30 January 1936

WHEN TASMANIAN BUSHRANGERS CAME TO TO THIS STATE

South Australian Policemen Capture Innocent Man With Gang

'Are you a police officer?' two strangers asked Inspector Tolmer, of the South Australian police, in the very early days of the State. 'Yes; what do you want?' the inspector asked, hurrying to his office in the police barracks. 

The men explained that they were policemen from Tasmania, bearing a letter from the Governor to the Chief Secretary about four desperate bush rangers who had spread terror in Tasmania for more than three years, during which time they had committed murders and other crimes. 

'It has been ascertained,' the letter continued, 'without a doubt that they have shipped on board a whaling ship bound for Kangaroo Island.' 

The story of the capture of these desperadoes is one of the most colorful pages in South Australian history. 

After the Governor had read the letter, he ordered the Commissioner of Police (Captain Dashwood) to take the cutter Lapwing on special duty, and gave instructions for the harbor master at Port Adelaide (Captain Lipson) to make the vessel ready. Inspector Tolmer and a number of police embarked on the Lapwing, of which Lipson was in command. They instructed him to cruise about the gulf and to the southward of Kangaroo Island in search of the whaler. 

After having done this for several days, and sighted nothing, they put in at American River, where it was thought the men might have disembarked from the ship and gone to friends— former convicts—who lived at Hog Bay. With the object of interviewing some of these dwellers, the Commissioner, Inspector Tolmer, and policemen started through the scrub for Hog Bay, the inspector acting as guide. Captain Lipson was given orders to leave the following morning with the Lapwing. 

A thunderstorm overtook the land party and drenched them. The inspector now began to feel the strain, for he had left his bed against his doctor's orders. He found he could go no further. After the storm had passed, he improved, and the party pushed on to Hog Bay. A rush was made on the huts there, but only the usual residents were found. The police party slept there for the night, until the Lapwing arrived the next morning. 

The inspector was still ill, and the commissioner decided to return to Adelaide. Before he went, however, Tolmer asked to be allowed to interview a man at Kingscote, who would probably be able to help them in their search for the four escapees. This man was a former convict, who had been arrested in Adelaide as such, but owing to a flaw in the warrant for his arrest had to be released. He went to Kangaroo Island and lived there happily with his family, but was told that if a warrant came for his arrest he would have to give himself up. Tolmer realised that in the circumstances, this man was likely to give the police every assistance, and he asked the man to send word as soon as he could about the convicts. 

Not long after his return to Adelaide, the inspector met two station owners from Yorke Peninsula, Weaver and Giles, and they told him that four men had landed from a boat at the southern end of Yorke Peninsula, and were working for a man named Bowden on his sheep station. Their account of themselves was highly improbable, and altogether they appeared to be very suspicious characters. 

They said they were whalers, and to the south of Kangaroo Island had been fast to a whale which dragged them out of sight of the ship and the island, and at last forced them to cut the line. They had kept on until they had finally reached the peninsula. There they found a stranded whale calf on which they lived until thy reached Bowden's sheep station. 

Tolmer reported this to the commissioner who decided it would be best to send a disguised policeman to Bowden's station, giving him a description of the men. Farrell, a young man, who had bought his discharge from the army and had entered the police force, was chosen. It was a hazardous adventure, as the men had stipulated with Bowden that he should supply them with firearms as they were afraid of blacks. 

Weaver was persuaded to engage the disguised policeman as a shepherd in place of one who had developed sore eyes. Weaver left with his new employe in a cutter named the Midge for Oyster Bay. 

Shortly afterwards messengers arrived from the man in Kangaroo Island to whom Tolmer had spoken. They carried a note which stated that a whaler had called to enquire if four of its sailors, who had left the ship with four men who had joined from Tasmania, were there. This party had stolen one of the ship's boats on leaving. 

There were now new theories. Some supposed that the four who had obtained work were the four seamen. Others believed that the four bush rangers had killed their four companions and were now on Yorke Peninsula about to commit further crimes. At all events, an immediate investigation was desirable, and Captain Lipson made ready the Lapwing again to take Inspector Tolmer and four men to Oyster Bay on the peninsula. 

