OLD OTAGO HISTORY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 329, 16 June 1911, Page 3

OLD OTAGO HISTORY.

UiCC<)LLECTIONS OP GAIiRETT : IsGSHIUXGKR. (Concluded i.

Soon after the brealc-out of the golil rusli, Garrett found his way to Weatherston's, where lie pitched on a fainy good claim, lint he got known to the police, who continually watched and annoyed him. At last he could stand this no longer, and decided to go back to \ ictoria with some of his mates, but funds were low. After a consultation amongst them it was decided tluit when witliin easy reach of Dunedin they should try to augment their exchequer. Ihe short road to Wcatlierston's. via Maungattia, was selected as the scene of operations. I know the place well, and my opinion it would be hard to find a more likely j isipot for sticking tip and robbing any number of travellers. The place was on the very old track from West. Taieri to Waipori. some three or four miles from Taieri, ill sight of the plain. The track was very narrow, on a steep ridge, and at this particular place had a steep wooded gully on both sides. The gang pitched a tent there, and awaited victims. Fu a very short time they had nearly a score of gentlemen bailed up, and after being plundered the.se were tied to trees, being warned that 110 harm would befall them so long as tliev remained quiet, but on the slightest attempt to escape they would be shot. One or two travellers were allowed to pass unmolested, for which they afterwards thanked their lucky stars, for they .had with them considerable sums of money. No violence was used towards the captives. On the contrary, those who wished it were given tea and allowed to smoke, and when a suitable period had passed they were told they I would be released. Meanwhile, the gang made their way to Dunedin with all haste, and next day they found a vessel about to sail for Melbourne. In her they made good their escape so far. Amongst those stuck up were, I believe, Mr. Hugh Calder. of Caversham, and the late Mr. Matthew Miller, or Hawke's Hay, who had had previously a similar unpleasant experience -in Australia. On the morning after the robbery the news of the robbery was spread abroad, and a hue and erv was raised after the perpetrators, who were then unknown. Mr. John Branagan was at this time superintendent of police in Otago. The writer, in company with Mr. .Job Wain, carried on the Commercial Horse Bazaar in Rnttray-strcet. now owned bv the D.I.C. We supplied the horses for the gold escort, and for other mounted troopers. A- [ have said, the hue and cry was raised, and, booted and spurred, of! went a squad of troopers to find and arrest the highwaymen, but after a long, weary hunt they failed to obtain any trace of them. Garrett told me that while the troopers were saddling in our yard for the chase he was standing there, looking on. This was quite likely, but I hardly believed it. Soon after the robbery Garrett and some of his mates were missed, and when it was found that they had left Wcatlierston's i just shortly before the occurrence it was ! rightly guessed that they were the per- I petrators. Word was sent to Victoria, j where lie was arrested, sent back-Jo! Dnnedin, tried for highway robbery, and ntenced to a term of imprisonment.

i:is sentence could not have been a very ■long one. for shortly afterwards wo (mil liim in Melbourne, having been sent there by the Otapo Government. Under some Act in force it was not permissible for one colony to send its criminals to another colony, and Oarrelt was quickly sent hack, Victoria statin}; in effect,

'This is your criminal, not ours. Wo have 110 use for him, and make von a present of him. Wo wish you luck with him."

Xow comes my acquaintance.with Garrett. On his second arrival in Otago he was <lostitu'e, penniless and friendless. However, a Christian m tne person of the Rev. Mr. Brunt.on came forward and took pity on the helpless outcast, and it was by the efforts of this humane gentleman that Garrett was enabled t.o'oayn a livelihood with my firm. "From my intimate acquaintance wun him,. 1 came to the conclusion that Garrett was horn a kleptomaiiic, and it.was his nature which compelled him to steal whether he was in want or not. Of coiirse; there are many examples of this.

Xow, I may. give you a little of this noted character's history, as told to me hv himself, true or otherwise 'T know not. Garrett was a native of. Birmingham, or Manchester, or somewhere in the midland counties of England, and went at an early age to sea. He traded on the Mississippi river; went to the Californian gold rush, anil afterwards found his way to Victoria. lie had many j sensational episodes in Aniercia. which. need not he related here. Tie arrived in Victoria, in the early days, of the gold rush, however: was a very : successful miner, made a pile, went to London, and married. .lust at this time, some of | your readers will remember, occurred the robbery of the ship Nelson ill Hobson's Bay. This vessel was on the eve of sailing for England when an armed boat's crew boarded her at night, stuck up the whole crew, and then transferred a verv large quantity of gohl from the Nelson to their boat, which was very quickly taken ashore and the gold as quickly sold to eager buyers in Melbourne, who were said to be the real instigators of the robbery, these gentry being of a persuasion other than the Christian religion. Garrett was among those blamed for the robbery, and was soon afterwards arrested in sent hack to Melbourne, and sentenced to a term of imprisonment. He informed me, however, that he was not one of the guilty parties in this affair. On his release he heard of the death of his wife, a,ml this he felt very much. He determined to have some revenge, and this was soon planned and carried out. Getting together ,a few dare-devil pals, they agreed to stick up one of the banks lin Sydney—T forget which one—and in the middle of the day the gang entered

the bank. stuck a notice outside the door saying the bank was closed, shut the doors, drove all the customers, of whom there, was a considerable number, and all the clerks into the manager's

room, and told them that if they attempted to pet out before a certain hour they would be shot.. Xcedless to say, they waited until the appointed time. Meanwhile. Ciarrett and his mates were busy helping tneinselves to the gold, etc.. and got clear invar. But (larrett was arrested not long afterwards, tried for the. robbery, but not convicted, because none of the witnesses would swear to his identity, he and his fellows being all masked, (larrett related this story tn me. and seemed to think it a smart piece of work. Tie said be concocted the whole affair himself. These and many others of his episodes he related to me freely and without reserve. T shall nowclose this notice of a once-noted criminal who has now gone to his last abode. At the time when Mr. Allen found (larrett on a Queen's Birthday in his shop in Farley's Buildings. Mr. Allen was in the company of the lute Mr. Read. Xnw Mr. Head at that time was gardener for me at mv residence at Water of Lcith. and he had known (larrett intimately for a few months previously whilst he was coopering for me. Garrett was not ■ iil all disliked by any of the brewery

hands, although be never opened his mind to anyone but tnyseii. Poor Garrctt behaved quiei-ly mid respectfully to all hands, working very steadily all the time. Jlr. Read lost no time m acqiiaintiilg me with the lacts (if («arretts airest, and it needed n« policeman or any other person to know tnat it was Garrett.

After the arrest, Garrett's lodgings were searched and a large quantity 01 goods of varied descriptions found there. These were found to belong to shopkeepers. principally in George-street, and this went a long way to prove his being a kleptomaniac. His sentence was a long one, and he ended his days in prison. «.