The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-08-11
The Escape Of O'Donohue from Van
Dieman,s Land.


appears that Mr.. O'Donohue wen, on board s,camer
Al Launceston, at O'Clock, on the 18th of December
last, and was concealed in par, Of the vessel which
the police failed to penetrate after vgilani search.
He says:
''O'N. placed nc in his berth. where lay un,il 4
O'Clock, and was then removed to the engine rom,
and at "A o'clock, ON. led me through the furnace
room to the receptacle used for holding the Goals
consumed by the furnaces. 1t was adjoining the fur
naces but partitioned off with sheet iron. In the
centre OF fhs was an aperture, trapdocr, UNDER
meath. The cavity, surrounded every where with
burning flames, selected the apartment that
was to occupy. ] pushed forward into the first
chamber on hands and feet. ON. having forced the
trap-door. he launched into the cavern beneath
H. lie then closed the trap-door, and directly filed
the entire space with Goals. was thus ensconced in
compartment about seven feet in length thee in width
ana two IN height, and BY its formation oblg-
ed to lie in recumben, posture. Il being iised on
an sides with sheet rnn, when the furnaces came to
blaze IN iull strength the heat and want of air became
unsnpportabe. dreaded insian; denth hy sufoca-
ton apoplexy. The ordeal too was terribly tedious
After about An hour ON d,eadng fatal consequences
caused water To he pumped into my dungeon, by
means OF an opening IN the ships keel. was then
placed between the two great elements, FIRE and wa
ter saturated from head foot with water while fire
ragged all around me. .
''The police search occupied two hours after which
ON opened the traQ-door. and helped me into the
coal recess, from whence he brought me 70 The enpine
room. was greatly exhausted, but eoon rallied.
81 nus ended the police search at Launceston; bu,
on reaching Georges Town Heads being 40 miles
down the river, ON informed me that | should
again conceal myself in the same place that had lust
been In The search in Georges Town Coz prisoners
was even more rigorous than at Launceston The
anticipation oi the second lille death ordeal made
me very uncomfortable ard I Iuked forward IN IL
with much anxiety. Having arrived at Georges
own, was again removed 10 the fiery dungeon.
where was kept three hours, while search wss made
and my escape vas indeed vey narrow, for the place
set apart ior ooa ny head searched closely
10y the police consa''cs.
''On releasing me from this rurpa,o,i,I reese a
second time, was considerably Weakened On nut
ting MY head through the tap door, il closed half
upon me, and in hurried effort of poor ON TO dis
entanee me, narrowly escaped
81 was npw again placed in ON berth where T
remained from Monday evening until Wednesday a,
noon, when ~e reached Meibourne wharf Onariv-
ing at WillansoVn haibor the previous night there
was strict police search 5u lav undiscovered in
n'1 berth Immediately casting anchor az Mel
/ boulne, on " ednesiay the 22d December Nes.rs
J. L., x. aao D.--three gentlemen Who were aware
oi my contemplated escare--caue aboard and i. was
determined should walk ashore JUS, as was dccss
ed IN an Old blue howsers and check shirt black and
greasy, and hagea.d any fireman could look. Tho
quay was Mded with people, and among then, a
large sprinkhng Of police and detectives, horse and
foot My iiends stepped ashore and carelessly walk
ed on. l followed in their steps, aud IN a few min
u'es they entered friends house; where also en-
tered.
al was O'Clock in the afternoon, the dav very
hot. Ny friends returned to Melbou.ne, and re.
manned at NJ LIS during v ednesday nie 1t: and ON
Friday morning, the 24th Of December Mr. p c..
and M. Fitz, of Melbourne having visited and con-
suited with on The previous evening il was deem.
ed advisable Tor my better security, 10 remove long
distance from Meboornc. to a secluded. and remote
part o tie sores bordering the sea-shore and that
shot III remain here unit vessel was Procured 10
convey me to America part of Port phlp head
land, on one oi The snary beaches OF Hobson's Bay
therefore selected my rendezvous for the pres
ent.
