Daily Tombstone epitaph., 1886-02-04
A ararARKABLE RoBBER.

Another name has been auueu to Vne long catalogue of distinguished high. waymen which includes Claude Duval, Dick Tmpin. and Jack Sheppard. In many respects he was the most remark able robber the world has ever pro- duced. His name was Henry Garrett. He was native of England. but, like several other citizens oi that country, he was granted leave to reside in Aus tralia for the term of ten years. Ihis was in l842. The cause of his going abroad to reside was the loss of watch and wen-filled pocket-book by a gentle man who was travelling in a private conveyance. So far as can be ascer- tained,-for comparatively little is known of his early lifc,-he was not melted to engage in adventure ana crime by reading 'dime novels In deed, this class of books, which are pre- sumed to be so peraiciOus in their in- Huence, had not been placed on the market when Mir. Garrett was a small boy, which was nearly eighty years ago. He was great student and most dili- gent reader, though he had no inclina- ton to peruse trashy books. He was an excellent linguist, a good naturalist, an expert engineer, and very fair lawyer. He was fond of science, especially of comparative anatomy. His favorite authors were Humboldt, Darwin, Tyn- dall, Huxley, Spencer, and Mill. His knowledge of history was remarkable, and while in prison, as he was several times, he spent most of his time in writing biographies, which sold for 1 1o.~. tl,no o<,,rlA ral lya by engaging iN any kind of labor He was great favC-ite with the warden, surgeon, and chapiain of every prison in which he was confined. His know ledge of men was excellent, and he was often consulted about the management of convicts. He was a most entertain- ing companion, and on that account his society was sought by prison officials.
 Mir. Garrett operated on a small scale in Australia as soon as his term of penal servitude had expired. He was very desirous of returning to England, and sought to obtain means to do so. He had some trouble in doing this. He had but small capital, and did not wish to organize gang" as is often done in this country, and was even averse to having partner. Learning that there was bank in Q small country town, he from it sufficient to carry him to his na- tive land and to support him there for some time. Approaching the building, he posted a notice on the door that the bank was closed. He entered, closed the door, and, pointing pistol at the head of the cashier, demanded that he hand over the contents of the safe. Re- ceiving about SS0,000, mostly in bank notes, he locked the door and departed. With this sum he left for London. He was followed by detective, who re- sorted to trick for the purpose of catching him. He shadowed person some days whom he thought was the robber he was looking for, but of whose identity he was not certain. Early one evening, while walking in the street where there were many persons, he gave loud ''coo-cc," q cry made by Aus unsuspccting Australian, thinking one of his fellow -colonist7 was in trouble, rushed to his assistance, and fell into the hands of thc detective. He was taken back to Australia, tried, con victed. and sentenced to ten years i'm prisonment. At the expiration of this time he concluded that he would go to New Zealand, where fortunes then were rapidly made.
 Mir. Garrett's first great enterprise in New Zealand was that of sticking up" some seventeen miners, who, singly or in pairs, were going to q town to put their gold in a safe place. Stepping out from behind tree, he bade them throw up their hands and preserve si- lence. Tying them 10 trees with cords he carried with him, he relieved them of their valuables, and then passed on to meet others of the party, whom he used in the same way. Thinking they might remain in that condition some time before anyone came along to re- lease them, he treated to drink. filled their pipes, lighted them, and went on his way. For this act he was again imprisoned, and did not regain his lib- erty till three years ago. A few weeks after his release he was arrested in a wholesale store, where he was found with about fifty skeleton keys in his possession. He was again tried, con- victed, and sent to prison. In this place of confinement he died
 Local papers give some strange ac- counts of his life and character They declare that he always kept his word, that he never had confederate, that he never shed drop of human blood, was never guilty of cruelty, and he never robbed or injured woman. He was 60 kind. polite, and obliging, and with al SO highly intelligent, that persons meeting him in prison forgot that he was criminal. His appearance was so good, his manners so refined, and his conversation so engaging that no one ever suspected that he was leading q life of crime. While travelling, he passed for q gentleman and scholar, and gained the confidence of the best people he met. The warden of the last prison he was in allowed him to walk outside the wall on his promise to return at stated time. Take him all in all. he was robber the world never saw