STICKING-UP OF THE BURROWA MAIL.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 21, 24 December 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

STICKING-UP OF THE BURROWA MAIL.

(From the Sydney Morning Herald, Dec. 8.) On Saturday afternoon, the mail between Burrowa and Yass was stuck up up by Gilbert and Ren Ef all, when about five miles out of Burrowa. The two men were seen to come out of the bush, and standing by the roadside, to wait patiently for the coming up of the mail. Mr Robert Handley, a passenger, describes them as being exceedingly clean and well dressed. When the mail reached them they directed the mailman to draw off the road, showing where they wished the vehicle to be taken. The mailman did as he had been ordered, and after they had come 300 yards off the road to the side of a hill, they were told to pull up and dismount. They found four persons standing there who had been previously bailed up. There were three bags in the mail, and Gilbert took possession of two of them, and Hall of one. They ripped open the bags, and taking out the letters, tore open the envelopes one after the other, appropriating tbe contents of such as had note 9or cheques enclosed. They then obtained several halves of £5 notes, and a good number of £l notes, together with a heap of cheques and orders four or five inches high. Hall seemed rather disgusted at this Leap of valuable security that he was unable to turn to account. lie took out several of the cheques, and asked those present if they would cash them for him ; but as nobody answered he expressed his intention of burning the lot. Mr Handley requested him not to do 8o t as it would be useless destruction of property. Gilbert joined in, and Hall, at last, threw the cheques down, with the remark, "If I thought it would do the an i jury I would burn the lot." When they commenced opening the letters they sat down very unconcernedly, taking no notice, whatever of the parties they had bailed up, who were perfectly free. One of the four men asked if he might go now, and Gilbertsaid, " Yes, you may all go except the mailman." The four men left, Mr Hand'ey staying to go on with the mail. Whilst they were opening the letters Mr. Handley asked Gilbert if he remembered taking a gold watch from Murphy some time previously. He answered that he did perfectly well. Mr. Handley then said, " Are you aware that the watch belonged to Mrs Scott of Burrowa, and that Murphy was only fetching it out to her from the Flat !! ' He replied that he was not aware of that, and that il he had known it to be hers, he would not have taken it. Ha also said that if Mr. Handley was so inclined, he would give it him to return ;o Mrs Scott. Handley expre3sa<l l,is wi'lmpness to take charge of it,- and (Libert took ]t off a gold chain, which, with four or five others, he wore round his neck, and handed it to Handley. Ihe watch was subsequently given to the mailman by Handley, aud by the mailman handed over to the police at Binaloug. Whilst they were opening the letters, Ben Hall came across one with a bit of wedding cake enclosed. lie looked at it very wistfully, and was half inclined to eat it, but at last threw it down, saying, " No, it ; it ma) be a trap." (jilbert also met within a letter a black J bordered envelope. This he put care- j fully on one side without touching it, j expressing his intention always to pay due respect to death. They laughed and chatted very freely during the time they were opening the letters, and Gilbert remarked that it would give the newspapers something to talk about again, and show them that he and his mate were still game enough to stick up the mails whenever they wanted money. They then made a search amongst the newspapers, to get one that contained the account of Vane, giving their Opinion in by no means complimentary terms of the cowardice ot their former companion. Ben Hall Was finished first with his bag, and as a dray was seen on the road, Gilbert told him to go down and get something to drink off it. Hall went, leaving Gilbert alone with Handley and the mailman ; in fact, Mr Handley says that, if he had been armed, he could at any moment after descending from the mail, have shot the two ruffians dead without any risk to himself. Hall returned after a few minutes, and reported that the man had nothing but a load of flour on his dray, and that there was nothing else in it but an empty keg. Having gone through all the letters, they left them scattered on the ground, wished their late prisoners a " good day," and rode off. The mailman and Mr Handley collected the letters, cheques, &c, and put them iv the bags, and drove on to Binalong, where the matter was at once reported to the police. They were detained exactly an hour, having been bailed up at a quarter-past three, and being left free to go at a quarter-past four. On Tuesday morning last, about ten o'clock, Gilbert and Ben Hall called at Coffey's, three miles from Burrowa, and stuck up a number of people who happened to be there. They ordered and partcok of breakfast, and overy one who passed along the road was challenged and directed to come in. A young gentleman, named Campbell, objected to the order, and galloped off. Hall got on his horse, pursued him for some distance, but did not overtake him. At one time, it is said, there were forty men, women and children bailed up, none of whom appear to have been much molested. Some grog that was in the place was handed round by the bushrangers a3

far as it would go. Several of the men were shearers. Coffey carries on the business of blacksmith, and keeps a small store. A hawker who was in the house was taken by them into the bush, and by his conduct it is supposed that he thought they were going to tie him up, rob him, and leave him there. He begged to be allowed to kiss his wife before he went, but they told him he could postpone doing so until his return. Gilbert drove him into the bush, and look a £i-uote from him. From a shearer who was at the house they took a similar sum. Gilbert had the lower part of his face hidden under a comforter. Hall had nothing over his. Coffey states that they took £30 from him. Their horses were very much jaded. They left the house with a shearer of Mr Campbell's, whom they asked when the men were going to be paid. On being told the following day they left the man within a short distance of the house. It was stated that next day Gilbert and Hall chased a son of MrPoplin, who was mounted on a very fine horse. The youth beat his pursuers and got away. On Thursday morning, the bushrangers were seen between Bmrowa and Bennenine, the estate of Mr C. O'Brien. They came out of the bush close to the road, and reconnoitred a traveler, but did not interfere with him. Ben Hail was then mounted on a remarkably fine horse ; and it. is supposed that, since leaving Coffey's, he managed to recruit his stud, probably at the expense of Mr Poplin. While Gilbert and Ben Hall were at Coffey's, they laid their revolvers on the table, and walked about unarmed and quite carelessly. Gilbert was very jocose with some of his company, but Hall appeared to be of a more sullen and reserved deportment.