On reaching Oyster Bay they saw two small cutters dragging for oysters, and not wishing to be identified as the Government cutter, the gaftopsail was taken down, and her appearance made to look more like the Elizabeth, for which she was often mistaken. 

Tolmer and his men lay down out of sight, and the captain explained that he was taking stores for Bowden. Captain Smith, in charge of the Lapwing, anchored about half a mile from the Midge to avoid attracting attention. Smith went to ask the other, captain if he would attend a conference on the Lapwing, where he was told the true reason for the expedition, and was asked to co-operate with the police party. 

The captain's wife and children were staving at Weaver's station, and he was deeply concerned. He was pressed to go there to find out whether Farrell had discovered anything. He was to return as quickly as possible and light two small fires on a mound near the beach. 

Nothing was seen that night, and even when Weaver's cart came down for provisions, the captain did not appear. Tolmer became anxious, but not long afterwards the captain arrived and told them Farrell had been sent to Bowden's  station by Weaver for some cabbage plants, to give him the opportunity of seeing the men who were suspected there. 

When the police party arrived at Weaver's station, he, of course, simulated surprise, but he and others were told that the party was searching for some runaway sailors. Only slight wheel tracks indicated the route to the outstation where Farrell was, and Weaver instructed one of his men to guide Tolmer there. 

After a few miles, the guide— an ex convict— said he had lost the way. 'Now, D— — ,' said Tolmer, 'you are suspected to be a run-away prisoner from Sydney. You know by this time I am inspector of police. You have purposely lost the track. My men shall find it again. If you do not give me assistance I shall take you as an escaped convict.' The former convict soon found the trail again, and was promised that if he behaved faithfully favor would be shown him. 

On their arrival at the hut, the guide was told to enter and find out whether there was any body else besides the shepherd and hut-keeper there. He came back and informed Tolmer that they were the only ones there. Tolmer ordered the guide to take back the horse, and he waited. 

After some time he decided to send Morgan, one of the policemen, who might easily have passed for a sailor, to the hut. There he found Farrell, and lay down be side him on the floor. He sneaked out in the middle of the night, and told the waiting party about Farrell. 

Farrell told him how Weaver had sent him to an outstation where the man he was to relieve was staying. While he pretended to be asleep, this man and his friend began talking about two castaways on a neighboring run, and how one of them had had his feet cut when he was getting ashore. Both these men were ex-convicts, and Farrell dared not ask any questions in the morning, beyond the direction of this hut. 

He found the two men there, one, a lame cook. The cook told him that two of his mates had been engaged at a station which was being formed near the gulf. Farrell was certain these were the men, and the description of one tallied in every detail, even to scars on his face and hands, which were the result of an encounter with the police in Tasmania. The rest of the night was a miserable one for the inspector and his men, who were without food or shelter on a cold night. 

In the morning Farrell made an excuse to leave the hut, and Morgan joined him with, the party shortly afterwards. One man left the hut, and, creeping up to it, the police party rushed the cook and handcuffed and gagged him. He did not seem in the least perturbed, and kept smiling and attempted to speak. 'You are after four bushrangers,' he muttered. 'You may get three of them, but you will not get four.' He was cautioned and kept quiet. 

A horseman returned, and on his opening the door was pounced on. He was the station owner, Bowden, and was asked to give the police every assistance to take the other three bush rangers. He said that the man at the waterhole would be returning to the hut with his mate shortly. 

The mate, on opening, the door, was immediately seized and gagged, as the man the police really wanted was washing his hands outside. He was rushed and handcuffed before he could reach for his pistol, which was found fully loaded in his pocket. The two prisoners were coupled together, and an armed guard placed over them. 

Knowing well that the other two men were fully armed and not likely to hesitate to use their weapons, Bowden was reluctant to guide the police to the new station, and purposely lost the way. He was forced to tell them the way to the beach, however, and Tolmer became his own guide. 

