POWER THE BUSHRANGER.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 714, 16 August 1870, Page 4

POWER THE BUSHRANGER.

[AGE, AUG. 6.] Considerable excitement was created in Boxirke street early yesterday morning, in consequence of it having oozed out that Power the bushranger would be brought down in the Beechworth coach in charge of Superintendent Hare, en route to Pentridge, where he will undergo the sentence awarded him at the Circuit Court, Beechworth. The mail coach was due at the post office at 7 a.m., but in consequence of the heavy state of the roads it was three hours behind time, and did not arrive at Cobb and Co. 's office until ten o'clock. Two spring carts belonging to the •police were in attendance in readiness to convey the prisoners to the gaol. Wee Chow, a Chinaman, sentenced at the Circuit Court, Beechworth, to twenty years' imprisonment for attempt at murder, was also a passenger in the coach. By ten o'clock a large crowd had assembled in Bourke street to gratify their curiosity by a sight of the bushranger. As the coach stopped at the post office to put out the mail-bags, there was a rush to that place, as some thought it probable that Power would get out there. When the fellow saw the crowd at the post office, he pushed his head outside, and lifted his hat to those assembled, a3 if anxious to exhibit himself as the notoriety of the hour. When the coach drove up to tho office, Superintendent Hare got out first, and his prisoner foliowed, heavily ironed. Power viewed the crowd with a furtive air, and when coming out of the coach, loudly said, " I can jump into the cart from here." Superintendent however, made him get down, and get up into the cart in the regular way. Immediately Power was in the spring cart, the police drove rapidly away, and the bystanders gave a cheer, which no doubt was intended for Mr Hare, but Power took the compliment to himself, and lifted his hat two or three times to the onlookers, as he was driven off to the Melbourne gaol. Upon reaching the court-yard, where a number of gentlemen were standing, Power lifted his hat and courteously bade them good morning. Mr Castieau said, " Well, Power, you have had a long run this time," to which he he replied, "I should have had if they had only let me alone." Seeing Mr Brown, the turnkey, Power recognised him, and greeted him with, " How do you do, Mr Brown ? You are not altered one bit.* It is sixteen years since we first met, and I should have known yo\i anywhere. You see I can't help coming to see you occasionally." On getting out of the cart and being marched into the gaol, Power again wished good morning to those near him, but upon entering the gaol started back ai the sight of the murderer Smith, whose body was hanging from the gallows. He appeared rather cowed at this sight, and turned his head, but very soo\i recovered his nonchalant demeanor. All the way down from Beech worth he was very communicative^ and desirous ol showing himself to the gaze of the people at every place where the coach stopped to change horses. The appearance of the prisoner was very different to what mosb people expected it would be. He was wrapped up in a comfortable drab cloth coat, with a muffler round his neck, and a light low-crowned felt hat on. His appearance was that of a j'eoman farmer, or cattle-dealer, and anyone who was riding along the road in the country would have had no hesitation in joining him for company as far as his look 3 were concerned. His face is pleasant rather than otherwise, and there is nothing at all ferocious in his aspect. From his appearance it is evident that he is of great muscular power, and capable of long endurance. In the course cf the morning the two men were removed to Pentridge stockade, in custody of Mr Secretan, the officer in charge of detective police, and detectives Daly and Mackay. Oh the road out Power was very chatty, and appeared quite willing to detail his exploits. While passing a public-house he requested that he might be allowed to h-we a glass of gin, but of course the request was not complied with. Upon reaching the stockade, he recognised many of the officials whom ne had known formerly, and pointed out the spot from whence he had previously escaped. His | first question when he got inside was to know whether any "tucker" was to be' had. It is hardly possible that he will ever be at liberty again, as in addition to the fifteen years' sentence he has now received, he will have to serve the balance of his sentence which had not expired when he escaped, and in addition will most likely receive a.further sentence for escaping from legal custody, so that, counting twenty years as the minimum term of his imprisonment, he will then be seventy years of age, and almost incapable of doing further mischief. He is evidently of that opinion himself, as he jocularly remarked that when he had "clone his time " he would be too old to take to bushranging again, and thought it would be a

profitablespeculationtotakeapublic-house in Melbourne, aud requested . that the money found in his possession might be taken care of in order to start him in business. Tliere is very little doubt from Power's talk that he is an arrant boaster, but sti.il there was a good deal of truth in many of his statements. According to his own account, he was brought up on the Marquis of Waterford's estate in Ireland, and when very young took to poaching, which, he says, was his first step in his downward path. Mis first experience of bushranging was in Tasmania, where, for nearly five yejirs, he levied black mail on travellers by the banks of the Derwent. He says that he ha 3 never shed any blood, aud never intended to do so ; but he had frequently been greatly amused to see eight or nine carriers allow him to stick them up, without making the slightest effort to defend themselves or their property. Some idea of his boasting powers may be imagined, when he alleges that since his escape from Pentridge he has committed 604 robberies ; but, as he has only been away from Pentridge about two years, this would be an average nearly of one robbery per day. He gave a little advice to intending bushrangers, as follows :—" Never take to the road armed with a revolver ; it is no use. There is nothing like a good double-barrelledbreach loading gun. It carries a great deal further, and is much more serviceable." He further stated that he had disarmed two mounted troopers aud taken their pistols away from them long before lie served constable Tighe in the same manner. In the other two cases the troopers got them back by paying him L 8 for each, aud he also said that Tighe might have got his pistol back had it not been for the talking of an old woman who heard of the occurrence, and repeated it all over the neighborhood. He accounted for sending back Mr M 'Bain's watch and horse by saying that he wished to have some friends when he came out of gaol. He was highly amused at the manner in which he "chaffed" the judge who sentenced him, and was apparently under the impression that his conduct had had some effect in reducing the severity of his sentence. He is very bitter in his feelings towards the Qumns, whose house it will be recollected was at no great distance from the place where he was captured. He declares' that they gave information about him, as they knew when he was in his min-mia and asleep. At the samo time he pays a high tribute to his captors; he states that he was very sound asleep on the morning of his capture, and when he awoke and found Mr Nicholson standing over him and Mr Hare with a hold of his hand, he v knew it was all up. It was no go."