"CAPTAIN MOONLITE" IN COURT.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 104, 3 January 1880, Page 3

"CAPTAIN MOONLITE" IN COURT.

After the Wantabadgery bushrangers had been oominitted for trial by the U-un-jctkgai magistrates on November 23rd, "Moonlit e said he wished to open a; defence und examine some witnesses, and he asked for a minted 'adjournment to look over his notes. This adjournment was not permitted, and some remark front Moonlite led the magistrate to say that the prisoners had been allowed more latitude tiian any Solicitor or barrister would have been allowed, 'and that if. any . lawyer in- court, had used the same language he would have turned him^out.pf court.- '\7ell your worship/ ■aid Moonlite, amidst great laughter, l l wish you would turn me out of it too, and if X thought ypu^yrould t would use much stronger . hTuguagev * He wanted" an hour to address the Bench, but to this the magistrate demurred. Moonlite, ' was, howeverj directetj to prpcised, and ho then said: 'TmVis a case of importance to ine, but much more to the prisoners that are with me.- I do not stand here fi> defend these' prisoners, I would duly -wish, to speak the troth. - I am'awar* that vague", uncertain, and false rumours are afloat, and it is a matter of great importance to me that the publie/ttrorfl should not be directed towards me or towards the priiouers in the dock with me. The way to prevent that "fooling from arising ,and_ from influencing our fate is to allow tha'public to know the -truth, as the public mind will be ias«.suceil, ~kat -s? thg influence brought to boar on tfie public mind : CMs»t "t'o a certain extent effect my fate, I stand "Befo».V9 a here to havo . lfc known whak the -truth of T.^^J li : Years ago I was convicted on a cha?sr Q * highway^ robbery, and paid tho penalty of that within "the- walls of Panlndgej and then I became again a free man. I tritid afterward* to earn ;«n honest livelihood, aud. -gave lectures on the penal system, but drew upon my self "the persecufcidn of that system' .aqdof ;th|» police. I was charged with breaking into a fortification defended by armed, men, for .the purpose of releasing prisoners, but that charge. was proved to be ful»» ; and myself "nd.^my friend, who now 1i«33 in your cemetery hefe, jv eire discharged . Afterwardsj when the iiane~e'fiejd Bank woa fobbed, it was said that we were the robbers although not an iota of evidenoe w&* azaintst tia; and even after the rob bara-werodis • ooVered, we had to., clear, ourselves. I attempted then to fl.nji work, and coulct not I find it ; then tried 'to leave the v c6lome ! s biijt'*! cpiilJ not, and was peMeOiited Hvith the •(•jirveillance of thepolioel The bread bejn"' tk :^en from, my -month, ,and oyery; prpspeo| yf, holies j|: liTolihqc|a gone,' I' elirae up Mp (.'(Suntrjrand tri^4_agaiti to seek for work. ;Aa jlon^ as oiiir money "Jasted we bought bjr^id, agd when our ajoney was gone we jspia bur'olo'thes and.' bought bread . ifith what we obtauied lor $&$' We" trie^

get work but could not, and we fasted day after day. We have been without food for forty-eight hours. We went to Wanttbadgery and walked up to the. station. We were told the overseers and -^owners were out, but a servant came and said -that if 'we came in the morning we could see about work. The night was dark and rain was commencing; 5 and we wete told we could not see the superintendent theft, but he afterwards came' out and told us to go about our business; and we were insulted. We were refused admittance into a hut, and that night we slept on the hills, with nb'th 4 ing to eat and nothing to drink' but the war or that was falling around us. All our clothes were wet, and we were hungry. Next day there was.no work to be had, and we, had nothing to do. Ai forwards— and 1 admit it was foolish — we went and stuck 'up. Wantabadgery. The polioe came down, ■'and they fired on us and we fired on them. I will not say who fired first, but during the time I saw that the act. that had been done would produce bloodshed, and I courted death, .hoping that; a stray shot jriight end my life, and that the prisoners, :my friends, might give themselves up to . the Crown. , After the fight we left Wantabadgery Station and took the'poiice horses with us. Some of the police of this Colony have behaved as brave men, but one or two have not. At Wantabadgery they had to run to aeertain extent, but I blame the man who" first rah, and I could and will afterwards, point oit those who deserve credit and those who deseve everlasting 'disgrace — the man who deserves to be handed down to infamy, who is a coward in the -field and a hero-, in the witness, box, who cannot use his carbine, and who swears ■a lie with his hand on the. Book." Moonlite continuing, said : " I am Only saying that a map under such circumstances deserves disgrace, and the works of iPaley and Butler would not say it in calmer language that those who "bear false witness • against r their, neighbour shall be handed down to infamy. At the, fight at Wantabadgery I courted death. I was not so important as my friends were— one as good . o friend as ever lived, with as bo ft a heart and as kind a man. He prevented bloodshad bj taking that duckshot gun from me when I could have fired from it. If a victim has to suffer, I should like to do so and hold these lads innocent. I alone comtnrtnded, and these boys did as I bid them. But though not guilty of the blood of anybody, I am ready to suffer for their sakea, and answer for breaking the laws of the country. I wish the country to' know this, and when I fill a dishonored grave with my friends who sleep in your, cemetery, I wish that their names shall not be handed down with ignominy. No fate will draw a tear from my eye, for I fear no fate. I had kind friends and .they are gone, and. I wish to follow them ; but before Igo let those who stand before me go out free. Send me to those who have Buffered, but give me justice. Let the public know the cause of what hat been done, and then you can consign me to my fate, for there is no fate I fear to meet, and you can send me to the grave, where I wish to be. If, your Worship, I have said anything to you that is insulting I beg your pardon. You have to act legally, but I expect all legal rights, and have as much claim to them as any citizen in the land. I thank all for the courtesy that has been shown me, and I ask that the Press may stand forth and state the truth that we had been driven t# despair. The poor men of this Colony are going about seeking for work and cannot get it. In the case of the Chinaman who was robbed, I took that watch because the Chinamen have come into Colony and taken the bread from the mouths of poor men who want work. That ii> all I want to say, and I thank your Worships for hearing it. What I have said I will make known. The facts of this case shall appear from north to south : from Tasmania to" New Guinea the truth will ring. I will speak' the truth faithfully ; and I now tell yon, as s man who haa not long to live, that the responsibility of thi* should rest on me, and that these men are guiltless. I hare said all, your Worship." Moonlite then sat down, having spoken with fluency and force, and exhibited signs of considerable emotion when referring to the dead bushranger.