WEST COAST PEMINISCENCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 13

WEST COAST PEMINISCENCES.

BURGESS AND SULLIVAN GANG. tFaoM Oub Own Coerespoxdf.nt.i GREYMOCTH. Augu-t 11. The death of the late Mr J. Maunder, of Hokitika, bring- to mind the old days of the Coast wh"n the liurge-* and Sullivan gang; the notorious bushrangers, were le\ying on all whom they met. Mr Maunder was the last man Vho spoke to George ])ob«on. whom the gang mur dt-red in mistake for a bank manager, supposed by them to be returning from a gold buying expedition. It seems that the late Mr Maunder was " stuck up " by the waiting bushrangers, and when they found that they had got hold of the wron.g man it was proposed to do away with him, Burgess remarking that " dead men tell no tales." Sidlivan. however, objected, on the ground that he was a poor old miner, and they had enoughmurders on their hand* n.heady, and he was allowed to go on hi? way. After walking a short d:«tanee he mot the unfortunate man Dobson. He told him to look out. as he had been stuck up by the liurges6 jrang. Dobson laughed, and said 'Ley \vould do him no hurt, a c lie had j noLhipg on him worth taking, and pur- i sued hi.- way. Mr Maunder shoitly after j lieaid the Oiot which killed the poor I fellow, but he could do nothing. All they got i\a.-< few shillings from their victim. Mr Mnunder hid a re •narkable c-cape. as :<t tlie time he hal upwards of 200 <.ov* roiyns in a belt strapped round hi« l>ody.

A bright youn<r Kaffir, ju-t for fun, Sr.^zod clown th-o barrol of a stm ; And just to see how things wouUl go He pressed the trigger with In- too. A basketful of his remains ft'as gathered from adjacent pLiin=: And now his tribe, vcu may be sure, When they ha\c colds u-q Woods" Pc^i^ermint Cur«.