AN AUSTRALIAN JACK SHEPPARD.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3852, 21 November 1883, Page 4

AN AUSTRALIAN JACK SHEPPARD.

AA r ith regard to the statements of the man Council, who gave himself into the custody of the police on the 20fh ultimo, and related portions of his criminal career, a correspondent writes to the South Australian Register: —"'l'he facts, as admitted by Council', referring to the portion of_ his career spent in Tasmania, aini_ essentially correct. His maiden effort in Victoria, was the sticking-up of Springbank, a station at that time "the property "of Robert Swan. For this offence he was subsequently arrested by Trooper Burke, of the Harrow Station, and was taken to Hamilton, tried, and sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment. In the custody of Sergeant Cudoll he was being removed to Portland Gaol, when he made his escape in rather a clever way. The sergeant and another trooper had camped "for the night at a hut on the road where the prisoner, securely handcuffed, was placed. During the night the sergeant had occasion to go out, and the prisoner, seeing tbe trooper asleep, got up, unlocked the handcuff's, holding the key which was left ou the table iv bis teeth, and lay down again before the sergeant returned. A couple of hours later he stole silently to his feet, and snatching the holster pistol (at that time the regulation arms) which was ou the table, he dashed out, closely followed by Cadell; but turning in the darkness he seized tho sergeant, and with the pistol at his ear marched him three miles into tho bush, where he left him and mado good his escape to Tahara, the station on which the notorious Frank Gardiner was roared. Being almost without clothes, ho made his way to a shepherd's hut, which at the time was untenanted, and there helped himself to an oullit, and leaving the place, got clear away. The statement that ho fired at Cadell is untrue : the sergeant, now a civilian, is residing in Now Zealand. Until 1802 ho was not, again seen, and his case had almost, been forgotten, when for fighting ou the Hamilton Showground he was arrested. Hero ho offered a most determined resistance, and succeeded in escaping three times from the arresting constable beforo he was finally secured and lodged in the lockup. During the evening the watcbhouse keeper bad occasion to visit his wife, who was ill, and was absent some 15 or 20 minutes. On his return he went to look at his prisoner, and caught him in the act of escaping. He was promptly secured, and then identified as Council, tried en the charge of escaping from Cadell, ami again sentenced. This time, during his removal to Portland, three policemen were sent as guards; but being left with one. of them

for a few seconds while the others hud stepped into the hotel ut Ueywood, he jumped round, smashed the chain of his handcuffs over the constable's head, and escaped. For some years he was not seen, nor anything hoard of him, when he was in 1807 arrested at AVarrnambool on suspicion of being Council, alias Sullivan, and lodged in tho local lockup; but, with a JaekShep-pard-like skill, ho broke gaol, escaped before bis trial, and until flic date of your telegram had not been heard of. Council was known as a quiet, harmless man, though his career in Tasmania was essentially criminal. In Victoria tho only charge entered against him was the sticking-up of Springbank."