LIFE OF "CAPTAIN MOONLIGHT.^

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 37, 2 January 1880, Page 2

LIFE OF "CAPTIAN MOONLIGHT.

Captain Moonlight's real name is Andrew George Scott, and he is a ' native of Dublin (though he my* {fin was born in County Down), Ireland. He was born in the year 18-1 o, and is therefore now 34 years of age ; his heigh g is oft. Bin, ani he weighs about lOst Blb His father was a minister of the Church of England, iv the religion of which Church the subject of our notice was carefully trained. His father originally intended the boy to study for the Church, but, finding that he was of a too lively disposition, he a 1 lowed him to select his own calling. Wo thus find him in 1856, at the age of 11 years, a cadet ou boavd U. M. ship Britannia, and a relic given to the lad by his affectionate mother, which was accident ly discovered the other day in th<i possession of a Mrs Sherwood (widow of the late Cpatain Pile), shows what the parent's feelings were on that occasion. It is a Bible, given to the boy on leaving home, aud bears the following inscription, expressive of a loving mother's I wishes : — " From Bessie Scott to her son, A. Oh Scolt, wishing that he may read, mark, leain. and digest these blessed contents. Born in Dublin, 1815, baptised IS4G." In 1859 we find him fighting under Garibaldi iv Italy. On 19th August, 1861, he left London for Auckland, New Zealand, in thp ship Black kagle, as a practical engineer. In New Zealand he enlisted as a Volunteer, and joined the campaign against the tribes of revolted .Maoris, and continued until he was wounded, being shot in both legs. The slugs were extracted, but they left their marks. The next move was to the United States of America, where he joined the Northern army. In 1867 he turned up in Melbourne for a short time, whence he went ou~ a cruise (probably of " blackbirding ") to the South fcsoa Islands In 1869 he returned to Sydney iv Captain Pile's schooner, and as the latter had a good opinion of Scott he took him to his own house, where he resided for some time. And it is at this place he left behind him the Bible previously referred to, amongst other articles in a box. Figh'ing seems to have been Scott's real calling-. The air of the mountains of Calabria and New Zealand, or the plains of America he loved to breathe, and found himself a stranger amongst settled society in Sydney. And here we hear of his first crime, for soon after his arrival he was sentenced on 20th and 2 1 st December, 1870, at Darlinghnrst sittlbgu^to _ eighteen months' imprisonment ia^ Maitland Gaol for uttering a forged* cheque. *^ The first fulse step was made, and the downward career had begun, and now he employed all his ingenuity in waning against society. Ho was tried aud convicted upon two charges of forgery, for which ho was sentenced to twelve and eighteen months' hard labor in Maitland Gaol; Cuncnrrent sentences. He w-.is S3nt from Darlinghurst Gaol to Maitland on 6th January, 1871, and was received back to Dailinghurst again on 30th, * March, 1872, under remand, charged with assault and robbery . He behaved himself well in gaol, but his mind got deranged ; he was sent to Parramatta Lunatic Asylum, aud soon recovered. He was discliavged on 6th April, 1872, receiving his full remission from Parramatta Gaol. He then went to Melbourne, and having excellent introductions, which he obtained from his parents in the mean* time, and being a plausible fellow, he was appointed lay leader by Bishop Peiry, and sent to Bacchus Marsh toT assist the Rev. Thomas Cooper. He was a favorite with some, though a few considered him a scamp and a hypocrite, and many insisted that he was mad, and all the marvellous tales ho was narrating^bf-his prowess were pure inventions. A short time after lie was removed to Kalian, Victoria, and then to Egorton, where the great Bank robbery was accomplished by him so cunningly as to defy detection. The robbery, by which the Bank lost many thousands of pounds, was very cleverly planned and executed. For i lite robbery he was sentenced to ten years' penal servitude. ? % In Peutrtfge he soon acquired even greater notoriety than before. He at first became a constant attendant at tho Bible classes, which Mr Duncan, the Inspector- General of Penal Establishmentß, holds every Sunday afternoon, and displayed such, evidences of reformation that he ingratiated himself with the prison clergy, and becaino a general favorite with the warders, while at the same time ke secured a powerful ascendancy over the convicts. The cloak of hypocrisy, however, soon proved irksome, and he made several daring attempts to escape, . one of which pioved so nearly successful, despite tho formidable obstacles to be encountered in the shape of high stone; walls and a triple line of armed sen-: tinels — obstacles which would have doterred any man not possessing remarkable determination, courage, and ingenuity, from making an endeavour to surmount — that it was deemed advisable to lake extra precautions to secure h.ia safe custody. Finding it impossible to get away, he resorted to many devices to relieve the tedium of his confinement. He "malingered" so well that the most experienced prison doctors were deceived, and he afterwards feigned

lunacy "with, a remarkable degrae of success These diversions not proving iuffieient to employ his restless enev wKies, he took to assaulting the wardFor a time he was the terror of "the prison officials, and on this account, as well as from the gmit influence he exercised over his follow prisoners, he was allowed many indulgences — in fac», for a portion of the term of his imprisonment, h6 did practically what seemed goo! in his own eyes, systematically violated the prison regulations, and defied the authorities. At last he locked a warder up- ia a bathroom, robbed him cf his watch and chain, and attacked him with a knife. It took the whole prison staff (including Mr Gardner) to capture him. And it is significant of the sway the man exercised that the warders were afraid to attack him wi'h firearms, but confined their efforts to capture him to invitations to surrender. When h\s humor had been gratified, Captain Moonlight graciously condescended to permit himself to be captured, and received a heavy additional sentence. On being liberated, thia deperado took a lecturing tour throughout Victoria, exposing the iniquities of the penal system at Pentridge. He was tolerably successful in this undertaking, and many hoped— for the » man from hie undoubted ability and daring character had secured numerous well wishers— that he would abandon a career of crime and enter into honest pursuits. The police, however, considered him incorrigible, and were of opinvn that he only wanted the opportunity to again embark in tome desperate en* terprise of crime and outrage. He was closely watched while in Tictorin, and was charged with un attempt to rescue a couple of his mates from the "Williamstown Penal i stabliahment. He «vas nrrested for tl s endeavor, but the evidence not pro 1 - ing sufficiently strong he was socn again at liberty. Scott is a man if commanding presence, is highly educated, and his manners aro gent! >• * manly and winning. Bravo to tl c ver&e of recklessness, cool, clea - headed, and sagacious, and with a certain air of chivalrous dash, he s the lean uleal of a brigand chief. lie s a man who would exercise soverei* v power" over untrained and uned icated, and especially youthful niimj.s, while the fascin avion of his manner would secure him adherents and friends anywhere. The man's indomitable will, splendid intellect, and fascinating manner, render him more dangerous to the community than a do/ejh ordinary bnshrangers; and hia / capturo, therefore, at the MfeMc of his career of depredation this colony is a matter for deep to society, especially to dwellers on the frontiers, who are more likely to suffer from the raids of bushrangers. — Sydney Town aiid Country Journal.