STICKING UP A RANK IN QUEENSLAND.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2156, 16 February 1880, Page 3

STICKING UP A RANK IN QUEENSLAND.

The Cunnamulla correspondent of the “ Brisbane Courier ” writes under date, Jan. 16: —This morning at 10 o’cloclc, a man, afterwards indentified as Joseph Wells, armed with a sixchamhercd revolver, fully loaded, rode up to the bank, and hanging his horse on the fence, walked in, and covering the manager, demanded his money or his • life. Mr Berry replied that ho would not give up the money, whereupon the man vaulted over the counter and repeated the demand, but only elicited an equally unsatisfactory answer. The third time of asking, backed up by the determined attitude, and the closer proximity of the polished steel barrel, proved too much for the banker, who began to show signs of perplexity, but still hesitated to hand over. A drawer, with a comparatively small sum of money was, however, soon placed at the fellow’s disposal, and whilst he was engaged ransacking it, the manager endeavored to procure assistance; but an alarm had already been given by Mrs Granville, who had overheard the conversation between the manager and the robber, and had informed Mr Murphy that a man in the bank had threatened to shoot Mr Berry, and I understand that as Mr Berry left by one door on his errand Mr Murphy appeared at the other. Upon the arrival of Mr Murphy on the scene, the man immediately sprang on the counter, and was in the act of decamping when Mr Murphy seized upon him, on which the rnfiian at once fired his revolver, the ball glancing off Mr Murphy’s head and entering his left shoulder, inflicting two very ugly wounds. The combatants struggled and rolled over in. one another's embrace ; but Mr Murphy finding the revolver uncomfortably near, released his hold for a moment, when the fellow burst away, and wont belter skelter for his horse, which, being of a fiery temper, flew off at a terrific, gallop leaving the tattered bridle on the fence, and the wretched Kelly imitator in a dilemma more easily imagined than described. Then followed a scene of excitement that will not be forgotten for many a day by theimmediate participators. A large number of unarmed persons gave chase, notably two men with unloaded guns, raising a great uoise and commotion, the men with the guns calling on Wells to surrender, and the crowd hounding the men with the guns to shoot the bushranger, who, poor devil, was frantically trying to catch his horse, which was sailing majestically around the people with dilated nostrils and head and tail high up in the air. The hunted wretch, closely pursued by a remnant of would-be capturers, turned round to get breath and threatened to shoot anyone who should dare to come near him—a pro ceeding which greatly checked the impetuosity|o£ the pursuers, who fell hack and began to disperse. The man finding himself pretty well deserted, made the best of the golden moments by putting on a desperate spurt to get out of the sight of his pursuers, and was so far successful as to obtain a couple of hours’ respite. As good fortune would have it, Mr Herbert Gwynue was riding on his racehorse Vauity, and handsomely placed the turnout at the disposal of Sergeant Byrne, Avho set to work with commendable promptitude and pluck. In the meantime, the jaded culprit was working his passage in the loose sand with what speed he could. At this juncture a sheep-dog, Avhich had joined in the line and cry from the first, was of great service. Being again urged on by his master the sagacious brute Avitli unerring instinct, was soon on the ruffian’s tracks, Avliicli from this time to the capture he never "lost. The rubber in his extremity 1 cliinbed a tree of thick foilage, in the hope of avoiding detection, or for the advantage of position afforded in ease of a light. But the excited dog Avas on the trail, harking all the time his high disapproval of evildoers in general, and this one in particular. Sergeant Byrne, armed and mounted as before mentioned, had been for some ■~thffe”ri(Uiig about in search of his game, Avhen his ears caught the sound of the barking, and guided thereby, he found the rumiAvay almost entirely hidden in • the branches and leaves of the tree, the dog keeping Avatch below. In the Queen's name the sergeant called t<> the

man to surrender and throw down his anus, but he refused with an oath saying he might as well he shot as hanged, and would vouchsafe no other answer to the repeated adjurations of the sergeant ; but at last he descended from the tree. The sergeant acted with forbearance by abstaining from shooting the scoundrel dead, which would have been safe and justifiable under the circumstances. As the man neared the ground Byrne grasped the revolver, and in a very short time lodged his prisoner in the rickety lock-up, the outside of which is, however, bristling with firearms in the hands of the bluecoats. Had the robber been but once seated in the saddle, it would have devolved upon me to write a far different tale, for the horse is a splendid animal, which taken together with the fact that the man is a thorough hushman, indicates the trouble that might have ensued. Under the excitement and circumstances of arrest, the prisoner assumed a somewhat jaunty and important air. How long this bravado will last remains to be seen. The narrative of the occurrences of this eventful day would be incomplete were I to neglect to record the general approbation awarded to Mr Murphy for his share in the transaction.