History of the Australian BushrangersBoxall, George
History
History of the Australian Bushrangers
Boxall, George
Bushrangers -- Australia
James Berry was tried for the murder of Constable McGuire, and was
sentenced to death.
At the same sessions John Wright, another bushranger, was also
sentenced to death. The case against him was as follows;--On May 17th,
1840, Mrs. Margaret Foley, living at Long Swamp, about thirty miles
from Bathurst, was going from her house into the detached kitchen
at the rear, when three armed men appeared. She shouted "Here's the
bushrangers" and ran into the kitchen. Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Foley's
partner in the farm, came out of the house and fired both barrels of
his gun at the intruders, but failed to hit any of them. The leader of
the gang followed Mr. Cunningham, who went back into the house; and
saying, "It'll be a long time before you and Steel (son of Captain
Steel) hunt us again," shot him dead. Wright then went to the kitchen,
pushed the door open, and asked where Foley was? On being informed that
he had gone to Bathurst, he replied "I'm sorry for it. I'd 'a served
him the same as Cunningham if I'd 'a caught him." He swung his gun
about in such a reckless manner that one of the assigned servants in
the kitchen requested him to be careful, adding "Recollect that there
are women and children here." Wright told him to mind his "own----
business and be----" to him. He continued to swear about Foley's
absence and declared that he'd a "good mind to make a clean sweep."
He became cooler afterwards, and having collected all the jewellery
and other valuables, went away. In passing sentence the Chief Justice
commented on the great number of robberies which had been committed by
Wright and his gang and said there was no hope of mercy. Wright thanked
his Honour and then coolly asked whether he might have a candle in his
cell, as it was very dark.
CHAPTER VII.
The Jewboy Gang; "Come and Shoot the Bushrangers;" Constable Refuses
to Leave His Work to Hunt Bushrangers; Saved by his Wife; Robberies
in Maitland; Bushrangers in High Hats; The Bullock-driver Captures
the Bushrangers; An Attempt to Reach the Dutch Settlements; Mr. E.D.
Day Captures the Gang; Assigned Servants' Attempt at Bushranging;
Some other Gangs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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