STICKING – UP OF COBB AND CO.'S MAIL COACH, NEAR THE GYMPIE.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 426, 6 October 1868, Page 3

STICKING -UP OF COBB AND CO.'S MAIL COACH, NEAR THE GYMPIE.

The coach, with the mails and three passengers — Mr Power, Mrs Farley, and Mrs Thatcher, left Gympie on Thursday morning, at a quarter-past 6 o'clock. About half an hour after, and when about three miles from Gympie, the coach was descending a hill, and had nearly reached the bottom, when three men, with their faces covered, two of them armed with double barreled guns, the other with a single barreled gun, started from behind <jome trees, and commanded the driver to stop. The driver not being able to bring up the vehicle so soon as the men liked, they called out again, and threatened immediately to fire if they were not instantly obeyed. The driver called out. he was pulling up as quick as he could, and brought the horses to a stand at the foot of the hill — a steep ascent before him making it vain to attempt to escape by forcing the horses on. As soon as the coach was stopped, Mr Power was ordered out, and told to go and hold the horses, when one of the men came up to him and ordered him to "shell out his cash," when he drew out of his waistcoat pocket a five pound note, which did not satisfy the fellow ; so he, put his own fingers into the pocket and drew out two ten pound notes. One object in choosing this spot for the robbery seemed to be that the road there not only presented great facility for such an attack, but that also the coach could be easily taken off the road into the bush. The coach was accordingly drawn two hundred yards from the road ; the mail bags were taken out of it, and the three set to work to cut or tear open every letter in them, seeming entirely without apprehension of danger in doing so, one of them putting his gun against a tree several yards off, the passengers being permitted to look ois at the work of plunder. The mail was not a very heavy one, luckily. A mail to Brisbane, with the English mail, had been made up the night previously and sent overland. There were only four registered letters, yet our informants think there must have been a good sum of money in unregistered letters going to Sydney and Melbourne, as they saw a good many single notes appropriated, which would be more likely to be

five than one pound notes. Three of the registered letters are also missing. No cheques or drafts were taken. They seemed very unexciteel and methodical in their work ; and to Mrs Farley, v.-ho was rather alarmed at their proceedings, said, "Don't be afraid — we never touch ladies," by which we judge that this . is not the first piece of villany of the kind they have been at. Having got all they wanted out of the letters, on leaving they told the driver to go on towards Maryborough, and not to start for half an hour, for if he did they i would come across him and blow his brains out. Mr. Power and the driver immediately proceeded to collect the fragments of the letters, which done, they immediately set off to the next inn (Palmer's), about six miles further on, where they procured a couple of saddle horses, and rode back to Gympie to give information of what had occurred. The police were quickly on the move to scour the country. The coach being again reached, anew start was made ; and when a few miles from Currie, the mounted patrol having its quarters at Gutcliie was met. The coach not arriving with its accustomed punctuality, the troopers suspected something wrong, and were on their way to ascertain the cause of the detention. The coach arrived at Maryborough at 9 o'clock the same evening, when sub-inspector Clohesy was immediately informed of the robbery, and yesterday morning, with two constables, left for the scene of the robbery, to assist in the search for, and, we trust, capture of the rogues. The faces of the men were completely concealed, and their identification depends . entirely on their general appearance and of their voices, but it is to be hoped these will prove sufficient to #ive a clue to who the men are, and, if captured, without doubt, to convict them. By the coach which arrived last evening we learn that the police had not returned, and nothing had been heard of them or the bushrangers since they started in pursuit. — Maryborough Clironiclc, September 5.