverly Hayes evaded a warrant in Holritika. There is also Mr. James Garrctt, who tells to-day his experiences of Hayes at AAangaiiui; and Mr Bond! senr., who still vividly remembers Captain "Bully" Hayes's sensational visit to tho

"Colonist" Office, in 1864, with a horsewhip, with which he threatened to castigate tho lato Mr. D. M. Luckie, then editor of that paper.