BUSHRANGING IN QUEENSLAND.

Kumara Times, Issue 1079, 16 March 1880, Page 4

BUSHRANGING IN QUEENSLAND.

The Western Star (Queensland) publishes the following narrative of John Haslem’s attempt to stick up the coach near Mnckadilla, as told by Constable Pettitt, who captured him :—“ I was riding on the box seat with the driver, Mr Woods, and we saw a man approaching us at a distance of about 200 yards. When he got within four yards of the coach he presented a double-barrelled gun at me, at the same time saying, ‘ Stop, bail up.’ This he repeated several times, and as Woods did not pull up at the moment; Haslem ran alongside the coach eight or ten yards, when he again called out ‘Stop, stop ; if you don’t I will shoot you. Woods then brought the coach to a standstill, and Haslem asked, ‘ Why did’nt you stop, for I might have shot you 1 ’ Is this the coach V to which I and the driver replied , Yes.’ • then,’ said Haslem, ’ I demand a little money to assist me on the road, for lam hard up, and I must do this or die.’ He held the gun still presented towards me, and I asked Woods if he had any money. He said he had none, and I asked Haslem if he had any. He replied that he had not, and I said, * I think I can find you some.’ 1 then picked up my valise, undid it, and got my revolver handy. Having done this I turned to the passengers inside the coach and asked them if they had any money, but received no answer. They appeared to be very much frightened, and were throwing their money, and I believe a watch, over the opposite side of the coach to that on which Haslem was standing. The prisoner happened at this moment to turn his eyes from me towards the passengers, and seeing my opportunity I sprang off the coach, with the revolver in my right hand, and seized the gun with my left. _ 1 kept my revolver presented at the prisoner, and succeeded in wresting the gun from his grasp. Having done i « 8 if cau ßbt by the throat with my left hand, having previously thrown the gun aside, and got the prisoner oh the ground. Then I sang out to Woods to throw me down the handcuffs which were on the box seat. Mr Nixon, one of the passengers, came out of the coach, and picking up the gun was going to strike prisoner, but desisted on my interference. Mr Levinge, the other passenger, then came to my assistance, and seized the prisoner by the legs, and he was finally handcuffed. On making a search of his person, I found that he had a tomahawk suspended on Ihe front part of his belt, and in his pocket, boxes containing powder and percussion caps, as well as a quantity of broken stone, which I presume he intended to use as shot when his gun had been discharged. Both barrels of the gun were loaded, and the trigger of the near barrel cocked. That barrel, on examination, was also found to contain about three inches of a charge, while the other was fairly loaded. The charge consisted of powder and slugs— cut up lead chiefly. After securing the prisoner I said to him, ‘ I wish you were Ned Kelly instead of the man you are ;’ and prisoner replied, I could have stuck up a party this morning, but I thought they were poor devils like myself, and 1 let them go, I fully intended to stick up the coach, and I give you credit for the way in which you took me.* The prisoner was committed for trial.