The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-15 00:00:00

Buslzanging in New South Wales.

(From the Sydney Morning Herald, Feb. 18.)
Another policeman has fallen a victim to his sense
of duty. On the 27th ult., Hall's gang stuck up
about 30 persons on the Goulburn road, taking
from them various amounts, from half a crown to
£ll 12s. Twelve drays were stopped. The rob-
bers broke open cases, took a little clothing, and a
double barrel gun. They drank bottled porter, and
gave some to the people. Two watches were stolen,
one horse, saddle, and bridle. Hall, Gilbert, and
Dunn went into Collector, and stuck up Kimberley's
Inn. On this reaching the ears of the lock-up
keeper, Samuel Nelson, who was the only policeman
there, he took his carbine and went up towards
Kimberley's. Dunn met him on the road, called
upon him to stand, firing at the same instant.
Nelson cried out " Stop !" and fell. Dunn fired
again. Both shots took effect—one on the head or
neck, the other in the heart. Nelson never spoke
after receiving the second wound. After he com-
mitted this murder, Dunn went to Kimberley's Inn,
and the bushrangers left the township. Subse-
quently, the police sighted them on the brow of the
hill, and charged them; the bushrangers leaped
their horses over logs and made off, and were lost
sight of, the evening being intensely dark. They
abandoned a stolen horse. The murdered man has
left a wife and eight children. Frederick Nelson,
aged about 18, eldest son of the deceased, gave the
following account of this outrage at the inquest on
the body :—I am farming about Collector, and re-
sided with my father, the deceased. My father was
Samuel Nelson, and was lock-up keeper here. He
was aged about 38 years, and had been in the police
force here about 7 years and a half, and had pre-
viously been in the police force at Moreton Bay.
I had tea with my father yesterday evening, and
afterwards went over to Mr. Waddell's and re-
mained there about half an hour, and on leaving I
saw- my father in constable Bourke's yard.
He left, and walked towards home. I did not
speak to him, as he was a good way off. I had heard
that the bushrangers were at Kimberley's, and went
towards there to see if it were true. On my way I
met Mr. Edwards, who told me it was true. While
I was going towards Kimberley's my father was also
doing so, but from a different direction, and gotnear
the house before I did. When my father got near a
fence close by the house, a bushranger sprang from
behind the fence and called on my father to stand,
and fired immediately afterwards, on which my
father staggered into the road and called out
" Oh ;" the bushranger fired again, and my father
fell. I was inside the fence at this time, and about
10 yards from my father ; the bushranger called on
me to stand, but I ran away, on which the bush-
ranger fired at me, but did not hit me ; it was light
enough for me to see, but not to recognise the man
who shot my father. I spread the alarm through
the township of what was going on, and after awhile
my brother came and said that the brshrangers had
gone, on which I went up to Kimberley's and found
my father's body had been taken inside the house.
He was quite dead. While this took place my
brother was compelled to hold the bushrangers'
horses outside Kimberley's house, having before this
been compelled to march 'there, a distance of three
miles. When my father fell I heard his carbine fall
from his hands on to the ground. In connection
with this, the Government have offered a further
reward, altering the conditions on which the rewards
were previously offered, as will be seen by the fol-
lowing :—" Instead of the reward of £2,000 for the
double apprehension of both these criminals, a re-
ward of £5OO will be paid for the arrest of the said
Benjamin Hall, and £5OO for the arrest of the said
John Gilbert, and a reward of £5OO for such infor-
mation as may lead to the capture of either of them,
or £l,OOO, if, on such information, they are both
taken. It is to be understood that the person or
persons performing the above duty, whether police-
men or not, shall receive the reward, and it will
not go into any police fund." Depredations are as
rife as ever on the southern roads.