Telegram-herald., 1891-09-28
A BANDIT QUEEN.
6urroandsc by Outlaws n the
Australian wilds.
Esss.snsa by LSss fraa Her Wrsa aa1
Lssi-s. Lie aaa New RestaLa1
waA her HAsa~1a Ia
AAerieA-


Three years ago Mrs. Whsrtcn ]. An
esrson. q middle aged woman II rars
b.auty. was the leader Of a baad Of out
Laws IA Australia Although possessed
of over . quarter OF million Of dollar~.
she went ~ that Wild country. collected
the band and placed herself al the head
OF fa Her object was not 10 steal. bus
- snabls her. for the first time IN hes
life, ~ have absolutely her own way IN
everything and n -ze her VIII law. Her
oatlaws-f0r outlaws they certainly
wsre-~ere paid 70 10 her bidding. aud
eo them she became known "a The
Bandit Queen"
Up - the sins she was twenty
years of age. says the San francisco Ex-
aminer, she had never had asr wish IN
the slightest shing. and even her small
est wish was denied. Left an orphan
when bat . year cid. she was adopted
by MAJ. L. Thompson, . cruel, stern
man. who absolutely governed her as
man would an animal A woman, he al
WAYS declared, was simply slave
About four years ago he died, leaving
al his property 10 his adopted dAugh-
ter.
When She found herself in possession
OF . fortune she knew at last that tho
aira OF her life was reached She con-
verted everything into cash and went to
Australia
Gradually she gathered around her
men who were well-known in that
country for fearlessness and who lived
on the proceeds of their unlawful acts
She finally collected band OF thirty
members. Each she compelled to take
an oath TO do her slightest wish To
each she paid a large monthly salary,
and AL they had 10 do to earn It was TO
obey her
Mounted on the finest horses that
could be procured. with the queen at
the head. the band that was soon 70 be-
come famous rode to the large wooden
house that had pu~posely been erected
in secluded and most desolate spot
There they lived on every luxury that
the season afforded. Dressed in daz-
cling costume the queen commanded
them, and her most absurd order was
instantly obeyed She went so far as
t. attempt - mold the mems thoughts.
Gradually II became known that
iawless band and the strange house be-
came the sole topic Of conversation.
She was declared 10 be enormously rich,
and many weird stories were told about
her. She never appeared In the towns
or cities, add she was . mystery to
all
Many wealthy Englishmen heard OF
her, and all desired TO behold her.
william Griffin, q young officer of the
queens army. who was stationed in
Australia, became possessed OF q
strange idea that he must see the nys-
terious woman who, Dame Runor said,
was re remarkably beautiful. Securing q
leave Of absence he set out for her PAL
ace, and after "a weary journey he found
himself within her groundA
No sooner had he entered than he
was seized by armed men and roughly
rushed into the presence Of the one he
sought.
"You are my prisoner for three
months,' she said, land for three
months you must obey my wishes"
Each day she issued written set OF
orders for she prisoner to execute and
his keepers saw that he obeyed the er.
d-rs to the letter. Two hours each day
he spent in her presence and listened
silently 70 her as she told him Of his
many faults and the many reforms thai
would have to occur before he was lib
Grated. He was mad. to ride the wick
cdcst of horses. perform daring feats he
never thought he was capable of, and
sometimes he was compelled to work
about the place.
When three months had gone he wa,
ushered into the leaders presence, and
after she compelled him 70 take an OATH
70 respect all women for the remainder
OF his life he WAS escorted By mounted
men about two miles from the place anC
set at liberty.
About nine months ago Wharton j
Anderson. wealthy young English
man. who was travelling In Australis
heard OF 'The Bandit Queen" and de
te-rnined 10 see her and find out il al
the queer tales he had heard about hcl
were trsie. With some difficulty h'
sought her out. and when he had en-
tered the grounds he was seized, q
others before him had been. and ush
cred into the leaders prcsence.
In ths same way as Griffin was treated
80 was Anderson dealt with. lie. how
ever, rebeiled and declined either :,
obey orders or listen 70 any directions
Whatever.
OF orc thing he was positive. III
knew that he ioTs shis mysterious sns
beautiful woman. and he determined /.
make her his wife or die in the attempt
Somehow or other she acted strangely
In bis prsseuce. and The end OF it a.
was that love c,nquereL
Two weeks afterwar,l the horne wa,
deserted aGd the band had separated
Nable Thompson. no longer the Bsndi
Queen, was married 10 young Ander
sou ~ Sydney. and they iumediatel,
sailed for America. landing in San Fran