BUSHRANGING IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 208, 2 January 1865, Page 3

BUSHRANGING IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

(From the Sydney Morning Herald.) ■The Mail Stopped hy a Policeman. —Last Saturday night, the down mail from Cooma, when about two miles on the other side of the Rob Roy Inn, was rather unceremoniously stopped by senior-constable Moran, of Micalago, much to the annoyance and fright of the driver and passengers. It seems that the constable was seen approaching the coach on horseback, holding a revolver in his hand. He accosted the driver, T. Haworth, with “ Stand, Tommy,” pointing the weapon at him and snapping the trigger once or twice. The passengers were Miss Evans of this town, and a gentleman who was proceeding further, and whose name we have not ascertained. The constable was said to be drunk at the time, evidently not

Ifnowing vvh.it he was about. The , t u 1 pas v • sv.-i’.t very much alarmed • »V. iit.y .he! not I’.—.’e Moran really meant ro stick up un- mao. i ’i"v feared that in his mad p-.oks la 3 ! * 1 a.h■ diva; the revolver, with serioi'i orf.ital j .Id.er demanding to w what i i; r'.i - Jlo aoci dental! v knocked lus .■ . . i -.i -l ai i ... a.-.' vr sv.zf d the opportunity, wlup- ■■■’ !i-.- n n - s.„s ai.u drove off at a brisk canter. Mura a attempted to follow ; but was evidently too drunk to keep in his saddle, and, after proceeding a few yards, gave up the chase. We understand the matter is being investigated by the police authorities ; and we have no doubt the offending constable will be severely reprimanded for bis folly. It is a remarkable fact that senior-constable Moran is a most efficient officer, and, generally speaking, a well-behaved man ; but his conduct in tins instance but too clearly proves the truth ol the old adage, “ When the wine is in, the wit isout.” It is reported that there were two other constables in the neighbourhood at the time the worse for liquor, they all having been drinking together.— Queanbeyau Age, November 3. Lucky Escapk prom Bushrangers.— A correspondent writes;—On the morning of Saturday last two armed bushrangers attempted to “ stick up” the down mail from Armidale to Maitland, but xere gallantly repulsed. The mail left Muswellhrook at its usual time (twelve o’clock p.m.), and when about five miles on the road, at a placo called Bowman’s Flat, close to the celebrated Grass Tree Hill, two men rode out of the bush, and with revolver in hand cantered along one at each side of the coach, which was proceeding at a moderate pace, and ordered Smith, the coachman, to stop, at the same time presenting their revolvers. He pretended not to understand them, and still kept the horses at the same pace. They rode on with the coach for a distance of about fifty yards, still calling to the coachman to stop, and and to the passengers to throw up their hands. There were three passengers in the coach, Mr. F. G. Weaver, Mr. J. Wise, and Mrs. M’lntyre besides Beattie, the guard, who stood up in the coach and fired at the bushranger nearest to him, who returned the shot with interest, firing three times into the coaeh amongst the passengers, one of the balls passing close to Mr. Wise’s head.under the brim of his hat, Beattie then fired again, and struck cither the bushranger or his horse, as he swerved and dropped behind. His companion, who had dismounted and commenced opening a. panel of the fence, doubtless for the purpose of wheeling the coaeh off the road, jumped on -his horse and fired ; the wadding from his pistol fell between the heads of the leading horses. The coachman then put his team at top speed, and continued at that pace until lie reached the Chain of Ponds without further pursuit. Too much praise cannot be awarded to the coachman Smith and to the guard Beattie, for their courage and coolness throughout the whole affair, for had the coachman pulled up when ordered the mail bags and passengers would have been rifled, and vve should have had to chronicle another mail robbery instead of au attempt.