/ Mr.. Donohue then relates the PARTICULARS Of his
journey, 70 the said solitary beach. Here he was Ia
ken seriously ill., and, he continues:
i ''On Thursday morning. the 30if Of December.
was very bad indeed, when nan arrived q, six o.
clock, after travelling from Melbourne. He handed
me letter. Ii was from my Melb9urne friends who
required my Immediate presence in that ctv The
letter informed that Nr. ID. had arrived a, Laun-
ces,on and that lie tad arranged with the cap, in Of
the Ea' IT Lnc,in for my eha, alton al three o.
clock on the nornns o, the 3l,t and ha. the vessel
would sa, Tor South America hour siterward
crawed on, Of my led, and scarcely ALI. 10 stand
dressed myself mounted on ny horse, proceeded on
my Journey WIN ny new acquaintance. Connor
kiiieen was the name Of ny guide The distance
ninety miles the heat intense and scarcely abl.
to sit IN my saddle.
""e never tasted food, except leg and wing Of
"iid duck; nor drink except muddy, hot ater from
IlGa creek, during journey, which We accompi;sh.
ed ty O'Clock Oh the morning Of Friday the 3lsf
We only sopled fifteen minutes during the entire
journey, and did not inter change ten words.
II took farewell adcn .l Ms Fitz - and D.
l.. G. e. and myself mounted a vehicle and drove
to bench opposite W i.llan.own hai bor and about
three miles from Melbourne. We there procured a
boat, and pulled way ior the ''Eail of Lincoln"
which lay Il long way ont IN the haIbor. II blew
gale of hot wind quite distressing. We reached the
ehip ~ oclock IN the morning the captain MAS ABB
sent, could 'eil where. Mr. d and Charles
g. returned TO Melbourne Mr. John L. and another
gentleman remained ionr hours with me-ihey then
went ashore IN search IF the captain. ! was then
alone III state oi great anxiety and continued illness
The list and second mates and the doctor seemed
dsagr cable fellows, aud the entire crew were in con-
fusion and disc der. At O'Clock in the evening the
captain came on board---ne was quite drunk He
F., in'ned,ately asked me If had my "pol,ce clear
anoe! l answered in 'he negative, and inu,;ired Of
HIM II the ships agents had not received fntv pounds
FOR n.y ,assaEc 20 Cato, and If he had not received
himself one hundred and fifty pounds for procuring
my CLEARANCE or stow ing ne away? lie reprd in
the affirmative, lut stated his inability to obtain .
clearance.
Il was now placed in .ad position, for .be rumor
had spread that had escaped from Van Dieman's
Land, and the police on the slet in Iu,.ut Of
me. sIcpt and IN the morning. n oues ted tho
captain TO 20 To Melbourne and carry a letter t. O'S
telling him Of my dilemma. He mie, took he COM
mission. Whie he was away, &. u. came on board
10 bid 'ne good bye. He prescaed me with a purse
oi one hundred soveregns, which he told me be was
authorized to hand me by my Melbourne friends
MIR. O'Donohu.' fens insisting on his return to
Melbourne, he did 50, here he remained until tho
18Th o January, when he took passage on the Oberon
for Tahiti, which port he reached on the Sd Of April
Under the assumed name of John Thompson. and was
kindly received by Capt Kelly, the American Consul
who procured him passage 70 San Francisco, in
the American ba'que Otranto Ia Qualification ol his
violation Of parole, he says:
Il was reduced by the organized system Of cruelty
enfMeed ssainst me, even IN violation Of the leaal
statutes in force in Van Di.man' Land--contrary to
ALI The recognized usages in relation the Glars
o convicted crimnalsand in to,al and reckless dis
regard of every vesge Of humanity, honor and good
fath-"e concluded, therefore. that stood before
God and absoIved from the moral and honorable
responsibility originally implied and understood by
Nh h. h.o