News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-25
AN EFFECTIVE POLICE FORCE.


AN EFFECTIVE POLICE FORCE.
The Black Truckers of Queensland and
Their Methods of Dispensing Suspects.
'T suppose the most effective police
force in the world" said an authority
on the subject, ''was the force of
mounted natives that a few years ago
had the peace and welfare of portions
of Queensland, Australia, in its keep
ing. These policemen could not well
help being effective in their work,
for they were not only the con-
stabulary, but Judge, jury and execu-
toner as we'll. lived in Queensland
from 1876 to 1878. 1t is, as you doubt
less know, the largest division of Aus
stralia. Immense tracts of the terri
tory, especially in the northern part,
are still tracts of wilderness, inhabited
only by the aboriginal bushmen-a race
of people in that region small in stat
ure and low in mental condition. At
the time left the country no effort had
been made to civilize them. These peo-
pie had no religion, and not even a leg
endary history, They lived in small
tribes. All the manual labor was done
by the women, who were held as slaves
by the men, marriage being an unknown
CEREMONY. In the extreme northern
region the savages were cannibals.
Their weapons were the spear and the
boomerang. These bushmen were
great cattle stealers, and they made
frequent raids on the ranches, murder
ing the herdsmen and running the cat
tie to the wilderness. They also waged
constant war on the Cinnamon who
worked in the gold mines of that iso-
lated region. The Cinnamon they killed
they carried away to be feasted upon,
their flesh being preferred to that of
white people. The depredations of
these savages finally were made more
| systematic and successful under the
lead of transported criminals, who now
and then escaped to the bush, flying to
the unexplored tracts and becoming
still more savage and cruel than the ma
| tives.
''To deal with these civilized and I'M
civilized criminals the Queensland Gov
eminent organized the native police
force. Its members were themselves
semi-savages, selected from wild tribes
in different and distant parts of the col
ony. They were taught to ride horse
back and to handle the revolver and
rifle. 1t was a task of great magni- |
tude to break these raw savages into |
these ways of civilization, for they were
afraid of both horses and guns; but |
when their fears were once overcome,
which frequently had to be accom-
plished by severe punishments, the
natives became enthusiastic and expert |
both as horsemen and marksmen. Their
duties were congenial to their tastes. 1t
was their business to hunt down murder
ers and horse and cattle thieves, and to
disperse all suspicious parties. They
were not required to bring in any pris-
oners. When the services of these
police were needed the force required
was drafted from the entire department
Sometimes they were placed in charge
Of white leader, who, l am sorry to
say, enjoyed the character of his bust
ness as much as his savage subordinates.
The policemen were called the Black
Trackers.
"When force of the armed and
mounted savages started in pursuit of
alleged criminals the trail was followed
and not native man, wo-
men, or child found in the vicinity of
where the crime was said to have been
committed, nor as far as the pursuing
Black Trackers followed into the bush,
escaped. They were murdered, one and
all. The real criminal might possibly
escape, but the police force took the
precaution of killing every being they
saw, to prevent the escape, if possible
hot Of IL
a trooper he became possessed with the
most undying hatred of his late brothers
of the bush, and delighted in hunting
and slaughterIng them. Up to the time
left Australia the savage bushmen had
not adopted the use of firearms, Ill
though they could easily have done so.
They still chung to their spear and
boomerang, and, in spite of a expert
ence to the contrary, took refuge in
trees, under the belief that the guns of /
their enemies would be powerless there,
as their own boomerangs were against
birds that hid in the foliage.
"The wild troopers or patrolmen of
the Queensland bush were useful in
hunting up whites who were so fire.
quently lost IN the great wilderness,
where hundreds, having lost their way,
wander aimlessly about and perish an
nually. A force of Black Trackers sent
to find lost man or men rarely failed
to find the objects of their search; and
even on these errands of mercy they in
variably exercised their prerosative of
killing every wild black they met while
on the errand, regardless of age or sex.
There are all through that country,
deep, tank-like depressions in the soil,
which are called water holes, because
they are generally full of water They
are useful in affording abundant water
for cattle. In the wild regions the
bushmen seek these water holes to
quench their thirst. The Black Track
ers knew the location of these holes,
and on their patrols through the bush
they would frequently lie in ambush
aboDt some particular hole, often re-
naming there for days watching like
hunters watch deer lick They knew
that sooner or later numbers of
their hated wild brethren would
flock to the spot. When they
did, the hoe was surrounded by the
hiding Black Trackers, and the hope
less savages penned in and shot down
until not one was left alive The poor
fellows generally plunged into the
water. hoping to escape by diving, but
they had to come to the surface, and as
fast as they did they were shot like SO
many alligators. 1t was a common
sight while 1 lived in Queensland to
see the skulls of dispersed bushmen
adorning the door posts, gate posts, and
even the interiors of the houses of
wealthy owners of cattle estates. The
matter had been taken up, however, by
settlers who were Mortified at the butch
cries that the native police were daily
in the name of peace and
law, and petitions were sent to England
praying for different order of things.
| believe the system has been abolished
since; but while they were in power the
Black Tracker police of Queensland
were doubtless the most expert dis
persers' of gatherings against the public
peace that ever had the sanction of
higher authority"