Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-02-01
Adventures Of Tickst-of-Lsavs Man


are an excellent chap"
Adventures Of q Tcket-of-Leavs Man.
London Correspondence N. Y. World
The name of this gentleman is Over
Suffolk, and in l847 be was convicted o.
the crime of theft, and sent to Melbourne
to serve out term of penal exile. HI
was possessed of considerable literary
ability, and, as shall relate, before be
left Melbourne, he made very success
full debut as an author, publishing book
entitled days of Crime and Years Of
Suffering" which commanded an exten.
sive sale, and brought him no small sum
of money. Upon arriving at Melbourne,
he was not placed in confinement, but
was permitted to 90 at large under sur
veillance. he employed his liberty SO
badly, however, that in 1851 he was ar
rested for robbing the Fyansford mail,
and received long sentence. which at
least extended over four or five years,
and during this time be was engaged as
clerk in the Melbourne Jail. His &C.
quaintance with the criminals of Victoria
at this time was very extensive, and some
of them had large sums of money se-
creted, the proceeds of robberies.
Suffolk, by the position he was placed
in, aided, no doubt, by a lax discipline,
was enabled to change their warrants and
alter the years of imprisonment through
| the books, 80 that many ruffians escaped
| with much shorter sentences than they
received from the Judges of the Supreme
Court; but one of the forgeries, not so
clever as the others, was discovered, and
Suffolk was informed of the circum-
stance He said nothing, but quietly
submitted to the heavy irons that were
placed on his arms and legs, and without
an effort went to the hulks in Hobson's
Bay.
In 1858 he obtained his freedom by
ticket of leave and went to Ballarat.
| There he kept about some of the gullies
and, going into hotel, said he was de.
tective Sincox (then in charge of the die
trict), and by his easy and persuasive
manners, made the landlord believe he
was on important duty, and required
money and horse. Both were provided
for him, and he got clear away; but he
again fell into the society of his old
friends, the police, and received an
other long sentence. He was then ia
Pentridge, aud known under the slang
term of "billet man." which means
that he was clever enough when in Jail to
receive some important position. In the
year 1866 he made his way to the house
of barber named Mannix, and was re-
ceived &C q species of hero. About this
time Suffolk, Msnnix, and a few other
notorious criminals, who were released
about the same time Zone of those fellows
was an expert epgraver), formed o
scheme for manufacturing quantity of
forged notes for the Indian market, but
when the notes we're manufactured, the
detectives received "the Office" and
though ttay prevented the " fiimsies
being used, they could not bring the
crime home to the principal sctors in it,
as the "plant was removed few hours
before raid was made upon the forging
house. Suffolk kept in the background
during the investigation of the affair, and |
with some interest used by his brother,
who is in large way of business near
Bristol, he received conditional pardon,
the understanding being that he would |
leave the COLONY. His story of Days |
of Crime and Years of Suffering was |
published, and, with the money he re-
ceived from that work, the cash he got |
from the criminals whose warrants he |
had altered, and the proceeds of few OF
his other swindles, he managed to take /
his adieu of Victoria with considerable
amount Of mouey. During his passage
home be made number of friends by
his supercilious manner, and landed in
described as o wealthy squatter
from Australia. He made his way to his
brothers house and edged his way into
several drawing-rooms, bis hosts think
ing that he was slightly outre for Eng
lish society; but it was excusabie, al
least so they said, as be was from Aus
tralia. There he talked largely OF his
"a Mating aud banking interest in Aus
tralia, also admitting that he had dab
bled in journalism and was part proprle-
tor of the Melbourne Argus. In time
be was invited to several houses, and
at last was introduced to a charming
widow Of about forty years OF age, who
we'll appointed, and some El5OO in the
funds. Suffolk Immediately made Sead
set at this lady, and after q little time
wrote a letter-she being present--to
Mr.. Reed, solicitor, Melbourne, telling
him 10 dispose of the mansion and
zrounds at Malmsbury, his Colonial Bank
shares, and also his interest in the Argus
newspaper, which he could do by the
power Of attorney given to him. Mr..
Reed was, Of course, very much aston
shed at this epistle, but no doubt think
ng that Suffolk-whom he had defended
many times-was following some OF his
I'D practices, aud wanted Mr.. Reeds
-eply 80 that be could make use OF the
envelope bearing the Melbourne post
mark, and forge q letter to answer bis
,wn purposes, gave information TO Super
ntendent Nicholson, who forwarded il 10
[nspectoI. Field, in Scotland Yard. 10
be meantime Suffolk married the widow,
much against the wishes Of her fEis"'