FRANK GARDINER THE BUSHRANGER.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 104, 17 October 1877, Page 3

FRANK GARDINER THE BUSHRANGER.

Our readers have doubtless heard of Frank Gardiner, the celebrated bushranger of JN". S.W. His exploits would form the materials for a romance far more^ exciting than any of those; with which Lytton and Ainsworth have incontinently deluged the world, and corrupted much of the rising manhood of this generation. In his sphere the example of Gardiner had results moreMecidedly practical than any .that can be referred to the publication of such works as Ropkwood and Jack Shepherd. The newspaper accounts of his daring -exploits and hair-breadth escapes that appeared with startling frequency and* circulated' through every town of New: South Wales some 15 years ago kept the population m a state of continual ferment, and kindled m the breast of many a youth the fire of emulation. The power of a bad example asserted itself and many youths of loose principlesbecame bushrangers. . Even steady going farmers forsook the plough arid took: to the roads. The bush became -infested with desperadoes, the blue mountains were a stronghold of brigands. Every day : brought its' record of lawless events. Gold escorts and mails were stuck up and robbed, encounters took place between the bushrangers and troop- "., ers, homesteads . were burnt down, and outrages committed on men women and children. . The reign of rapine and blood went on for a; many 'many months till gradually the power of the law prevailed." One after another the desperadoes were tracked out and shot down, or else brought Ltd Sydney tried and executed undei: the grim gallows at Darlinghurst. Gardiner, who was the parent of all this bloody work, escaped to a neighbouring colony and traded ori his ill gotten gains. J Tears afterward he was re-

cognised, arrested and brought to Sydney for trial. But at this time bushranging had died out and popular indignation had cooled. Justice was tempered with mercy and Gardiner was not hung but consigned to a 30 years' imprisonment. The next picture m " This sad eventful history" that was brought before the public was Gardiner broken m health by long confinement penitent for his passt misdeeds, longing for the sun and air, — longing for the chance to lead an amended life among his fellow men. The Government has pledged their word that under certain conditions of good behaviour he should be liberated. These conditions had been fulfilled. His six years' sojourn m prison had been marked hy exemplary conduct and by all the signs of true penitence. But when the Government proceeded to fulfil their promise a howl of indignation rang through the length and breadth of the country. The press, the pulpit, and the platform were loud m denouncing the act of clemency, and the felon's name once more became a household word of execration. Still Gardiner was released, but as his chances of being able to live honestly m a land where he was execrated were small, the Government gave him a conduct to California

But when a man once becomes thoroughly submerged m the slough of crime it is hard for him ever again to be pure. However good his resolutions are, the consequences of a mis -spent life will dog his footsteps at every turn, and when he attempts to rise the inexorable world will push him backward, saying let the filthy be filthy still ; and human nature is not eitfeer so buoyant or so innately good as to strive against a bad name through a long bitter remnant of a life. It will accept the infamy of its fallen state as a destiny, and cease to strive for a higher status. So it appears to be with Gardiner. The following is a subsequent chapter of his history given by a writer m the " Western Independent." He says : — A friend just back from America gives me a graphic description of the present appearance and occupation of the once notorious Francis Christie, alias Gardiner, the bushranger. When m San Francisco I asked about Gardiner. Accompanied by a policeman, I went one day about 11 o'clock to his whisky mill m — —street. It was a low vile street, m the worst part of 'Frisco, callqd The ' Barbary Coast." The house was a filthy looking blackguard place, and all round on wooden forms were some ruffians', with heft or knife peeping out of their rags, but now powerless to use them, sleeping off the previous night's debauch. Gardiner looked simply wretched ; he was' crippled with rheumatism, and hot improved by drinking some of his own grog, the vile compound called whisky old Bourbon. He was only running the^place for another man, who traded upon his evil name, but he was after all only a child m villi any to the desperadoes who came to his place, so he had not even the poor consolation of being a leader agmonst them. Ruined m health and impoverished m pocket, none of his ill-gotten gains left, he said to my friend that he thought of sending a petition to the Government of New South Wales to be allowed to return if it was only to serve out his time. California was killing him, and he would sooner -be. hanged m New South Wales than, live- there. Think of this ye flash cattle-stealing youths who fancy bushranging a fine manly pursuit, and honest work disgraceful. See the once leader of bushranging here, with life spared from the gallows he richly deserved •unable to bear the life spared him by, I say, a mistaken clemency. Follow his footsteps, and m exile look back to the land of your birth and even a dog's death there. Could retribution be more complete. The man who led young men to their, doom by his baneful example, now actually envies their fate, the hanged m Australia !