The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser
Monday 10 October 1825
Intelligence has reached town, within the last week, of the capture of
two desperate bushrangers, and the death of a third. On the 21st of last month
three of these ruffians paid the quarters of Leslie Duguid, Esq. a marauding
visit, and took from thence 200 weight of flour, 100 weight of pork,
12lbs. of tea, 40Ibd. of sugar, 11lbs. of tobacco, a blunderbuss, a powder-horn
with a quantity of powder and shot, a silver watch, and sundry wearing
apparel.
The fellows observed that they had associates in waiting to assist in
removing the plunder. To show how the system of bushranging is maintained in
that part of the Country, perhaps it is as well to state, that a correspondence
is kept up with these robbers by nearly all the Crown servants assigned
to the settlers in that neighbourhood. The gentry that visited Mr. Duguid's
estate directed the acting overseer to the identical spot where the watch, and
other articles of value, were deposited; in fact, they said they were in want
of certain articles, and issued their directions accordingly, to which prompt
obedience was afforded, on pain of destructive consequences. This is one instance,
selected from innumerable others, which convinces us of the facts already
stated, namely, that the servants of the settlers, and the bushrangers, are
engaged in one common cause.
Immediately subsequent to the robbery of Mr. Duguid's premises, several
of the military were despatched
from town in quest of the gang, and at a place called the Black Creek,
about eight miles from Patrick's Plains, the soldiers fell in with three armed
bushrangers ; they exchanged three rounds each, when one of the bushrangers
named Riley, who was sheltered behind the stump of a tree, received the
contents of a musket in the eye, and fell dead on the spot; his associates then
surrendered, one of whom was reported to have his right hand dreadfully shattered,
occasioned by the bursting of his piece. The bushranger that was shot, was
formerly in the employ of Mr. Vickers Jacob, and constituted one of that
gentleman's Irish brigade. We have every
reason to believe that the measures resorted to by the patriotic settlers, conjunction
with the promptitude of Government, will soon put an end to the dreadful system
of bushranging in the neighbourhood of Hunter's River.
The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser
Monday 17 October 1825
The particulars regarding the
recent capture of the bushrangers at Hunter's River, are represented to us by a
Gentleman residing near the spot, to be as follows :-
The four men that have committed
the late atrocities, viz. Reilly, Cleary, Clinch, and Price, were fallen in
with at the Black Creek, by Sergeant Wilcox, and two
privates of the Buffs. Before Reilly was
shot dead on the spot, three rounds were exchanged, and Price was immediately taken
prisoner. Clinch and Cleary effected their escape-the latter supposed to be
wounded. It has since been reported, however, that these two latter prisoners
intended to surrender themselves to Mr. Scott, an active Justice of Peace, in
the neighbourhood; but they were shortly afterwards apprehended by two free
men, fencers on the estate of Mr. L. Duguid, and have since been forwarded to Sydney,
where they are lodged in the county gaol. For the apprehension of the gang of
desperadoes, the patriotic inhabitants of Hunter's River, and its vicinity,
have offered a reward of 800 dollars, which no doubt, has ere this been awarded
to those who so valiantly hazarded their lives.
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