THE NEW SOUTH WALES BUSHRANGERS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 208, 9 December 1879, Page 2

THE NEW SOUTH WALES BUSHRANGERS.

A gang of' six bushrangers, headed by the notorious Captain Moonlight, stuck up the Wantabadgery station, 25 miles east of Wagga, on the morning of Sunday, November 16th. 19 hands weie bailed up for 10 hours. The manager at first proved intractable, but V after receiving several kicks he apologised on his knees, and was sent on the roof to keep watch. "When the mailboy (Alexander M'Donald) arrived the mailbag was seized, M'Donald escaped, bringing the news to Wagga. Four ■ troopers left in pursuit, arriving at daybreak on Monday. The bushrangers were at the station homestead. One came out, refused to surrender, whereupon the police fired. The others of the gang attacked the police, and there was a hot consent for over two hours'.' The marauders approached the police in a semi-circle, compelling them to retire to a neighbouring station, leaving their horses behind. Five policemen from Grundagai reinforced them, and the bushrangers were overtaken about two miles from the station. Another serious engagement followed, and the fight lasted an hour, and was witnessed by a large number of people from the neighbouring hills. One bushranger was shot dead by Sergt. Bowen. The rest took shelter, but Bowerr succeeded in shotting another dead, being himself seriously wounded in the neck. The third bushranger was wounded in the arm, two others surrendered, and the remaining one escaped. The g<«ig also stuck up a store at Clarendon, robbing the mail. Two constables had their horses shot under them. Mr Biridge, a squatter, and two assistants, when trying to join the police, were stuck up by the gang. Biridge was compelled by the leader to shoot his valuable horse. They were then " court-martialled " by the gang, and allowed five minutes to live. Fortunately, the attacking force arrived before the sentence was executed.