ESCAPE OF FENIAN PRISONERS FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 626, 21 June 1876, Page 3

ESCAPE OF FENIAN PRISONERS FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

The rescue of six Feninn prisoners from Preemantle, on Easter Monday, April 17tb, created the greatest excitement in Western Australia. The following account is taken from the Perth Inquirer , of May 17th : A Mr Collins, described as an affable, gentlemanly man of fair complexion, and wjth an English accent, arrived at Albany in November last, per steamer from Melbourne, and came to Preemantle per Georgette as a first-class passenger. By the same mail a man named Johnson, who possesses the characteristics of a thorough-going Yankee, arrived as a second-class passenger. Neither of these persons appeared to know each other. Collins stayed at the Emerald Isle Hotel, Preemantle, where a stranger rejoicing in the patronymic of Jones was also stopping, but seemed in no manner to be connected with Collins. A man named Taylor also appears to be one of the confederate party. Johnson occupied part of his time by working at his trade at Sloane’s carriage building factory in this city. Once a week, and six or seven during the fortnight prior to the escape, Johnson had hired Mr Summers’ wagonette, always paying for it the customary charge. On Good Friday he drove out, returning the same evening, and on the following day again drove off, never to return. A similar arrangement was made by Collins with Mr Albert, of Preemantle, of whom he hired a carriage and pair. The men who have escaped are Michael Harrington, James Wilson, Martin Hogan, Thomas Hassctt, Thomas Darragh, and Robert Cranston. The two former were working on the morning of their escape (April 17lh) at the south jetty, with a party in charge of Warder Booler. Hogan was painting at the comptroller’s quarters, Darrah—who was the Protestant chaplain’s orderly—and Hassett were gardening outside the prison, and Cranston, who was employed as messenger, appears to have had free access in and out of the prison. On the morning in question the latter walked leisurely towards the south jetty, swinging a door key on hia finger, and asked the warder to allow Harrington and Wilson to assist him in removing some furniture from the official marine residence on the Hampton road. The warder, unsuspectingly, allowed the men to go. The Fremantle prison commands a very fine view of the town, and the three men there employed could easily watch the movements of Cranston and his two companions, and of the carriages which had preceded them along the Hampton road ; and when all was safe, at a signal, the painter abandoned his brush, the gardeners dropped their spades, and somewhere between the old Cemetery and the Piggery, took carriage and drove off to Rockingham, distant about 14 miles. About 9o’clock that morning, Mr W. Bell, a settler at Rockingham, observed a whaleboat, manned by six colored men and a white man of the Yankee type, coming alongside the Jarrah Timber Company’s landing. He immediately suspected something wrong, and watched. Presently he saw an outrider, followed by two carriages full ot men, six of whom wore the convict dress, dashing along at full speed. They halted, and immediately made for the boat, into which they jumped and were pulled out to sea. Bell’s suspicions being aroused, he hastened to Preemantle,and gave information to the police of what he had witnessed. The water police boat at once gave pursuit, and on the evening of the same day the Georgette was commissioned as a war vessel by the authorities, and also despatched in pursuit of the fugitives. The instructions given to the commander were to overtake and go alongside the ship to which the whaleboats were supposed to belong, to ascertain if the absconders were on board, and to demand their surrender. No force was to be used, but the men on board were to be kept under arms as a means of defence, On the following morning the Georgette sighted a barque under light sail steering south. In about two hours_ time she was alongside, when the vessel turned out to be the Catalpa, of New Bedford, Captain Anthony, a whaler, Hying the American fi.lg. This vessel had cleared out from Bunbury on the 28th of March. Mr Stone asked, li Can I board your ship and search?” to which I be male coolly replied, “ Don’t know, got no instructions, but guess you’d better not, anyhow.” The Georgette being short of coal, Mr Stone determined upon returning at once to Preemantle, where she arrived about five o’clock. The Georgette having been supplied with coal, was again despatched by the Government in pursuit, and early next

morning sighted the Catalpa bearing S.S.B, under sail. On nearing her the steamer fired a gun under the vessel’s stern, when she instantly hoisted the American flag, but took no further notice of the firing, Both vessels coming within hailing distance, Mr Superintendent Stone, addressing the captain of the Catalpa, demanded the six escaped convicts on board his ship. Captain Anthony replied he had no convicts in his vessel, nor would he allow the police to board her. The Superintendent then said, “If you do net give them up, I will fire into you, and sink or disable you.” The captain, nothing daunted, retorted, “ I don’t care what you do ; I am on the high seas, and that flag (pointing to the stars and stripes) protects me.” After some further parley, the steamer returned to Freemantle. During the whole of her cruise after the Catalpa, the men on board were under arms, on the defensive, but Mr Stone’s orders were to threaten as much as he liked, but not to use any violence.”