ESCAPE OF FENIAN PRISONERS FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 53, 22 June 1876, Page 2

ESCAPE OF FENIAN PRISONERS FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

The resell' 3 , of six Fenian prisoners Fremantle on Easter Monday, April 17, created the greatest excitement in Western Australia. Tlie plan of escape appears to have been "well matured, and to have been carried out with much skill and daring. The following account is taken from the '' Perth Inquirer of May 17 : A Mr. Collins, described as an affable, gentlemanly man, of fair complexion, and with an English accent, arrived at Albany in November last, per steamer from Melbourne, and came to Fremantle per Georgette as a first-class passenger. By the same mail'' a man named Jolmson, who possesses the characteristics of a thorough-going Yankee, arrived as a second-class passenger. Neither of these persons appeared to know each other. Collins stayed at the Emerald Isle iTotfil. Fmmantle, where a stranger rejoicing in the patronymic of J ones was also stopping, but seemed in no manner to be connected with Collins. A man named Taylor also appears to be one of the confederate party. Johnson occupied part of his time by working at hi#*sade at Sloane's carriagebuilding factory in this city. Once a week and six or seven times during the fortnight prior to the escape, Johnson had hired Mr. Summers' waggonette, always paying for it the customary charge. On Good Friday he drove out, returning the same evening, and on the following day again drove off, never to return. A similar aj'raugement was made by Collins with Mr. Albert, of Fremantle, of whom lie hired a carriage and pair. The men who have escaped are Michael Harrington, James Wilson, Martin Hogan, Thomas Hassett, Thomas Darragh. and Kobert Cranston. The two former were working on the morning of their escape (April 17) at the south jetty, with a party in charge of Warder Booler. Hogan was painting at the comptroller's quarters; Darrah—who was the Protestant chaplain's orderly—and Hassett were gardening outside the prison ; and Cranston, "who was employed as messenger, appears to have had free access in and out of the prison. On the morning in question the latter walked leisurely towards the south jetty, swinging a door-key on his finger, ami asked the warder to allow Harrington and Wilson to assist him in removing some furniture from the official marine residence on the Hampton-road. The warder, unsuspectingly, allowed the men to go. The Freemantle prison commands a very fine view of the town, and the three men these employed could easily watch the movements of Cranston and his two companions, and of the carriages which had preceded them along the Hampton-road; and when all was safe, at a signal, the painter abandoned his brush, the gardeners dropped their spades, and, somewhere between the old Cemetery and the Piggery, took carriage and drove off to Bockingham, distant about fourteen miles. About nine o'clock that morning, Air, V-'. BgjJ, a settler fit 1 lockingham, observed a whaieboat, manned by six coloured men and a white man of the Yankee type, coming alongside the Jarrah Timber Company's landing. He immediately suspected something wrong, and watched. Presently he saw an outrider, followed by two carriages full of men, six of whom wore the convict dress, dashing along at full speed. They halted, and immediately made for the boat, into which they jumped and were pulled out to sea. Bell's suspicions being aroused, he hastened to Fremantle, and gave information to the police of what he had witnessed. The water-police boat at once gave pursuit, and on the evening of the same'day the Georgette was commissioned as a war vessel by the authorities, and also .despatched in pursuit of the fugitives. The instructions given to the commander were to overtake and go alongside the ship to which the whaleboats were supposed to belong; to ascertain if the absconders were on board, and to demand their surrender. No force was to be used, but the men on board were to be kept under arms as y means of defence. On the following mpni; ing the Georgette sighted a barque under ; -light sail steering south. In about two hours' time she was alongside, when the vessel turned out to be the'Catalpa, of New Bedford, Captain Anthony, a whaler, flying the American flag. This vessel had cleared out from Bun Vary on the 2Sth March. Mr. j Stone asked, " Can Ilward your ship and search ?" To which the mate coolly replied,! "Don't know, got no instructions, but guess you'd better not, any-

how." The Georgette being short of Mr. Stone determined upon returnij at once to Fremantle, where] she arrivl about.five o'clock. The Georgette, havirf been supplied with coal, was again despatched by the Government in pursuit, and early nej morning sighted the Catalpa bearing S.S.j] under sail. On nearing her the steamer iir4 a gun under the vessel's stern, when she i>| stantly hoisted the American llag, but tool] no further notice of the firing. Both vessa coining within hailing distance, Mr. SuperiJ tendent Stone, addressing the captain of tU Catalpa, demanded the six escaped convidj 011 board his ship. Captain Anthony reply he had no convicts in his vessel, nor wouldU allow the police to board her. The SuperiJ tendent then said, "If you donot givetliej up I will fire into youjj and sink or disali you/' The captain, nothing daunted, J torted, "I don't care what you do ; I am J the high seas, and that flag (pointing to tU stars and stripes) protects me." After sotaj further parley, the steamer returned to FrV mantle. During the whole of her cruise affaj the Catalpa the men on board were unil arms, on the defensive, but Mr. Stomj orders were to threaten as much as he lik&f but not to use any violence. 1