THE BUSHRANGER GARDINER IN THE STATES.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 102, 13 September 1879, Page 3

THE BUSHRANGER GARDINER IN THE STATES.

Intense excitement wvs occasioned in tin-: :-i> yesterday I•/ til tiding:' that a party of I'orlv-thmo iinuiigrnnts from tho enstimd Ihiuikl hither, were corallej the day previous in Truhne I'ass, by a hand of mounted desperad.H-N, or d tc the teeth, ami rohhed of what coin ami jewollry they possessed, together with a quantity of provisions. Tho train, oon. sistiug »f four covered waggons .and sevuii puck mules, hud just entered the canyon, and sumu adjustment uf the freight was being mad.' prqparutory .to ascending .the intricate road which shiits the precipice known its lingle falls, when the marauders, turlv.- in number, suddenly surrouuded the caravun, and pinBunting their revolver.-, at the pilgrim group, demanded a surrender uf all the coin at the command of the train. The pilgrims being almost unarmed, and miipiised as they were in so sudden a manlier, their only alternative was siilunis-

sion.to tin- tender mercies of the free hooters, who itt oncu instituted an over

iniul >of .tUt; iroight. The women ami •children Ktaauied, ami the men looked im in mute lienor as trunk after trunk wim broken oueti .by three murdaimuslodking guurillftii, superintended by nine equally veckloM-lookuq; bearde I ruffians, bristling with loaded barrels. Tlio immigrants were 'drafted nut one by one, ami Bubinittcd bo u rigorous overhaul, after which they wore ordered to nit .tlawu .in lull view of the robbers, who kr>jit them focuieeil .while the spoliation uf property was giiiugxjn. An old immigrant fruin Rockland, Okiu, caiuo very nearly being shot by reason of an mw seasonable loquacity, having ventured an opinion that "the durned ikunki wanted hkiniiiii," for their sacrilegious proceeding! in rubbing the saints. Tim IwrboM Mormon was mode tOgOSU his kmvs and apologise for his unsiiiutly expression, whilst u tux-shooter pvomd ■iglltfiCAntly into each ear. After lirlinj; the caravan tho brigand* rode off lelairTay in the dilection «f .Mound Valley, first givuug strict injunctions to the immigrant* not to move on for (three hours. wliilrt tho robbery was being perpetrated, Elder l'rici'h'iirst, in charge of the immigrants. aud who was in San r'mnriscu iu U»o fall of 1*7(1. declares that he recognised in tin; leader of the gang a man Uuuiod Frank Gardiner, who then kept n (birdh iliniliiii w*m*Mmm*art

1 whose provious career in Australia, it i s iiajd, forms a remarkably lively chapte I in the criminal annals of that country . Tiiis man it is assertis.l was at One tine. I a notorious Australian bnahranger, tbi • t.-rror of New South Wales, whose high • ways for some four years werenlimM ab (olntcly under the Uillahip of tlielawlca • army at his command. After serving t i term of imprisonment scarcely common I turute with the enormity ..f his offenasi I ; Clardiner ti\<-<i upon Snn Francisco asthi • scene of his further labours; and hoc, •. at his sal.Kin. which was little else than ; 11 gambling den, and a resort for all tin • scum and dregs of the city, the frequent j iisital of his "daring deeds," —and in- ; steml of being lo..keJ upon with loathing I the man became elevated, in the opinion .j of his bearers, into a very hem. It is I pretty clear that in the small drinking saloon on Kearney-stroet Gardiner matured his plan against thn pcuce and the safety of American citizens, and organised the band of ruffians who deprived those, poor, Weary pilgrims of a few hardearned dollars—the fruit, perhaps, of many a year <*f hitter toil. The caravan reached this city last night, and officers Bkmo and Van Deckcn at once despatched forces in several directions with tho object of capturing tho mai augers.— Mouutuiu Kcho, June i.