Bowden was ordered to rush up to the men and to tell them he had brought a spade for them. He was to get them to fry chops for the evening meal, and to prepare to strike camp in the morning, as they would have to look for sheep which were missing. 

Slowly the policemen crept up to the tent. Tolmer rushed to the fire and upset the frying pan. There was a fierce blaze as the fat burned, and, in the confusion, two policemen rushed at the two men seated round the fire. 

One submitted, but Rogers, a burly fellow, caused more trouble, and Tolmer had to assist him in subduing him. This was not before he had seized Tolmer's hand in his teeth and left marks in it, which he bore to his death. A blow to the jaw, however, eventually quietened the prisoner. 

When these two were taken, the inspector fired his pistol as a signal for the other prisoners to be brought up. 'Well, lads, here we are,' said Rogers, the leader of the four. A grin from the man captured first was the only reply. All night a large fire was kept up to reduce the chances of an escape, and everyone remained on guard, although it was the third sleepless night for some of them. 

About midnight a movement was noticed under one of the blankets, and suddenly Rogers leaped up and tried to escape. He was quickly brought back. He had freed himself from Riley, to whom he had been handcuffed. The legs of the four were then pinioned. 

A cart was brought up the next day to take the prisoners to the coast, but a jibbing horse added to the inspector's difficulties. Riley and Rogers, guarded by two policemen with pistols and carbines, had to walk behind the cart. Presently Rogers asked for a knife to cut the heel of his boot, which was hurting him. It was handed to him, and as he and Riley bent down — Riley had to, as he was handcuffed to Rogers — Rogers was heard to whisper, 'Are you game?' and Riley answered, 'Yes.' 

The two were quickly placed in the cart, and covered with carbines. Rogers then good-humoredly explained his plan. He and Riley were to wheel round, seize the pistols of the following guards, shoot them dead, snatch their carbines, and shoot the members of the party in the cart. Even if they had not succeeded, he explained, they would have had revenge and sold their lives dearly. 

On reaching the shore, Tolmer was surprised to find a sailor who had reported that he had deserted from the whaler. He had been sent by the Government to help in identifying the prisoners. 'Why, there's Rogers, sir, that's Riley, that's Lynch, and that's my old mate,' he exclaimed excitedly. 

The mate was the lame cook, who had been made a prisoner by the convicts, and had suffered arrest: and hardships with them, too frightened of death at their hands to announce his or their identity. He shook hands with his old mate, and burst out in thanks to God for his deliverance and to the police for saving his life, as he had been threatened with death many times. 

The three convicts were taken to Hobart on stone ballast, but not before Rogers had attempted to sink a cutter containing several policemen by jumping into it, hoping that his 50 lb. irons on each leg would make a hole in the bottom of it. The boat withstood the strain, however. 

On the journey, the convicts told their story; first how they had shot a police inspector in cold blood in Tasmania when he visited their hut; how they had joined the whaler, persuaded the four men on the watch to leave with them in a ship's boat, and how this boat had been washed ashore on Kangaroo Island. One sailor and one convict were drowned. Two sailors made off into the bush, and eventually joined their ship again, but one, the cook, had injured his feet on the rocks, and was forced to stay. 

A settler befriended them, but found in the morning that he had been robbed of all his money, and his guests had taken his boat. This boat had been rowed, principally by the cook, to Yorke Peninsula, where they had landed, and eventually found Bowden's sheep station. There they had formed a plan to seize the Midge, sail for Western Australia, kill the captain and sailors, sink the boat, escape in a cutter, and represent themselves as castaways. 

Once in Hobart they spurned the Tasmanian guards, praising the South Australians who had caught them immediately, whereas they had been free in Tasmania for three years, doing as they wished. Their career ended shortly afterwards with their hanging. 

The reward of £100 for each man which was offered for the capture of each man was distributed as follows:— £25 to the inspector, £15 to each of the five men taking part in the capture, £15 for the sergeant in charge on board the boat, and the rest, evidently, for expenses. — H.