BUSHRANGING IN QUEENSLAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 77, 31 March 1880, Page 4

BUSHRANGING IN QUEENSLAND.

The J^Pf stern Star (Queensland) publishes the following narrative of . ; «Tohri Haslem's attempt to stick up the coach near Muckadilla, as told by Constable Pettitt, who captured him: — "'";l;^as 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 withm 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 agaiu 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 shop you ? ' « Is this the coach ? ' to which I and the driver replied, Yes* ' Then,' said Haslem, 'I demand a little money to assist me on iho road, fnr T»m hnvrl

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 ncne, and I asked Haslem if he had any. c replied that ho had not, and I said, ' I think I can fiad you some.' I then picked up my valise, undid it, and got my revolver handy. Haying done this, I turned to the passengers inside tbe coach nnd asked them if they had any money, but received no answer. They appeared to be very much frightened, and were throwing tlieir mocey, nnd I believe a watch, over the opposite side of the coach to that on which Hnskrn was standing. The prisoner happened at this moment to turn his eyes irom me to* wards 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. I kept my revolver presented at the prisoner, and succeeded in wresting the gun from

his grasp. Having done this -I caught him by the throat with my left hand, having previously thrown tbe gun aside, and got the prisoner on 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 was going to strike prisoner, hut desisted on my interference. Mr Leyinge, the other passenger, then came to my assistance, and seized the prisoner by the legs, and he was finally handcuffed. On making tbe search of his person, I found that he had a tomahawk suspended on the front part of his belt,, and in his pocket, boxes, containing powder and percussion caps, as well as a quantity of broken, stone, which.. : 1 presume he intended to use as shot when his gun was 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 tbe other was fairly loaded. The charge consisted of powder and slugs — cut up lead chiefly. After securing tbe prisoner I said to bim, * I wish you were JSfed 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 I 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. iimL3Ein-ir ii -ga»unwnit'iniH^BasMuajings^Hjijimttp.wt'i"i<MJiwi-